Syllabus
Course description and learning objectives:
The course (https://4euepilepsy.lf2.cuni.cz/course-program/) explores the neurobiology of epilepsy from basic and clinical perspectives. The main objectives of this course are to deepen your knowledge on the pathophysiology of epilepsy and seizure, introduce you to modern research tools that are used in epilepsy research and identify the current challenges and complex issues in epilepsy. The course is highly didactic and composed of lectures and interactive sessions where attention is paid to the active involvement of participants and close interaction between students and tutors. The faculty involves internationally recognized leaders in epilepsy research and clinical epileptology.
The course is international, and it is open to undergraduate and Ph.D. students from various research disciplines who are interested in epilepsy research. The course requires participants to have a basic background in neuroscience, basic knowledge of neuroanatomy at the microscopic and macroscopic levels. The preference will be given to participants who have bachelor level course on neurophysiology, neuroscience or similar topic/s
After the course the participant will be able to:
• Understand the cellular, network, molecular and metabolic processes that characterize the chronic epileptic tissue, epileptic neurons, pathological activity present between seizures and seizures.
• Describe how the mechanisms vary in various forms of epilepsy ranging from focal epilepsy to generalized one and epileptic encephalopathies.
• Recognize the mechanisms that are responsible for the development of epilepsy.
• Understand how various types of lesions lead to the development of epilepsy and seizures.
• Understand how brain development and brain aging affect the brain susceptibility to develop epilepsy and the underlying mechanism.
• Understand the basic principles of various research techniques and what information they provide to gain insight into the pathophysiological mechanisms of epilepsy.
• Recognize how understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms and pathogenesis of epilepsy is relevant for understanding the effect of currently available anti-seizure medication and developing new diagnostic techniques and epilepsy therapy.
• Identify the current challenges of epilepsy research
• Understand the needs of people with epilepsy and their expectations from the research
Course schedule 23rd February 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Introduction to the course
Marco de Curtis, Maria Paola Canevini, Piotr Suffczynski and Premysl Jiruska 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Introduction to human epilepsy
Marian Galovic and Petr Marusic 2nd March 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: Seizures and epilepsy
Marian Galovic, Shilpa Kadam, Vadym Gnatkovsky, Maria Paola Canevini and Petr Marusic 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Epileptic neurons and epileptic networks
Premysl Jiruska and Piotr Suffczynski 9th March 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: Epileptic neuron and neural circuits
Piotr Suffczynski and Premysl Jiruska 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: The role of glia, inflammation and metabolism in epilepsy
Erwin van Vliet and Jakub Otahal 16th March 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: Glia and inflammation
Erwin van Vliet and Jakub Otahal 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Research tools – electrophysiology and imaging
Christos Lisgaras and Jakub Otahal 23th March 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: Imaging in epilepsy
Christos Lisgaras and Jakub Otahal 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Research tools – morphology, biochemistry, molecular biology
Julika Pitsch and Katja Kobow 30th March 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: How to study brain tissue morphology
Julika Pitsch and Katja Kobow 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Research tools – morphology, biochemistry, molecular biology
Julika Pitsch and Katja Kobow 6th April 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: EEG interpretation of epileptic activity
Vadym Gnatkovsky, Petr Marusic and Christos Lisgaras 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Epileptogenesis – molecular, cellular, and network reorganization
Shilpa Kadam, Nihan Carcak and Simona Balestrini 13th April 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: Epileptogenesis in developing brain
Shilpa Kadam, Nihan Carcak and Simona Balestrini 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Focal epilepsy – neuropathological substrates and underlying mechanisms
Katja Kobow and Gilles Huberfeld 20th April 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: Interpretation of histological findings – identify the lesion
Katja Kobow, Angelika Mühlebner and Lucas Hoffmann 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Neurobiological aspects of generalized epilepsies
Gilles Huberfeld, Piotr Suffczynski 27th April 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: Experimental studies and data interpretation in genetic epilepsies
Massimo Mantegazza and Cristina Ruedel-Reschke 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Epileptic encephalopathies
Simona Balestrini 4th May 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: From diagnosis to treatment in people with epilepsy
Marian Galovic, Simona Balestrini, Maria Paopla Canevini 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Animal models of seizures and epilepsy
Nihan Carcak, Erwin van Vliet and Christos Lisgaras 11th May 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: Choose the best model for your experiments
Nihan Carcak and Cristina Ruedel-Reschke 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Anti-seizure medications and therapeutic approaches
Cristina Ruedel-Reschke and Simona Balestrini 18th May 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Interactive session: Design and test new drug or treatment
Cristina Ruedel-Reschke and Stephanie Derdewardeere 17:40-19:10 CET
Lecture: Future therapeutic approaches
Gabriele Lignani 25th May 2023 16:00-17:30 CET
Lecture: Epilogue – 20 mysteries that should be solved in epilepsy
Marco de Curtis
Annotation
The course requires participants to have a basic background in neuroscience, basic knowledge of neuroanatomy at the microscopic and macroscopic levels. The preference will be given to participants who have bachelor level course on neurophysiology, neuroscience or similar topic/s.