Final Activity Report Summary - EPILEARN (Epilepsy Learning)
The last decades witnessed an extraordinary advancement in the development of biotechnologies applied to basic and clinical neurosciences and a tendency to the super-specialisation of human resources. This precludes the development of a general vision of the mechanisms controlling brain function and may slow down the advancement of translational research aimed at understanding and curing brain diseases. As many as 40 million people in Europe have a history of seizures and 6 million currently have active epilepsy. Even though most patients respond to treatment, about 30-40 % develop a chronic intractable epilepsy. Education plays a key role in increasing professional knowledge and in reducing / preventing social exclusion of patients. To ensure standardised diagnostic work-up and care throughout Europe a systematic educational programme should be implemented. A new generation of researchers and clinicians is needed to improve the translation of technological advancements to the benefit of the epileptic patient and his environment.
The aim of the proposed series of events was therefore to promote interactions between basic neuroscientists and neurologists, by creating a common vocabulary through lectures and tutorial activities provided by a selected team of teachers with a scientific background that reflects an attitude towards a multidisciplinary and integrate view of neuroscience, rooted in an outstanding expertise in epileptology.
Three advanced training courses were organised in San Servolo, Venice, Italy and a final alumni conference was organised in Pecs, Hugary. The events were very successful, with 167 attendees throughout the project duration, of which 147 were eligible for funding. Topics which were selected for the advanced training courses were: 'Surgically remediable epilepsies', 'Clinical and therapeutic approaches to childhood epilepsy' and 'Bridging basic with clinical epileptology'. Thanks to the courses, researchers acquired also managerial skills to plan, organise and develop research and clinical activities. The residential and full immersion character of the advanced training courses, the hosting and teaching environment on San Servolo Island has largely contributed to facilitate contact building and close interactions between researchers and teachers. Both categories have been hosted in the same housing facilities. This gave participants the opportunity to learn from, discuss and socialise with members of the faculties, orchestrating the opportunity for collaborations within Europe and between European and extra-European epilepsy and research centres.
Eligible researchers from less industrialised and developing countries had the chance to build contacts to spend training periods in world renowned institutions. Assessment questionnaires were distributed during each course to evaluate the level of satisfaction of the students. According to the questionnaires, most of the students felt that the courses reached the goal to establish contacts between different organisations and areas of work and therefore served their professional career.
Due to the excellent scientific progress of quite a number of students from the previous courses, the final conference has been organised as an Alumni meeting. The San Servolo Alumni Conference, with the patronage of Eurepa and of ILAE became a three-day satellite event of the International Epilepsy Meeting, during which young and prominent scientists and clinicians in the field of epilepsy were involved as the main speakers. Former students were therefore asked to submit an abstract for potential presentations. The last day of the conference was planned as a joint meeting with the workshop on 'Neurobiology of Epilepsy' (WONOEP).
All alumni had the chance to meet the most prominent scientists in the field. Some alumni were selected to give talks at the WONOEP and had the opportunity to discuss their data with prestigious WONOEP-ILAE members. In addition, some of the students were involved in a special session organised within the International Epilepsy Congress to report the results of the alumni meeting to the international epileptology community.
The aim of the proposed series of events was therefore to promote interactions between basic neuroscientists and neurologists, by creating a common vocabulary through lectures and tutorial activities provided by a selected team of teachers with a scientific background that reflects an attitude towards a multidisciplinary and integrate view of neuroscience, rooted in an outstanding expertise in epileptology.
Three advanced training courses were organised in San Servolo, Venice, Italy and a final alumni conference was organised in Pecs, Hugary. The events were very successful, with 167 attendees throughout the project duration, of which 147 were eligible for funding. Topics which were selected for the advanced training courses were: 'Surgically remediable epilepsies', 'Clinical and therapeutic approaches to childhood epilepsy' and 'Bridging basic with clinical epileptology'. Thanks to the courses, researchers acquired also managerial skills to plan, organise and develop research and clinical activities. The residential and full immersion character of the advanced training courses, the hosting and teaching environment on San Servolo Island has largely contributed to facilitate contact building and close interactions between researchers and teachers. Both categories have been hosted in the same housing facilities. This gave participants the opportunity to learn from, discuss and socialise with members of the faculties, orchestrating the opportunity for collaborations within Europe and between European and extra-European epilepsy and research centres.
Eligible researchers from less industrialised and developing countries had the chance to build contacts to spend training periods in world renowned institutions. Assessment questionnaires were distributed during each course to evaluate the level of satisfaction of the students. According to the questionnaires, most of the students felt that the courses reached the goal to establish contacts between different organisations and areas of work and therefore served their professional career.
Due to the excellent scientific progress of quite a number of students from the previous courses, the final conference has been organised as an Alumni meeting. The San Servolo Alumni Conference, with the patronage of Eurepa and of ILAE became a three-day satellite event of the International Epilepsy Meeting, during which young and prominent scientists and clinicians in the field of epilepsy were involved as the main speakers. Former students were therefore asked to submit an abstract for potential presentations. The last day of the conference was planned as a joint meeting with the workshop on 'Neurobiology of Epilepsy' (WONOEP).
All alumni had the chance to meet the most prominent scientists in the field. Some alumni were selected to give talks at the WONOEP and had the opportunity to discuss their data with prestigious WONOEP-ILAE members. In addition, some of the students were involved in a special session organised within the International Epilepsy Congress to report the results of the alumni meeting to the international epileptology community.