PAVING THE WAY TO A LIFE SEIZURE-FREE

By joint research, discoveries and innovation we seek to open the paths to new and effective methods of prevention, diagnostics and treatment of epilepsy and thus to fundamentally improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

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NEWS

Motol BraDy Meeting

November 12, 2024, from 09:00 amSecond Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Plzeňská On behalf of the Department of Physiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and Epilepsy Research Centre Prague (EpiReC), we would like to invite you to participate...

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Motol Epilepsy Surgery Day 2024

January 10, 2024 from 2 p.m. Great Auditorium of Second Faculty of MedicineCharles University & Motol University Hospital Dear colleagues, on behalf of the Epilepsy Research Centre Prague (EpiReC) and Motol Epilepsy Center, we would like to invite you to the...

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THE EPIREC PROJECT

Current exponential technological advances combined with the extraordinary multidisciplinary synergies foster unique opportunities for innovative breakthroughs in the research and treatment of epilepsy.

Modern research of epilepsy, improved quality of diagnostic methods, development of novel medicines and their successful and fast translation to clinical practice all require close and efficient cooperation. Such collaboration is needed not only between the experimental and clinical epileptologists, but also among the molecular biologists, mathematicians, bioengineers, biochemists, pharmacologists and many other professionals united by the common research topic – epilepsy.

THE EPILEPSY RESEARCH CENTRE (EpiReC)

  • represents a multi-institutional consortium specialized in basic, clinical, and translational epilepsy research
  • is a transdisciplinary organization composed of multiple teams with a shared purpose
  • fosters close collaboration between academia and industry to promote joint Research & Development activities
  • represents a team of teams structure designed to tackle the most challenging aspects of epilepsy
  • provides an attractive environment for the top scientific teams, talented young investigators, and clinicians with the common passion for epilepsy

CENTRAL AIMS

  • gain insights into the causes and mechanisms of the most severe epilepsies in children and adults
  • foster the discovery of novel diagnostic tools and innovative treatments for epilepsy to improve the quality of life for people with epilepsy and their families
  • create an internationally recognized centre performing high-profile epilepsy research
  • educate and train future generations of scientists and clinicians interested in epilepsy research and epileptology

SCIENTIFIC TEAMS

Currently, there are seven scientific teams that work within Epilepsy
Research Centre Prague.

Clinical Electrophysiology ➞

Laboratory of Neural Circuit Optophysiology ➞

Pathophysiology of SUDEP ➞

Cognitive Brain Research Group ➞

Laboratory of Neuroglial Interactions ➞

Experimental Neurophysiology Group ➞

Neuroimaging ➞

PARTNERS

Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences is a leading scientific institute of 400 employees and 60 principal investigators organised in 21 scientific and 7 service departments. Its mission is to improve fundamental knowledge on the physiological and pathophysiological processes associated with the function of neuronal and brain system, cardiovascular system and specific areas of metabolism; and to apply its findings in biomedicine for better prevention, diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases.

Its experts collaborate with the clinical and academic units of EpiReC on various aspects of the research of epilepsy.

Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, is a top medical school in the Czech Republic. Its rigorous six year programme in General Medicine is complemented by the paediatric and developmental aspects. Both language tracts (Czech and English) maintain excellent student-teacher ratios. Second Faculty of Medicine has a strong reasearch focus. Attached to the biggest hospital in Central Europe, it excels in many research areas including neurology and paediatric neurology.

Robust epilepsy research units composed of the investigators from the departments of Physiology, Pathophysiology, Neurology,  Paediatric Neurology and Neuroimaging generate the basic, pre-clinical and clinical research of EpiReC Prague.

Motol University Hospital, with its 2238 beds, 6000 employees and over 70 000 hospitalizations per year is the largest hospital in the country and No. 1 children’s hospital in Central Europe with 607 beds and more than 2700 births per year. Its departments cover all areas of adult and paediatric care including organ transplants and specialized care of chronic diseases, rare diseases and complex pathologies. Teamed with academic and research centres, Motol University Hospital is both a prestigious medical institution and a huge research enterprise.

Paediatric Neurology and Neurology Departments equipped with Electrophysiology and Neurogenetics Laboratories and an outstanding on-site Epilepsy Surgery programme advance the clinical aspects of research and care within EpiReC Prague.

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague educates students from 28 different countries in electrical engineering, communication technology, automation and robotics, informatics and computer science. Its research for medical application, civil protection and military institutions represents nearly one third of Czech technical university’s top scientific outcome.

Colleagues from the Department of Circuit Theory study interconnectivity of brain circuits and combine digital signal processing and image processing, statistics, graph theory and AI to supplement and enhance the standard evaluations of EpiReC neuroimaging experts.

MANAGEMENT

The project management structure consists of the Management Board, the Project Management Team and the Scientific Board.

Management Board oversees the purpose, vision and mission, and the proper management of the project. Its seven members represent all partner institutions.

Project Management Team is the executive body of EpiReC. It consists of two members—the Project Manager and the Deputy Project Manager.

The main purpose of the Scientific Board is to provide feedback on Centre’s scientific vision and to recommend and prioritize its research topics. The Scientific Board of EpiReC is an eight member body.

Chair of the Management Board

Prof. Vladimír Komárek, MD, PhD

Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

Deputy Chair of the Management Board

Prof. Jakub Otáhal, MD, PhD

Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University
Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences

Member of the Management Board

Prof. Roman Čmejla

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague

Member of the Management Board

Prof. Pavel Kršek, MD, PhD

Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University
Motol University Hospital

Member of the Management Board

Prof. Petr Marusič, MD, PhD

Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University
Motol University Hospital

Member of the Management Board

Jan Kopecký, MD

Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences

Member of the Management Board

Jana Zárubová, MD

Motol University Hospital

Project Manager

Prof. Přemysl Jiruška, MD, PhD

Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

Deputy Project Manager

Prof. Jakub Otáhal, MD, PhD

Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University
Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences

SCIENTIFIC BOARD

The Scientific Board consists of internationally recognized experts in epileptological research and of scientific representatives of pharmaceutical companies

Marek Babjuk

Dean of Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, CZ

Stéphanie Baulac

Paris Brain Institute, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France

Helen Cross

University College London, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom

Marco de Curtis

Foundation of the Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, IRCCS, Milan, Italy

Michael Duchowny

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Dept of Neurology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

Stefanie Dedeurwaerdere

Union Chimique Belge (UCB Pharma), Brussels, Belgium

Merab Kokaia

Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden (TBC)

Hana Kubová

Dept of Developmental Epileptology, Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, CZ

CONTACTS

Project Manager

Prof. Přemysl Jiruška, M.D., Ph.D.

premysl.jiruska@lfmotol.cuni.cz

Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

EpiReC Office, Event and PR Manager

Květa Janoušková, MA et MA

kveta.janouskova@lfmotol.cuni.cz

Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University