Epilepsy

Staff

Dr Hannah Cock BSc MRCP MD - Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Neurologist; Principle Investigator hcock@sgul.ac.uk

Dr Julie Gibbs PhD - Post Doctoral Research Fellow jgibbs@sgul.ac.uk

Nicola Hamil - PhD student p0505632@sgul.ac.uk

Dr Andrew Kelso MRCP - Clinical Research Fellow akelso@sgul.ac.uk

Dr Tim Von Oertzen - Consultant Neurologist & Honorary Senior Lecturer

Gillian Porter - Academic Secretary, Telephone 020 8725 4630 gillian.porter@stgeorges.nhs.uk
 

The research group moved from the Institute of Neurology, London to SGHMS in September 2003, as part of a new joint Trust and medical school initiative to develop epilepsy. The research group has received funding from the Wellcome Trust, Brain Research Trust, Epilepsy Research Foundation, St Georges Charitable Foundation, and pharmaceutical sponsors. A 2nd NHS Epilepsy Consultant, and Clinical Nurse Specialist in epilepsy started in January 2004, and the clinical service is now well established, including a developing epilepsy surgery program. 

Current Work

Current work is primarily laboratory based, and focuses on two major areas: 

1) Novel treatment approaches to refractory cortical epilepsy e.g. focal drug delivery to discrete brain regions. This work to date has involved the detailed characterization of an excellent model of refractory cortical epilepsy (Nilsen et al, Epilepsia, in press), and preliminary studies of drug responsiveness (work in progress), with a view to other approaches (Reviewed Nilsen & Cock, 2004). 

2) Mechanisms of seizure related (excitotoxic) neuronal damage and neuroprotection. We are undertaking studies in particular focussing on nitrosative/oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, with a view both to identifying reliable biological markers, and conducting rational neuroprotective studies in clinically relevant experimental paradigms. This work may have wider implications, for instance in stroke or neurodegenerative diseases, as well as to diseases outside the CNS where nitrosative stress is thought to be important. 

Group expertise includes the development of in vivo models of epilepsy, including long term behavioural, EMG and EEG monitoring; in vivo CNS microdialysis; spectrophotometric enzyme analysis (mitochondrial matrix and respiratory chain enzymes); HPLC with electrochemical detection (reduced glutathione, 3-nitrotyrosine, (a marker of nitrosative damage)). We also have experience in cell culture, and basic molecular neurobiology (DNA, RNA and protein studies), brain imaging (Dr Von Oertzen), and are currently establishing an HPLC based method for isoprostane measurement (a marker of lipid peroxidation) in collaboration with the analytical biochemistry group. 

The group relocated with a view to expansion, and to take advantage of other local expertise including the in vivo facilities, and BIOMICs centre (http://www.sgul.ac.uk/depts/biomics/). Approaches from clinicians or scientists interested in collaborating/contributing to applications in progress, or with complementary interests/ideas would be welcomed. In addition to ongoing collaborations with the Institute of Neurology, we are currently collaborating on projects relating to AEDs and motor function, and multicenter clinical trials. We are also interested in developing clinical projects, and have access to a large population of epilepsy patients both locally and regionally. 

Contact: hcock@sgul.ac.uk

H&E sham (2a and b) and status epilepticus (c-f) showing hippocampi time points after status epilepticus, showing acutely damaged eosinophilic neurons (2c,d), and later glial glial infiltrate (e) and neuronal drop out (f). CA1 and CA3 (marked on 2a) are the areas primarily affected