Summary

Epilepsy is a common serious neurological disorder affecting ~6 million people in Europe. Despite the many new drugs released in the last 20 years, one third of all epileptic patients remain refractory to pharmacotherapy implying the need to develop novel treatments with innovative mechanisms of action. The discovery of the first epilepsy genes has identified novel molecular pathways involved in epileptogenesis and helped to define new drug targets. These findings have come mostly from rare monogenic forms of epilepsy, whereas the complex genetics of the common epilepsy syndromes and the genetic factors determining a patient’s response to antiepileptic drugs (pharmacogenetics) are largely unknown.

Scientific Objectives

The objectives of EuroEPINOMICS are:

1. to identify novel epilepsy genes and genetic variants predisposing to epilepsy and drug response, and
2. to unravel their molecular pathways.

EuroEPINOMICS aims to bring together scientific expertise and resources of leading European research groups in order to:

1. provide high-resolution maps of genetic risk factors for common epilepsy syndromes,
2. dissect genetic determinants of the response to antiepileptic drugs, and
3. elucidate the mechanisms of epileptogenesis.

The long-term scientific goals are:

1. the identification of novel therapeutic targets, and
2. an individualized pharmacotherapy.

EuroEPINOMICS will apply innovative molecular genetic techniques in large European cohorts of well characterized epilepsy patients (N>8000) by combining the resources of current European collaborative projects (EPICURE, EPIGEN, EURIPIDES, EURAP).

The molecular genetic studies will focus on:

(1)    common idiopathic epilepsy syndromes,

(2)    mesial temporal lobe epilepsy,

(3)    febrile seizures, and

(4)    rare monogenic epilepsy syndromes.

Pharmacogenetic studies are warranted to identify genetic risk factors affecting drug response, side effects, refractoriness and teratogenicity. Complementarily, comprehensive functional studies using state-of-the-art techniques will elucidate the epileptogenic mechanisms of the identified genetic variants.

A multi-disciplinary research programme

Following agreement with 17 funding organisations in Austria, Belgium (FWO and FNRS), Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Luxemburg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey, the European Science Foundation is launching a Call for Outline Proposals for Collaborative Research Projects (CRPs) to be undertaken within the EUROCORES Programme "Functional genomic variation in the epilepsies" (EuroEPINOMICS). The programme aims to support high quality multidisciplinary research in Europe, with involvement of leading scientists from outside Europe when appropriate.

Networking and dissemination activities

The research phase of EuroEPINOMICS will run for 3 years and includes national research funding as well as support for networking and dissemination activities. The research grants are provided directly to the eligible and successful Principal Investigators by their respective national funding organisations. The networking and dissemination support, also financed by the national organisations, is centrally managed by the ESF.

The theme of EuroEPINOMICS has been selected because of the demonstrated need for collaboration in this field. The funded Collaborative Research Projects (CRPs) will collectively establish and streamline this new collaboration. To this end, the CRPs are expected to engage the programme participants and, when of clear benefit, colleagues from outside the programme in joint activities such as:

• Programme-wide meetings or conferences; 
• Working group meetings for the exchange of information and results across the CRPs;
• Joint scientific meetings or summer schools;
• Short term visits;
• Development and delivery of joint training programmes;
• Seminars, workshops, symposia, invited sessions either stand-alone or as part of other larger events; 
• Common web-facilities and publications.

Funds for networking between the CRPs will be centrally managed by the ESF through contributions from the participating funding organisations.  

Please note that the travel costs for meetings within your own CRP should be budgeted in your proposal.