Identifying target genes for novel anti-epileptic therapies in the mouse [ 2006 - 2008 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Simon Foote (Principal investigator) ,  Prof Ross Mckinnon ,  Prof Terence O'Brien

Brief description Epilepsy is a disease which affects 2-4% of the population. There are a wide range of drugs available to treat the condition but there is consistently 30-40% of patients who do not respond well to any of these drugs and who continue to have seizures. The reason that there are no drugs available for these people is that most of the drugs available have been designed along the same principles. A new set of principles is needed to develop new drugs which will be able to treat those people not responding to current therapy. This project is designed to identify new biologic pathways which may be interrupted with drugs to prevent seizures in people with epilepsy. This project uses a procedure to induce mutations into genes in mice and then screens for mice which do not seize when challenged with a drug which generates seizures in mice. Genetic studies will identify the mutated genes and these will be used as potential targets for new therapies or will identify new biological pathway which should expand the use of future anti-epileptic drugs.

Funding Amount $AUD 469,802.83

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant