Trying to stop Sudden Unexpected Death in EPilepsy (SUDEP)
- Research Opportunity
- Honours students
- Number of Honour Places Available
- 1
- Department / Centre
- Medicine and Radiology
- Location
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience & Mental Health
Primary Supervisor | Number | Webpage | |
---|---|---|---|
Associate Professor Christopher Reid | christopher.reid@unimelb.edu.au | 0383441954 | Personal web page |
Co-supervisor | Number | Webpage | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr Ming Soh | mingshiuan.soh@florey.edu.au | 0383446875 | |
Dr Marie Phillips | m.phillips@unimelb.edu.au |
Summary This project aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of Sudden Death in Epilepsy using a mouse model.
Project Details
Many patients with epilepsy die unexpectedly-often in their sleep. What is causing SUDEP remains a mystery and to date there are no treatments available. Dravet syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy that is caused mostly by mutations in the SCN1A gene. This gene encodes a brain voltage-activated sodium channel critical for the generation of action potentials. Dravet patients are particularly prone to SUDEP. A mouse with a human SCN1A mutation is a good model of this disease as it recapitulates the seizures and early death seen in patients. We can use this preclinical mouse model to test drugs to determine if they reduce or increase the risk of SUDEP. This project will involve establishing drug testing protocols in the mouse model. Behavioural tests will be used to determine the impact of each treatment on seizure and SUDEP outcomes. The project will also involve measuring brain and heart activity.
Faculty Research Themes
School Research Themes
Research Opportunities
Honours students
Students who are interested in joining this project will need to consider their elegibility as well as other requirements before contacting the supervisor of this research
Key Contact
For further information about this research, please contact a supervisor.
Department / Centre
Research Node
Florey Institute of Neuroscience & Mental HealthMDHS Research library
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