Professor Sam Berkovic
Samuel F. Berkovic AC, MD, FRACP, FAHMS, FAA, FRS
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Samuel Berkovic is Laureate Professor in the Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, and Director of the Epilepsy Research Centre at Austin Health. He is a clinical neurologist and clinical researcher with a special interest in establishing close research links with basic scientists. His work with Laureate Professor Ingrid Scheffer, together with molecular genetic collaborators in Adelaide and Germany, discovered the first gene for epilepsy in 1995 and subsequently, he has been central to the discovery of many epilepsy genes. This has changed the conceptualisation of the causes of epilepsy and is having a major impact on epilepsy research, and on strategies for diagnosis and development of new treatments. He is currently leading EPI25, a global initiative with the Broad Institute at Harvard University to sequence > 25,000 individuals with epilepsy. He also has active research interests in surgical evaluation and outcome, new onset seizures, treatment of epilepsy and imaging in epilepsy and in Australia has headed four consecutive NHMRC Program Grants integrating genetic, imaging and physiological studies in epilepsy. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2007.