DSF Funded Research

Else A. Tolner, PhD – Leiden University Medical Centre Neurophysiological characterization of the therapeutic effect of exogenous NaV1.1 channels Research Grant in the amount of $110,000 over 3 years Grant Summary from the Investigators:  The early idea behind gene therapy was to replace faulty genes with healthy ones. While this can be relatively simple for […]

Lori L. Isom, PhD- University of Michigan Understanding phenotypes and biomarkers leading to SUDEP in a transgenic rabbit model of Dravet syndrome Special Project Funding: 3 years – $750,000 Grant Summary from the Investigators: Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is a leading cause of death in patients with epilepsy. SUDEP mechanisms are not understood,

David Auerbach, PhD- The Research Foundation for SUNY/Upstate Medical University Award Supplement for Genetic Substrates and Physiological Triggers for Autonomic and Cardiac Abnormalities in Dravet Syndrome Supplemental Award to a 2022 Clinical Research Grant: 1 year – $100,000 Grant Summary from the Investigators:  People with Dravet Syndrome (DS) are at a high risk of Sudden Unexpected

Boaz P. Levi, PhD- Allen Institute for Brain ScienceBryan B. Gore, PhD- Allen Institute for Brain ScienceJohn K. Mich, PhD- Allen Institute for Brain ScienceTim Jarsky, PhD- Allen Institute for Brain Science  Circuit-selective Whole SCN1A Gene Delivery for Dravet Syndrome Transformational Science Grant- $500,000 over 3 yearsThis grant funded with support from Marlins for Mason 

Ethan M. Goldberg, MD, PhD- The Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaDavid R. Liu, PhD- MIT and Harvard University Base editing for the treatment and prevention of Dravet syndromeResearch Grant- $250,000,  2 years Summary from the Investigators: Dravet syndrome is caused by genetic mutations in the gene SCN1A that encodes the voltage-gated sodium channel subunit known as

Xu Zhang, PhD – Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School Selective Activation of Hippocampal Parvalbumin Interneurons via Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation for Seizure Suppression in Scn1a+/- Mice Postdoctoral Fellowship – $75,000, 1 year Recipient of the Elliot Meskis Award for an Exceptional Postdoctoral Fellow which provides a $2,500 grant supplement for professional development. Summary from the

Petra Bencurova, PhD; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Multi-Target Strategy for Dravet Syndrome: Enhancing Sodium Channels and GABA Receptors via miRNA Inhibition Postdoctoral Fellowship- $75,000/ 1 year Supported by Budgetdog, LLC Grant Summary from the Investigator: Dravet Syndrome (DS) is a rare and severe form of epilepsy in children that causes a variety of issues

Eric J. Kremer, PhD- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de MontpellierMoran Rubinstein, PhD- Tel Aviv UniversityEthan M. Goldberg, MD, PhD- The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Molecular characterization of the therapeutic effect of exogenous NaV1.1 Transformational Science Grant- $390,000 over 3 years Funding for this grant was supported by Dance for Dravet Grant Summary from the Investigators:

Lori L. Isom, PhD – University of MichiganScott Baraban, PhD – University of California San FranciscoJack M. Parent, MD – University of MichiganTherapeutic benefit of MGE progenitor cell transplantation in a rabbit model of Dravet syndromeTransformational Science Grant – $500,000, 3 years Grant Summary: Dravet syndrome (DS) is a devastating developmental and epileptic encephalopathy that

Brian Theyel, MD, PhD – Brown UniversityAbnormal ectopic action potentials in PV-INs: A novel pathophysiological mechanism in Dravet syndromeResearch Grant – $250,000, 2 years Grant Summary: Dravet syndrome, which is caused by a mutation in the SCN1A gene, is a debilitating illness that emerges during the first year of life. It causes seizures, setbacks during development, speech and language