Newswise — WEST HARTFORD, Conn., September 3, 2014 – The American Epilepsy Society (AES) is pleased to announce that it has received $60,000 in grants from Upsher-Smith, the pharmaceutical company based in Maple Grove, Minnesota. The funds will help to support three major AES programs: the AES Fellows Program, the Self Assessment in Epilepsy (SAE) and the Seed Grant Program, with $20,000 earmarked for each. This funding will support a wide array of AES members and research ranging from young professionals, to research laboratories and members of the higher education community.
The AES Fellows Program supports young professionals in their research and training in epilepsy. The fellowship program provides selected fellows with mentoring and additional training at a critical point in their professional development. AES believes the future of clinical and basic science research in epilepsy is dependent on engaging and developing these young researchers to assure that they are successful in and remain committed to the specialty, and this program is one step toward that goal.
The SAE can be used for ABPN MOC Part IV requirements and also as a study resource for the Epilepsy Added Qualification/Subspecialty Exam. The ABPN Exam was launched by ABPN in 2013. The subspecialty qualification is an important step in the recognition of the distinct qualifications of epileptologists, The SAE and other tools are part of AES’ commitment to supporting and encouraging those physicians who choose to specialize in epilepsy in their practice and research.
The Seed Grant Program is designed to foster collaborative interactions between two or more established epilepsy research laboratories. AES believes that those exchanges will lead to more breakthroughs in epilepsy treatment and cures by enabling information exchange, technology transfer and travel of postdoctoral fellows between laboratories. The Seed Grant program is one component in the AES overall investment in research, totaling more than $700,000 in support for early career researchers and development of innovative collaborative opportunities.
“The recognition of the importance of these signature programs by Upsher-Smith, as indicated by their generous support, is appreciated in the current challenging funding environment,” said President Elson So, M.D. “AES is committed to preparing professionals to meet the challenges of epilepsy, and the support from corporate partners like Upsher-Smith augments Society resources to allow us to expand the reach of these critical programs.”
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About the American Epilepsy SocietyThe American Epilepsy Society is a non-profit medical and scientific society. Our individual members are professionals engaged in both research and clinical care for people with epilepsy from private practice, academia and government. For more than 75 years, AES has been unlocking the potential of the clinical and research community by creating a dynamic global forum where professionals can share, learn and grow. AES champions the use of sound science and clinical care through the exchange of knowledge, by providing education and by furthering the advancement of the profession. For additional information, visit www.aesnet.org.
For more information, contact Natalie Judd at (203) 605-9515 or at [email protected].