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SAHMRI becomes part of the AEP Hub network

February 22, 2023
AEP Team
From L-R: Prof. Graeme Jackson, AEP Chief Investigator, Dr Michelle Kiley AM, Director of Epilepsy Services, CALHN and Lead Epileptologist AEP South Australia, Martin Adams, Chair of the Florey Board, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Prof. Steve Wesselingh, Executive Director SAHMRI

This week marked the opening of the first interstate AEP Hub with SAHMRI - South Australia’s independent not-for-profit health and medical research institute - joining the network.

South Australians living with epilepsy will now be able to get referred into the hub for advanced testing, free of charge, as part of their participation in the AEP.

“Enabling Adelaide’s medical research sector to engage with national initiatives like the AEP is a key reason that SAHMRI’s Clinical Trials Platform exists,” says Karen Best, Director, SAHMRI Clinical Trials Platform.

“We’re proud to be able to help at all stages of the project’s SA-based activities, from coordinating patient enrolment to making connections for diagnostic testing at facilities like the SAHMRI-based Clinical Research Imaging Centre.”

From L-R: Amanda Anderson, Lived Experience Ambassador and Particpant Lead, Robyn Wakefield, CEO, The Epilepsy Centre SA & NT, Ned and Carolyn Travers, Lived Experience Ambassadors, South Australia and Erin Thompson, Member for Davenport

The AEP (Australian Epilepsy Project) is a multi-year research project at The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health that is enabling people living with epilepsy to have access to advanced MRI scans, genetic analysis and cognitive testing.

Professor Graeme Jackson, the AEP’s Chief Investigator, says the ultimate aim of the AEP is to improve the standard of care and change the lives of people with epilepsy.

“Epilepsy is a life-long condition and we need life-long solutions,” says Professor Jackson.

“Using algorithms, imaging and rich data we can extract insights to predict patterns in epilepsy and create individualised treatment plans for patients. This is an exciting new standard of care that we’ll be able to offer people living with epilepsy.”

Now people in South Australia as well as Victoria will be able to attend local hubs as part of their AEP journey with referrals from Queensland and New South Wales set to open from mid-2023.

Find out more about becoming an AEP participant on our participants page.

Meet the AEP team - Ojasvi Argawal (OJ)

OJ is a valued member of the Australian Epilepsy Project's clinical trials team - the team that onboard our participants to the study and work with them throughout their AEP journey. OJ is passionate about creating change in healthcare and to contributing to epilepsy research.

AEP Participant: Deborah Loats

Deborah experienced her first seizure in 2021 and was referred to the AEP by the Florey's first seizure clinic. Read about her experience and why she was "delighted" to join the AEP.

Australian Epilepsy Project (AEP) welcomes new Lived Experience Ambassadors

At the recent launch of the AEP Hub SAHMRI, we welcomed Carolyn and Ned Travers, our South Australian Lived Experience Ambassadors, to the AEP team.

SAHMRI becomes part of the AEP Hub network

This week marked the opening of the first interstate AEP Hub with SAHMRI - South Australia’s independent not-for-profit health and medical research institute - joining the network.

Meet the AEP team – Rachel Hughes

Meet Rachel Hughes, Australian Epilepsy Project’s Clinical Research Coordinator.

Meet the AEP team – Jodie Chapman

Meet Jodie Chapman, one of the Australian Epilepsy Project’s Neuropsychology Research Assistants. She is a Doctor of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) and is passionate about understanding the impact mood and cognitive changes have on a person’s wellbeing.

AEP data helping our understanding of brain dynamics

Vicky He’s research uses MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to map the location of brain functions. One example of how this works is when asking someone to perform a task such as indicating whether words rhyme - the MRI is able to show which parts of the brain are active during the task.

Meet the AEP team – Johann Wise

I am an MRI Research Radiographer.

AEP participant Kieran Champion tells his story

I found the AEP testing very interesting and enlightening. The staff were very helpful in explaining the process of the tests and it was interesting to learn about what was being examined.

Artificial Intelligence and the AEP: Optimising treatment pathways

The Australian Epilepsy Project (AEP) is a multi-year research project focused on transforming the diagnosis and treatment of people living with epilepsy and is turning to AI to help achieve this.

Pandemic prompts improvements in access to healthcare

For the Australian Epilepsy Project (AEP) the pandemic prompted transition from traditional face-to-face neuropsychology testing to teleneuropsychology (TeleNP), enabling continued safe operations during the pilot phase of the study.