One of the main research areas our team focuses on is genetic epilepsies in adults.
One of the main research areas our team focuses on is genetic epilepsies in adults. The field of genetic epilepsy has grown significantly over the last decade, specially since the advent of next generation sequencing techniques. However, most of the knowledge obtained is in the pediatric field. Very little is known about how patients with monogenic epilepsies, specially those with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) grow older. In fact, these patients have traditionally been seen by the adult neurologists as patients with “symptomatic epilepsy”, for whom nothing else can be done. Dr. Andrade’s extraordinary amount of work in this field has determined the natural history of several monogenic DEEs, as well as diagnosis and treatment pitfalls in adults with genetic epilepsies.
This area of research in epilepsy aims to offer a therapy targeted to the molecular abnormality that is causing the patient’s symptoms.
AGE program offers many such precision medicine clinical trials to the patients with severe drug resistance epilepsies often associated with intellectual disability, motor problems, and a higher mortality rate than other more common forms of epilepsy. Dr. Andrade has created a Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy Registry in the province of Ontario, where 14 million people live. This DEE registry has patients trial-ready for precision medicine in genetic epilepsies.
Dr. Andrade’s research is also significantly focused on the transition from pediatric to adult care, specially for patients with genetic epilepsies, who often suffer the most during this process.
She has been the Chair of the ILAE Transition from Pediatric to Adult Care Task Force and currently, the Co-Chair. She has also been the Chair of the Ontario Transition Task Force and has created guidelines for transition that have been widely implemented across North America and Europe.