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The winner of the 2010 BGRF Medal will be annouced on Tuesday 27 July 2010 at a special BGRF function.
Last year's medal was awarded to Professor Samuel Berkovic for his outstanding contribution to international epilepsy research.
The Foundation medal celebrates Professor Berkovic’s single-minded leadership of epilepsy research over two decades. 'The Director of both the Epilepsy Research Centre of the University of Melbourne and the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Austin Health Heidelberg, Professor Berkovic and his research team were the first to prove a genetic link to one form of epilepsy’, said Foundation Chairman Mr William Clancy.
‘Explaining the causes of this disease is crucial for patients and their families. It relieves the stress of thinking that they are at fault in some way and is a major part of the healing process’, Mr Clancy continued.
The Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation awards this medal and a $5,000 gift for outstanding contribution to clinical research in progressive neurological disorders or palliative care. Past winners have included the cream of Australia’s research community such as Professor Ian Maddocks, Professor Claude Bernard, Professor Frederick Mendelsohn, Professor Colin Masters and Professor Geoffrey Donnan.
Professor Berkovic’s ongoing commitment and leadership in epilepsy research has resulted in many advances in patient management, as well as the adoption of new concepts in understanding the condition.
Professor Berkovic developed his interest in epilepsy while still an intern. At that time, he explained, epilepsy was not fashionable. ‘I could see that better diagnosis could help overcome the stigma traditionally associated with the disease and free parents to focus on the treatment rather than the cause.
‘This peer recognition acknowledges the dedicated work of a large team that I am privileged to lead. It is enormously encouraging for all of us and will, I believe, help to attract and maintain the best and the brightest to epilepsy research’, Professor Berkovic said.
‘We have found the underlying genetic cause for a minority of epilepsy patients but we still need to identify the genetic basis of the more common epilepsy disorders. Then we need to find out how the genetics leads to the condition. The future looks promising as our research is well ahead of expectations and will hopefully result in some novel treatments five or ten years down the track.’
This award is given to an individual within Australia who has made an outstanding contribution in the areas of progressive neurological disorders or palliative care, either in basic or clinical research activities. The winner receives a medal and a gift of $5,000.
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