UPMC Faculty and Trainees Present at 2025 American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting

The 2025 American Epilepsy Society annual meeting will be held Dec. 5 to 9 in Atlanta, Ga., and UPMC faculty and trainees from the adult and pediatric Neurology and Neurological Surgery Departments and Divisions will be speaking and presenting research.

We look forward to connecting with our colleagues and alumni to discuss some of the latest clinical innovations and research in epilepsy management happening at UPMC.

Below you will find a list of speakers and poster presentations from our teams.

Presentations and Lectures

AES-ASSFN Resident Epilepsy Surgery Course (Invitation Only Day 1)
Fri., Dec. 5
GWCC B304‚ Level 3
7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Session speaker: EEG Basic Principles: Thandar Aung, MD, MS

Epilepsy Exchange
The Ethics of AI in Epilepsy Care, Research, and in Everyday Work
Fri., Dec.5. G
WCC B407‚ Level 4
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Session speaker: Wesley Kerr, MD, PhD

Platform Session
Platform B | Clinical Research and Surgery
Fri., Dec. 5
GWCC B313‚ Level 3
12:30 to 2:45 p.m.
Session moderator: Laura Kirkpatrick, MD

Epilepsy Surgery Skills Workshop
Overcoming Complications in Epilepsy Surgery
Sat., Dec. 6
GWCC B207‚ Level 2
7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Co-chair: Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, MD, PhD
Dr. Gonzalez-Martinez also will give introductory remarks to the session.

Neurosurgery Symposium
Thalamic SEEG: Expanding our Understanding of Epilepsy
Sun., Dec. 7
GWCC B406‚ Level 4
8:45 to11:15 a.m.
Co-chair: Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, MD, PhD

• Lectures: Surgical Techniques and Early Seizure Outcomes Results' Insights into Surgical Approaches, Electrode Targeting, and Preliminary Patient Outcomes: Jorge Gonzales-Martinez, MD, PhD
• Scientific Evidence for Target Selection: A Review of the Rationale for Thalamic SEEG Exploration Based on Current Neurophysiological and Imaging Studies: Arianna Damiani, MSc

Special Interest Group
Engineering and Neurostimulation: Ultramodern Device Innovations for the Future of Neuromodulation in Epilepsy
Sun., Dec. 7
GWCC B312‚ Level 3
2 to 3:30 p.m.
Co-chair: Alexandra Urban, MD, FAAN, FAES
Dr. Urban also will give closing remarks to the session.

Special Interest Group
Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES): Personalizing Treatment of Functional Seizures (FS) in Diverse Populations
Sun., Dec 07
GWCC B313‚ Level 3
4 to 5:30 p.m.
Co-chair: Wesley Kerr, MD, PhD
Lecture: Socioeconomic Diversity in the Treatment of FND with Seizures: Wesley Kerr, MD, PhD

Special Interest Group
Ictal Semiology: Are There Any Truly Localizing Seizure Semiologies?
Mon., Dec. 8
GWCC B406‚ Level 4
4 to 5:30 p.m.
Presentation Case 6: Abdulrahman Alwaki, MD

Special Interest Group
Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG): Overcoming Challenges in SEEG Explorations – The Missing Electrode
Tue., Dec. 9
GWCC B407‚ Level 4
7 to 8:30 a.m.
Lecture: Troubleshooting Intra-operative Challenges, and Planning Re-implantation or Alternative Targeting Strategies to Optimize Outcomes: Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, MD, PhD

Clinical Skills Workshop | Neurostimulation in Epilepsy
Tue., Dec. 9
GWCC B401‚ Level 4
8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Lecture: Neurostimulation in Epilepsy: DBS: Abdulraham 'Abed' Alwaki, MD

Clinical Skills Workshop | Intracranial Electrode Studies
Tue., Dec. 9
GWCC B206‚ Level 2
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Moderators: Thandar Aung, MD, MS, and Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, MD, PhD

Poster Presentations

Correlational Analysis of the Pulvinar and Temporal Proximal Subcortical and Cortical Regions During the Observed Onset Period of Heart Rate Changes in Drug Resistant Epilepsy.
Poster Number: 1.033
Sat., Dec. 6
12:15 to 2 p.m.
Coauthors: Jiahao Chen; Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez

Poster and Pediatric Highlights: Factors Associated with Invasive Extraoperative Electroencephalography Monitoring in Pediatric Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Due to Focal Cortical Dysplasia.
Sat., Dec. 6
12:15 to 2 p.m.
Coauthor: Taylor Abel

Contributors to Mortality in Patients with Functional Seizures
Poster Number: 1.36
Sat., Dec. 6
12:15 to 2 p.m.
Coauthors: Kyr Goyette, Katie McFarlane, Alex Israel, Danielle Carns, Brittany Concilus, Stephen Koscumb, Wesley Kerr

Bioenergetics and Neuronal Network Remodeling in a Rodent Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Poster Number: 1.21
Sat., Dec. 6
12:15 to 2 p.m.
Coauthors: Devin Cortes, Noah Coulson, Dalton West, Thomas Becker-Szurszewski, Sean Hartwick, Sivakama Bharathi, Kevin Kelly, Anthony Christodoulou, Eric Goetzman, Wijen Wu

Impedance and Ablation Duration as Predictors of Lesion Size in SEEG-guided Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation: A Bench Study
Poster Number: 1.044
Sat., Dec. 6
12:15 to 2 p.m.
Coauthors: Sirisha Nouduri, Francesco Cardinale, Faical Isbaine, John Gale, Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez

Pulvinar Interictal Activity in Focal Epilepsies
Poster Number: 1.3
Sat., Dec. 6
12:15 to 2 p.m.
Coauthors: Naoki Ikegaya, Thandar Aung, Aude Jegou, Steven Salazar, Arianna Damiani, Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez

Factors Associated with Invasive Extraoperative Electroencephalography Monitoring in Pediatric Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Due to Focal Cortical Dysplasia
Poster Number: 1.42
Sat., Dec 6
12:15 to 2 p.m.
Coauthor: Taylor Abel