Please tell us about your background in epilepsy research?
Professor Hedley Emsley: I’m a clinical academic neurologist at Lancaster University and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. My research interests include the link between cerebrovascular disease and late-onset epilepsy. I’ve co-authored a forthcoming chapter on epilepsy in older adults for a major geriatric medicine textbook. I also serve with Sana on the Epilepsy Research Institute’s Task Force on Morbidity, Mortality & Risk.
Dr Clare Gordon: I’m a clinical academic at the University of Central Lancashire and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. My research interests are clinical intervention developments to support early recognition and monitoring of seizures in acute stroke, ultimately leading to improved diagnosis and patient outcomes.
Dr Sana Hannan: I’m a Lecturer in Neuroscience at Lancaster University. My research is focused on brain network dynamics in neurological disorders and typical physiological states, using advanced EEG and other interdisciplinary methods. I’m interested in epilepsy and sleep, and their complex bidirectional interactions. I am also Vice-Chair of the ILAE British Young Epilepsy Section.
What is the Collaboration for Late-Onset and Vascular Epilepsy Research (CLOVER)?
CLOVER is a new research initiative addressing late-onset and vascular epilepsy. This type of epilepsy affects older adults and can often be a warning sign for underlying brain disease. Research shows that people with late-onset epilepsy are more likely to develop stroke or dementia. Despite its importance, there’s limited understanding of the disease and effective treatments. The collaboration brings together researchers from its founding institutes – Lancaster University, the University of Central Lancashire and University College London (UCL) – as well as the wider research community. The initiative has also been supported by Professor Dame Caroline Watkins and Professor Liz Lightbody at the University of Central Lancashire.
What inspired you to set up CLOVER?
The CLOVER initiative arose through discussions between Professor Emsley and Professors David Werring and Ley Sander at University College London, who continue to be part of this initiative. CLOVER addresses a neglected area of research that to date has received little attention, perhaps because of an under-recognition of the links between late-onset and vascular epilepsy to stroke and dementia and the wider impacts on individuals and society. Further research is urgently needed to understand these conditions and develop effective treatments to improve outcomes for patients.
What are the main goals of the CLOVER workshop series?
These workshops seek to bring together researchers and clinicians interested in the interface between epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease and neurodegeneration. They will provide a suitable forum for researchers and people with lived experience in this field to meet, exchange ideas and agree research priorities using a modified Delphi approach. We also want to ensure that the workshops foster new collaborations and capacity-building opportunities, helping to shape future grant applications and interdisciplinary research initiatives in this emerging area of research.
How are people affected by epilepsy involved in CLOVER?
People with epilepsy and their families or carers recently took part in our first CLOVER priority setting workshop on Friday 11 April. During this workshop, we explored what they think the most important areas are. We have themed and ranked these in order of priority and they will be collated with the priorities identified from researchers and clinicians in our next workshop later this month. The group expressed a strong interest to remain actively engaged in the collaboration and to be involved in future initiatives. This will ensure the patient and carer voice continues to shape the direction and impact of our work.
Once the workshop series concludes, what are the next steps for the initiative?
Following the completion of the workshop series, the identified research priorities will be synthesised into a shared roadmap, guiding the development of collaborative research proposals and funding applications. The outcomes will also form the basis of a joint publication. This will help to disseminate the agreed priorities to a wider academic and clinical audience. Our current goal is to establish a sustainable network for ongoing dialogue, knowledge exchange, training, secure data sharing, and co-produced research. We want to translate research priorities into meaningful improvements in care and outcomes.
The next CLOVER research priority setting workshop will take place online on Monday 23 June 2025 10am – 3pm. If you are a researcher or clinician interested in joining this workshop, please register using the booking form.
