Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Manisha Patel, PhD, begins her term as president of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) at the conclusion of the Society’s annual meeting in Nashville, Dec. 2- 6. A medical and scientific society of 4,700 members, the AES is dedicated to advancing research and education for preventing, treating and curing epilepsy. Founded in 1946, AES is an inclusive global forum where professionals from academia, private practice, not-for-profit, government and industry can learn, share and grow to eradicate epilepsy and its consequences.
For over 20 years, Dr. Patel has directed a National Institutes of Health grant-funded research program at University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CU Pharmacy). Her laboratory seeks to understand the redox and metabolic basis of epilepsy and develop metabolism-based therapies for the treatment of epilepsy. She has authored more than 100 scientific publications including articles in Neuron, the Journal of Neuroscience, the Journal of Biological Chemistry, and Proceedings in the National Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Patel has served in many leadership roles for AES, most recently on the Executive Committee of the Board and as chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, which is now a standing committee. She completed her tenure as a member of the AES Board of Directors in December 2020. Dr. Patel served on the AES Task Force on Gender Diversity and has served on a wide range of committees and task forces with AES, including as chair of the Scientific Program Committee, Basic Sciences Committee, co-chair of the Research and Training Council, and the Funding Success task Force, Translational Research Committee, and Investigator Workshop Committee, contributing editor to Epilepsy Currents, and as member of the ILAE/AES Joint Translational Task Force.
Dr. Patel is a recipient of the prestigious National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award, CU Anschutz Faculty Research Excellence Award, CURE Epilepsy Innovator Award, Shell Prize for Research and Graduate Education, and the AES Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Patel received her PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from Purdue University and conducted postdoctoral training in neuroscience at Duke University School of Medicine.