Epilepsy Foundation Hires New Vice President of Research and New Therapies

(Landover, MD - 3/17/2016) - The Epilepsy Foundation, the nation’s leader in epilepsy and seizure information and engagement, is proud to add Brandy Fureman, Ph.D., to their executive leadership team as Vice President of Research and New Therapies. Dr. Fureman, who served as program director at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) since 2009, will lead the Foundation’s efforts to support basic, translational, and clinical epilepsy research and new therapies designed to help 3 million people living with epilepsy in a timeframe that matters today. Dr. Fureman will also focus on unifying the epilepsy research community to help accelerate therapies.

“Partnerships are the key to the Epilepsy Foundation’s vision for strengthening research and new therapies,” said Dr. Fureman. “We will be working closely with our friends at NIH, the American Epilepsy Society, CURE, and organizations focusing on rare epilepsies. We will also be encouraging pharmaceutical, device, and biotech companies – as well as individuals and families – to join us as advocates in our vision to help ensure new therapies are available in a timeframe that matters for the millions of people living with seizures today.”

Before joining the Epilepsy Foundation, Dr. Fureman was with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) since 2001 and is currently Program Director in the Channels, Synapses and Circuits cluster. She was responsible for identifying epilepsy research issues critical to NINDS and National Institutes of Health (NIH), and for coordinating the Institute's Epilepsy Research Benchmarks. Dr. Fureman previously served as a Clinical Research Project Manager in the NINDS Clinical Trials Group where she was responsible for overseeing the NINDS Clinical Research Collaboration Network and a number of Data and Safety Monitoring Boards for Phase III clinical trials in epilepsy, head injury, and stroke rehabilitation. Dr. Fureman has also served as a Health Science Policy Analyst in the NINDS Office of Science Policy and Planning and as a Presidential Management Fellow at the NINDS.  

Dr. Fureman graduated from Cedar Crest College with a B.S. in Genetic Engineering Technology and received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Department of Neuroscience and Anatomy at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Her research interests focused on molecular and behavioral effects of ion channelopathy in episodic neurological disorders.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Brandy Fureman join us as Vice President of Research and New Therapies at the Epilepsy Foundation,” said Philip M. Gattone, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. “Dr. Fureman's expertise in epilepsy research, along with her special ability to develop collaborative partnerships, will provide the leadership and passion our community deserves as we work together to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives.”

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About Epilepsy

When a person has one or more unprovoked seizures, they are considered to have epilepsy. Epilepsy affects 3 million people in the U.S. and 65 million worldwide. This year, another 150,000 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy. Despite all available treatments, 4 out of 10 people with epilepsy continue to experience uncontrolled seizures while many more experience less than optimal seizure control.

About the Epilepsy Foundation

The Epilepsy Foundation, a national non-profit with nearly 50 affiliated organizations throughout the U.S., has led the fight against seizures since 1968. The Foundation is an unwavering ally for individuals and families impacted by epilepsy and seizures. The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is: to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives. The Foundation works to ensure that people with seizures have the opportunity to live their lives to their fullest potential. For additional information, please visit epilepsy.com.

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