LASSE 2026
Professors & CV
Jacqueline A. French, MD (USA)
Jacqueline A. French is an American neurologist and Professor of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where she leads the Epilepsy Division. She is an internationally recognized clinical trialist in epilepsy and has played a central role in pioneering trial designs and treatment guidelines. Dr. French has also served in leadership roles with the American Epilepsy Society and the Epilepsy Foundation.
Fernando Cendes, MD, PhD (Brazil)
Fernando Cendes is a Brazilian neurologist and full professor of neurology at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). His research focuses on epilepsy, neuroimaging, EEG, and functional MRI, and he has published hundreds of peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Cendes has held leadership roles within the Brazilian and International epilepsy communities.
Samuel Wiebe, MD (Canada)
Samuel Wiebe is a Canadian neurologist and past President of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). He has contributed extensively to epilepsy research and education through his academic work and service in ILAE leadership. His expertise is widely respected in global epilepsy guideline development and clinical practice standards.
Patricia Braga, MD, PhD (Uruguay)
Patricia Braga is a neurologist and epileptologist with extensive academic and clinical experience in epilepsy care and education in Latin America. She has been actively involved in training initiatives and regional collaboration projects focused on improving epilepsy diagnosis and treatment. Her work highlights the importance of strengthening epilepsy services and reducing the treatment gap across underserved settings.
Guilca Contreras, MD (Venezuela)
Guilca Contreras is a clinician and epilepsy specialist with expertise in the evaluation of drug-resistant epilepsy and diagnostic pitfalls leading to pseudo-pharmacoresistance. She is actively involved in academic teaching and case-based clinical training for multidisciplinary epilepsy teams. Her work emphasizes practical strategies to optimize diagnosis and avoid preventable treatment failures.
María del Carmen García, MD (Argentina)
María del Carmen García is a neurologist with strong expertise in video-EEG, clinical epileptology, and diagnostic re-evaluation in complex epilepsy cases. She has contributed to professional education in Latin America, focusing on improving clinical decision-making and diagnostic accuracy. Her teaching style integrates real-world cases with structured EEG interpretation.
Jorge Burneo, MD, MSPH (Canada)
Jorge Burneo is a neurologist and epileptologist with international recognition for his contributions to epilepsy outcomes, drug-resistant epilepsy, and health systems research. His work includes the study of predictors of pharmacoresistance and access to epilepsy care across diverse populations. He is widely involved in academic mentorship and international epilepsy education.
Katia Lin, MD (Brazil)
Katia Lin is a clinician and epilepsy leader with strong experience in academic education, regional capacity-building, and collaborative projects in Latin America. Her work focuses on improving epilepsy care through training, evidence-based practice, and strategic action plans targeting health system barriers. She is also experienced in facilitating workshops and multi-stakeholder working groups.
José Eduardo Peixoto Santos, MD, PhD (Brazil)
José Eduardo Peixoto Santos is a physician-scientist with expertise in epilepsy research and translational approaches to drug resistance. He has contributed to academic training in epileptology and the development of regional research collaborations. His work bridges clinical practice with mechanistic insights relevant to pharmacoresistant epilepsy.
Giuseppe Bertini, PhD (Italia)
Giuseppe Bertini is a neuroscientist whose work focuses on mechanisms of epilepsy and neurobiology relevant to seizure generation and drug response. He has contributed to academic training and scientific dissemination in epilepsy research. His teaching emphasizes how molecular and cellular mechanisms translate into therapeutic targets.
Mónica Elisa Ureña, PhD (Mexico)
Mónica Elisa Ureña is a neuroscientist with expertise in synaptic physiology and neurotransmitter systems relevant to epilepsy. Her work highlights the balance between excitation and inhibition, with particular emphasis on GABAergic and glutamatergic signaling. She is an experienced educator in neuropharmacology and epilepsy mechanisms.
Helen Scharfman, PhD (USA)
Helen Scharfman is an internationally recognized neuroscientist whose research focuses on epilepsy mechanisms, hippocampal networks, and neurobiological contributors to seizure susceptibility. She has authored influential work on synaptic plasticity and circuit-level changes in epilepsy. Her contributions have shaped modern understanding of epilepsy as a network disorder.
Angel Aledo-Serrano, MD, PhD (Spain)
Angel Aledo-Serrano is a neurologist and epileptologist with expertise in advanced epilepsy care and emerging therapies. His academic work includes pharmacoresistance, rational drug development, and translational perspectives on epilepsy treatment. He is actively involved in international epilepsy education and clinical training.
Esper Cavalheiro, MD, PhD (Brazil)
Esper Cavalheiro is a distinguished physician-scientist known for major contributions to experimental epilepsy and translational research. His work has advanced understanding of epilepsy mechanisms and the development of animal and in-vitro models for pharmacoresistance. He is a highly respected mentor and leader in epilepsy research across Latin America.
Luisa Rocha, PhD (Mexico)
Luisa Rocha is a neuroscientist with recognized expertise in epilepsy mechanisms, pharmacoresistance, and neurobiological contributors to drug response variability. Her work integrates molecular, cellular, and systems-level perspectives relevant to translational epilepsy research. She has extensive experience teaching and mentoring in neuropharmacology and epilepsy science.
Jerónimo Auzmendi, PhD (Argentina)
Jerónimo Auzmendi is a neuroscientist whose work focuses on mechanisms of epilepsy and drug resistance, including transporter systems and molecular pathways affecting treatment response. He contributes to academic training and collaborative epilepsy research. His teaching emphasizes mechanistic clarity and translational relevance.
Iscia Lopes, PhD (Brazil)
Iscia Lopes is a researcher with expertise in epilepsy genetics and personalized medicine approaches. Her work explores how genetic factors contribute to epilepsy phenotypes and treatment response. She is involved in academic training focused on integrating genomics into modern epilepsy care.
Leonor López-Meraz, PhD (Mexico)
Leonor López-Meraz is a neuroscientist with expertise in neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction in epilepsy. Her work has contributed to understanding the links between cellular stress pathways and pharmacoresistance. She is an active educator in translational epilepsy research.
Marco De Curtis, MD, PhD (Italy)
Marco De Curtis is a physician-scientist recognized for his contributions to epilepsy neurophysiology and network-level mechanisms of seizure generation. His work integrates experimental and clinical perspectives on cortical excitability and epileptogenic circuits. He is a highly respected academic speaker in international epilepsy meetings.
Laura G. Medina-Ceja, PhD (Mexico)
Laura G. Medina-Ceja is a neuroscientist whose work focuses on electrophysiological biomarkers and mechanisms relevant to drug-resistant epilepsy. She has contributed to epilepsy research and training in Mexico and Latin America. Her academic interests include translational approaches that connect EEG findings to clinical outcomes.
Mario Alonso Vanegas, MD (Mexico)
Mario Alonso Vanegas is a neurosurgeon with extensive experience in epilepsy surgery and surgical outcomes. His work focuses on optimizing presurgical evaluation and improving long-term results in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. He is a recognized educator in epilepsy surgery in Latin America.
Loreto Ríos, MD (Chile)
Loreto Ríos is a pediatric epileptologist with expertise in epilepsy therapeutics and advanced treatment strategies. Her academic interests include immunotherapy and emerging approaches for selected epilepsy etiologies. She contributes to professional education through clinical lectures and case-based discussions.
Francisco Javier Taveras Almonte, MD (Dominican Republic)
Francisco Javier Taveras Almonte is a neurologist and epileptologist with expertise in clinical management of drug-resistant epilepsy and critical diagnostic steps in outpatient care. He has strong involvement in medical education and multidisciplinary training. His teaching emphasizes practical clinical reasoning and evidence-based epilepsy care.
Fridha Viridiana Villalpando Vargas, MD/PhD (Mexico)
Fridha Viridiana Villalpando Vargas is a clinician-researcher with expertise in epilepsy pharmacology and individualized treatment strategies. She contributes to academic training focused on translating mechanisms into therapeutic decisions. Her work highlights the importance of structured approaches to antiseizure medication selection.
Jean Paul Vergara, MD (Colombia)
Jean Paul Vergara is a clinician with expertise in EEG interpretation and epilepsy diagnostics, with a focus on patterns relevant to drug-resistant epilepsy. He participates in teaching activities and hands-on workshops for structured EEG reading. His work supports standardized and reproducible neurophysiology practice.
Fabrizio Alessi Mortola, MD (Mexico)
Fabrizio Alessi Mortola is a neurosurgeon with expertise in epilepsy imaging and diagnostic methods used in presurgical evaluation. He contributes to training initiatives that integrate neuroimaging with electroclinical decision-making. His academic work emphasizes precision diagnosis in complex epilepsy.
Sandra Orozco, PhD (Mexico)
Sandra Orozco is a neuroscientist with expertise in neuroimmune mechanisms in epilepsy, including microglia and astrocyte contributions to pharmacoresistance. Her work bridges basic science with clinically relevant questions in drug-resistant epilepsy. She is actively involved in epilepsy research training and education.
Alicia Bogacz, MD, PhD (Uruguay)
Alicia Bogacz is a neurologist and epilepsy specialist with academic expertise in epilepsy comorbidities and clinical outcomes. Her work includes cognitive and psychiatric aspects of epilepsy and their relevance in treatment planning. She contributes to international education through lectures and case-based teaching.
Jaime Carrizosa, MD (Colombia)
Jaime Carrizosa is a neurologist and epilepsy leader in Latin America with strong involvement in epilepsy advocacy, education, and health policy initiatives. His work focuses on reducing the treatment gap and improving access to antiseizure medications. He contributes to multi-stakeholder strategies aimed at strengthening epilepsy care systems.
Marta Bertone (Argentina)
Marta Bertone is an epilepsy advocate and leader with experience representing patient perspectives in epilepsy care and health policy discussions. Her work highlights the real-world impact of epilepsy, including indirect costs and quality-of-life outcomes. She contributes to collaborative initiatives connecting professionals, patients, and institutions.
Elvira Vacas Montero (Spain)
Elvira Vacas is a leader in epilepsy advocacy and patient-centered initiatives, contributing to education and health policy discussions. Her work emphasizes access to treatment, cost-effectiveness, and equity in epilepsy care. She participates in regional and international collaborative programs aimed at improving epilepsy outcomes.
Laura Elena Hernández Vanegas MD (Mexico)
Laura Elena Hernández Vanegas is a health professional with expertise in epilepsy access, health systems, and funding perspectives relevant to antiseizure medications. She contributes to discussions on barriers to care and feasible strategies to improve treatment availability. Her work emphasizes pragmatic solutions for Latin American health contexts.
Alioth Guerrero-Aranda, MD, PhD (Mexico)
Alioth Guerrero-Aranda is a clinical neurophysiologist and epileptologist with expertise in epilepsy monitoring, EEG interpretation, and drug-resistant epilepsy. He is actively involved in academic teaching and translational research focused on biomarkers and standardized approaches in epilepsy care. He contributes to regional and international educational initiatives aimed at strengthening epilepsy services in resource-limited settings.
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
Day 0 – Sunday February 22nd, 2026
Welcome Meeting
Hotel Villa Primavera
Dinner
Day 1 – Monday February 23rd – CONCEPTUALIZING PHARMACORRESISTANCE
Breakfast
Session: Conceptualization and Current Definition
What is refractory epilepsy? Historical overview.
Patricia Braga
Current definition. Criticisms of the current concept of pharmacoresistance and new proposals
Jacqueline French (VIRTUAL)
Break
Group work
Lunch
Round table: Pseudo-pharmacoresistance
What is pseudo-pharmacoresistance? Common diagnostic and therapeutic mistakes
Guilca Contreras
Evaluation of pseudo-pharmacoresistance: video-EEG, diagnostic re-evaluation
María del Carmen García (VIRTUAL)
Workshop to discuss real cases
Alioth Guerrero, Guilca Contreras
Session & Workshop: Can we predict pharmacoresistance?
Models to Predict Drug Response – Use of biomarkers, machine learning, and personalized medicine
Samuel Wiebe (VIRTUAL)
Clinical factors that predict pharmacoresistance
Jorge Burneo
Translational Workshop
Coord: Katia Lin, José Peixoto
- Hands-on Case Discussions: Predicting drug response in clinical scenarios
- Integrating Mechanistic Knowledge into Treatment Plans
Dinner
Day 2 – Tuesday February 24th, 2026 – ANTISEIZURE MEDICATIONS MECHANISMS: FROM BENCH TO BEDSIDE
Breakfast
Session: Mechanisms of Action of Antiepileptic Drugs: Basic Science
Ion Channels in Epilepsy – Focus on sodium, calcium, and potassium channels
Giuseppe Bertini
GABA and Glutamate Receptors – Excitation/inhibition balance and therapeutic targets
Mónica Ureña
Break
Other Mechanisms of Action – Synaptic vesicle proteins, epigenetic modulation, etc.
Helen Scharfman (virtual)
What Other Diseases Can Teach Us About Reversing Pharmacoresistance (Lessons from oncology, infectious disease)
José E Peixoto
Lunch
Lecture - Debate: New Molecules and Future Therapies – Advances in rational drug design
Angel Aledo-Serrano (virtual)
Roundtable: Challenges in Translating Mechanisms to Clinical Outcomes
All speakers and audience
- Integration of basic and clinical pharmacology
- Pitfalls in drug development for epilepsy
- Regulatory and cost-effectiveness barriers
Break
Methodological lecture: Phases and costs of drug development
Jaqueline French
Group work
Dinner
Day 3 – Wednesday February 25th, 2026 - MECHANISMS OF PHARMACORESISTANCE: FROM MOLECULE TO NETWORK
Breakfast
Session: Pharmacoresistance: Mechanisms Overview
Pharmacokinetic and Target-Related Mechanisms
Luisa Rocha
Drug Transporters and Efflux Systems
Jerónimo Auzmendi
Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine
Iscia Lopes
Break
Etiology associated factors
Fernando Cendes
Genetic basis
Angel Aledo-Serrano
Q&A
Lunch
Session: Beyond the Synapse: Systems and Cellular Contributors
Microglia and Astrocyte Roles in Drug Resistance
Sandra Orozco
Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation
Leonor López-Meraz
Intrinsic epileptogenicity and neural networks / Network Theory and Resistance as a Systems Phenomenon
Rafael Naime Ruggiero (virtual)
Break
Lecture + workshop: Experimental Models of Pharmacoresistance
Esper Cavalheiro
- Animal and In Vitro Models
- Validity, Strengths, and Limitations of Current Models
- Application in Drug Screening and Mechanistic Studies
Group work
Dinner
Fiesta de las naciones
Day 4 – Thursday February 26th, 2026 – REFRACTORINESS BEYOND PHARMACORRESISTANCE
Journey at University Center of the Valley (CUValles), University of Guadalajara
⚡ Parallel activity – Hotel Villa Primavera
Multiple stakeholders working group: Access to ASM in Latin America - barriers and proposal for action.
Restrictions to access to ASM in LA: Barriers
Coord: J Carrizosa
Presentation of summarized data on treatment gap, barriers from each stakeholder's perspective.
Improving access to ASM in LA: defining action plans
Coord: K Lin
Presentation of summarized failed and successful strategies, proposals of feasible actions to be taken at different steps to improve access, from each stakeholder's perspective.
Participants: ILAE-LA: Jaime Carrizosa, Katia Lin, Patricia Braga; Federico Preve; IBE: Elvira Vacas, Marta Bertone; Industry: delegates from partners for this activity / Eurofarma
Hotel to CUValles transportation
Breakfast
Ecocafetería
Velarias auditorium - CUValles
Formal ceremony
Electrographic biomarkers of the DRE
Laura Medina-Ceja
Predicting the outcome after epilepsy surgery
Mario Alonso Vanegas
Questions and answers
Break
Corticosteroids and immunotherapy in epilepsy: past or future?
Loreto Ríos (virtual)
Gene therapy in epilepsy: the future is here
Iscia Lopes
Managing the diagnosis of DRE in the clinic: critical steps
Francisco Taveras
Questions and answers
Lunch
Ecocafetería
Parallel hands-on building academic I (All workshops mandatory, 1 hour each)
Workshop A - Simulation of drug response
Fridha Villalpando, Luisa Rocha
Workshop B - EEG patterns in DRE and pseudo-pharmacoresistance
María del Carmen García, Jean Paul Vergara, Alioth Guerrero
Workshop C – Imaging diagnostic methods
Fernando Cendes, Fabrizio Mortola
Workshop D - Neuropathology
José Peixoto, Sandra Orozco
CUValles to Hotel transportation
Dinner
Hotel Villa Primavera
Day 5 – Friday February 27th, 2026 - THE ENVIRONMENT OF PHARMACORESISTANT EPILEPSIES
⚡ Parallel activity – Hotel Villa Primavera
Multiple stakeholders working group: Access to ASM in Latin America - barriers and proposal for action. (Continuation)
Agreement on draft proposal and preparation of presentation
Coord: K Lin
Plenary Session: Summary of contributions from the multiple stakeholders working group
Participants: ILAE-LA: Jaime Carrizosa, Katia Lin, Patricia Braga; Federico Preve; IBE: Elvira Vacas, Marta Bertone; Industry: delegates from partners for this activity / Eurofarma
Breakfast
Session: Consequences of pharmaco-resistant epilepsy
Morbi-mortality of pharmaco-resistant epilepsy
Jorge Burneo
Psychiatric and cognitive comorbidity
Alicia Bogacz
Impact on personal development and quality of life
Jaime Carrizosa
Break
Costs of epilepsy and pharmaco-resistant epilepsy
Samuel Wiebe
Indirect costs of epilepsy from the patients' perspective
Marta Bertone
Questions and answers
Lunch
Pharmacoeconomics in the treatment of epilepsy
Cost-effectiveness of antiseizure medications: a patient-centered perspective
Elvira Vacas
Cost-effectiveness of antiseizure medications: perspective of health and funding agencies
Laura Hernández
Access to antiseizure medications and therapeutic gap in Latin America
Jorge Burneo
Break
Solution or delusion: originals vs. generics in epilepsy
Katia Lin
The role of funding and investment on pharmaceutical innovation
Jaqueline French
Summary of contributions from the multiple stakeholders working group
(Includes the parallel activity outcomes)
Discussion and proposals
Group work
Dinner
Day 6 – Saturday February 28th, 2026 - DRUG RESISTANCE: PERSPECTIVES FROM LATIN AMERICA
Breakfast
Working Group presentations
Working group presentation 1 - Topic: Challenging the concept of pharmacoresistance in epilepsy
Coord: Guilca Contreras - Luisa Rocha
Working group presentation 2 – Topic: Algorithms to predict pharmacoresistance
Coord: Alicia Bogacz - María del Carmen García
Working group presentation 3 – Topic: Adapting animal models according to epilepsy etiology
Coord: Giuseppe Bertini - José Peixoto
Lunch
Working group presentation 4 – Topic: Research on drug-resistant epilepsy in Latin America: state and perspectives
Coord: Patricia Braga - Sandra Orozco
Working group presentation 5 – Topic: Therapeutic gap and access to antiseizure medications in Latin America
Coord: Jaime Carrizosa - Katia Lin
Break
Closure session: From Pathophysiology to Patient
Bridging basic science, drug mechanisms, and resistance into clinical practice
Iris Martínez (virtual)
How new knowledge may reshape definitions of refractoriness
Samuel Wiebe
Roundtable: "Where do we go from here?"
Coord: Dres. P Braga - MC García - José Peixoto
Wrap up
Dinner
Farewell party
📣🧠
¡Sé parte de LASSE Advanced 2026 en CUValles!
El Centro Universitario de los Valles – Universidad de Guadalajara abre sus puertas a un espacio de encuentro académico único para la comunidad médica, estudiantes y profesionales de la salud interesados en la epilepsia farmacorresistente y sus nuevas fronteras.
✨ Vive una jornada con expertos nacionales e internacionales donde abordaremos:
- Biomarcadores electrográficos en DRE
- Predicción de resultados en cirugía de epilepsia
- Inmunoterapia y corticosteroides: ¿pasado o futuro?
- Terapia génica en epilepsia
- Pasos críticos para el diagnóstico clínico
Este evento fortalece la educación internacional, la innovación en epilepsia y el trabajo colaborativo en Latinoamérica. 🌎🤝
✅ Registro de asistencia:
💚 ¡Cupo limitado! Asegura tu lugar y forma parte de esta experiencia académica de alto nivel.
Contact
Dra. Fridha Viridiana Villalpando Vargas
Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud
Tel: 01 (375) 758 0500 Ext. 47347
Mobile: +52 1 33 1168 1418