The EFNS Scientist Panels and ENS Subcommittees aim at coordinating different facets of clinical research and good neurological practice at a European level. They will play a very important role in the European Academy of Neurology – EAN. We invited the chairpersons of the EFNS Scientist Panels and ENS Subcommittees for their view on the future role of these panels/subcommittees within the EAN.
Interview with Maura Pugliatti
Neuropenews: Briefly outline the future role you see for your scientist panel/sub-committee within the European Academy of Neurology.
The Scientist Panel of Public Health has really been structured to address epidemiological issues of neurological disorders in Europe; this has been acknowledged in the Panel future denomination. Though very often overlooked in our scientific communities, Neuroepidemiology should definitely be promoted in all neurological research as a fundamental and transversal discipline to all sub-committees/panels’ scientific activities. Enhancing activities in Neuroepidemiology results in establishing specific critical mass and empowering researchers to top-quality scientific basic and clinical research. Neuroepidemiology includes the knowledge and choice of the best study design addressing specific research questions, and ultimately allowing for internal validity, comparison and generalisability of results across studies, the identification of new research hypotheses. Methodological skills of researchers trained in Neuroepidemiology are also a critical element in the development of systematic revisions and guidelines in clinical neurology.
Since 2008 the Panel has actively contributed to designing sessions and a teaching course at the annual EFNS meetings, and to liaising to other Scientist Panels (eg., former Alcohol and Substance Abuse now Toxicology, and Traumatic Brain Injury) in developing educational programmes: the First International Course of Neuroepidemiology in Eastern Europe (Chisinau, Rep. of Moldova 2012), the Course on Advances in Neuroepidemiology (Cluj-Napoca, Romania 2014).Besides a future role in supervising the methodology in medical and scientific neurological research, our Scientist Panel is envisioned to develop large scale educational programmes on Neuroepidemiology for training neurologists and researchers in neuroscience benefitting from existing European collaborative networks, as well as to promote good quality evidence-based guidelines using the GRADE approach.
Neuropenews: How can Neuropenews contribute and enhance the work of your panel?
– A platform/blog for requests of supervision in methodological issues
– A platform for establishing collaborative networks in epi studies
– A source of educational sessions (e-learning) in neuroepidemiology
– A tool for alerts on educational programmes on neuroepidemiology being held in Europe.
