June 24, 2025, Filed Under: carousel, NewsProgram Co-Sponsors Second IMPRES Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Conference Watch the conference recap here! Session panelists (L to R) Ahmed T. Abdelmoity, MD, MBA, MS, Jorge Vidaurre, MD, Alison Kukla, MPH, Sandi Lam, MD, MBA, and Dave Clarke, MD The Dell Children’s Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center in collaboration with the Lurie Children’s Epilepsy Center presented the second annual Innovative Minds: Pediatric Research in Epilepsy Surgery (IMPRES) Conference on the Northwestern University campus in downtown Chicago, Illinois, from June 20–22. The conference kicked off on Friday evening with a reception cruise on Lake Michigan and featured two days of CME sessions, including a neurodiagnostic breakout session. The national IMPRES program focuses on evidence-based research in pediatric epilepsy surgery and highlights collaboration among pediatric epilepsy centers and programs. This year’s conference theme, improving access and health equity in epilepsy, featured prominently in each of the seven conference sessions and 25 presentations. Session topics included the anthropology and history of epilepsy, management of epilepsy, presurgical investigative studies, nontraditional surgical patients, surgical techniques, quality of life and psychosocial outcomes, and neurodiagnostics. Each session concluded with a moderated panel discussion and Q&A. IMPRES is an ongoing collaboration between Dell Children’s Medical Center and Lurie Children’s Hospital. This year’s conference organizers were Dell Children’s pediatric epilepsy chief Dave Clarke, MD, and Sandi Lam, MD, MBA, of Lurie Children’s and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “IMPRES 2025 was an inspiring gathering of innovative minds dedicated to advancing care for children with epilepsy and their families,” said Lam. “This unique interdisciplinary conference fostered remarkable collaboration among neurosurgeons, neurologists, neuropsychologists, social workers, researchers, advocates, and families. Together, we explored new frontiers in epilepsy care, neurosurgery, global health, and health equity to improve outcomes for children with epilepsy.” “Praise for this thought-provoking conference has been far-reaching,” said Clarke. “Planning is already underway for IMPRES 2026 here in Austin.”
