A former senior adviser to President Barack Obama will come to London this fall for the Leaders In Innovation Dinner.
The university announced Monday that David Axelrod and Susan Axelrod will be the featured speakers at this year's dinner, hosted by the Robarts Research Institute in November. The couple will join scientists, researchers, and members of the community as they celebrate excellence in the field of epilepsy. Their eldest daughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was an infant. Since then, Susan Axelrod became the founding chair of Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy, a group committed to the search for a cure for epilepsy.
The couple will talk about their experience in an "armchair discussion" at the November 19 dinner.
“The 2018 Leaders in Innovation event will provide us with an exciting opportunity to recognize and celebrate important research advances being made in epilepsy research locally, nationally, and internationally,” said Marlys Koschinsky, PhD, executive and scientific director at Robarts, in a statement issued Monday. “Our special guests Susan and David Axelrod will provide important personal perspectives on this devastating disease that will motivate researchers to push forward on the frontiers of epilepsy research. We look forward to welcoming them here to London, Ontario.”
The event will also honour Istvan Mody, PhD. The expert in epilepsy research will be presented with the J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine. Mody is the Tony Coelho Distinguished Professor of Neurology and Distinguished Professor of Physiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The Leaders in Innovation Dinner will be held at the London Convention Centre. More information can be found here.
