The Australian Epilepsy Project hailed as an exemplar for transforming lives

• Minister for Health, The Hon Mark Butler MP marked the tenth anniversary of Australia’s Medical Research Future Fund by visiting the Australian Epilepsy Project (AEP) at The Florey.
• Minister Butler hailed the AEP as an “exemplar” of what the MRFF can achieve.
• The AEP was awarded $30 million in MRFF funding in 2021, the single largest government investment into epilepsy research in Australia, to develop an AI-enabled brain health platform to support much faster diagnosis and treatment.
• The platform is a national solution that already connects over 1,600 patients with over 160 neurologists across all mainland states.

Ten years of the life-changing Medical Research Future Fund

Minister for Health, Ageing and Disability, The Hon Mark Butler MP, chose the Australian Epilepsy Project at The Florey as the place to celebrate 10 years of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

Minister Butler said in the four years since being awarded $30 million in MRFF funding, the AEP had made an impressive impact in advancing optimal care.

It’s already making a huge difference to the lives of people with epilepsy.

Minister Butler said the AEP’s use of AI was “cutting edge”, and the program was an “exemplar” of what the MRFF could achieve.

“The 10-year anniversary of the MRFF is a significant milestone and a reminder of its enduring impact on Australian health and medical research.

“It has already had a huge impact on the lives of Australians, with many thousands more set to benefit from groundbreaking work.”

The AEP has already transformed the life of Melbourne man William Campbell, who has lived with epilepsy since he was 12.

Last year, the AEP team identified surgery as a potential cure for the student who had been experiencing up to 5 seizures a day.

Since his brain surgery in November 2024, William’s seizures have stopped entirely.

“Access to the resources at the AEP changed my life” Will said.

“To finally know what was going on with my epilepsy shouldn’t have taken 10 years. It is my hope that the work at the AEP will lead to better outcomes for people like me, both in the long-term from the research conducted, and immediately by providing proper diagnosis of epilepsy.”

AEP Chief Investigator Professor Graeme Jackson said the MRFF had been an absolutely amazing innovation that had enabled his team to use artificial intelligence to bring 30 years of Florey research together into one platform, for the benefit of individuals.

The AEP translates and extends over 30 years of Florey research in imaging, genetics and neuropsychology into patient outcomes, positively impacting the lives of many Australians living with or recently diagnosed with epilepsy. The Florey is proud to be a world leader in exploring the technology driven future of health care.