At the recent Dreiländertagung in Salzburg (26.-29.3.2025), which is the joint meeting of the Austrian, German, and Swiss ILAE chapters, Katja Kobow was unanimously elected as the 2nd Chair of the German Society for Epileptology (DGfE) – a historic first for the society, as she is the first woman to take on this leadership role. In two years, she will assume the presidency and host the annual DGfE conference. As a scientist with a strong foundation in molecular epilepsy research, Katja is particularly committed to fostering communication and collaboration between clinical and non-clinical sectors in the field. The DGfE’s unique rotation model – bridging adult and pediatric epileptology with basic science is a perfect match for her vision of integrated, interdisciplinary research.

To add to the excitement, the Kobow Lab also brought home a poster prize from the conference. The awarded project highlights our team’s ongoing interdisciplinary efforts to unravel the mechanisms underlying epilepsy and showcases our latest advances in clinical biomarker development. A great honor, and strong motivation to keep pushing the science forward!

We are also delighted to welcome a new team member: Dr. Paraskevi Chasani joined the Kobow Lab as a postdoctoral researcher. Paraskevi is a talented computer scientist from Greece, with a strong background in mathematics, bioinformatics and machine learning. Her expertise will be pivotal in our ongoing work integrating large-scale epigenomic data with clinical phenotypes. We’re excited about the fresh perspectives and technical skills she brings to the team.

With new talent on board, national recognition, and new responsibilities on the horizon, 2025 is already shaping up to be a dynamic and productive year for the Kobow Lab.