LASSE XIX, Advanced
Understanding and challenging refractoriness
Guadalajara, Mexico
February 23-28, 2026
Program
Monday, February 23, 2026
09:00Lecture
What is refractory epilepsy? Historical overview
Conceptualization and Current Definition
09:20Virtual Event
Current definition. Criticisms of the current concept of pharmaco resistance and new proposals
10:00Break
Break
10:30Group Work
Group work
12:30Break
Lunch
14:00Lecture
What is pseudo-pharmaco resistance? Common diagnostic and therapeutic mistakes
Round table: Pseudo-pharmacoresistance
14:30Virtual Event
Evaluation of pseudo-pharmacoresistance: video-EEG, diagnostic re-evaluation
15:00Workshop
Hands-on Case Discussions: Predicting drug response in clinical scenarios
16:00Virtual Event
Models to Predict Drug Response – Use of biomarkers, machine learning, and personalized medicine
Session & Workshop: Can we predict pharmacoresistance?
16:40Lecture
Clinical factors that predict pharmacoresistance
17:20Workshop
Translational Workshop: Integrating Mechanistic Knowledge into Treatment Plans
19:00Break
Dinner
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
09:00Lecture
Ion Channels in Epilepsy
09:45Lecture
GABA and Glutamate Receptors
10:30Break
Break
11:00Virtual Event
Synaptic vesicle proteins and other Mechanisms of Action
11:30Lecture
What Other Diseases Can Teach Us About Reversing Pharmacoresistance
12:30Break
Lunch
14:00Lecture
New Molecules and Future Therapies – Advances in rational drug design
14:45Lecture
Roundtable: Challenges in Translating Mechanisms to Clinical Outcomes
16:00Break
Break
16:30Lecture
Phases and costs of drug development
17:30Group Work
Meeting with tutors
20:30Break
Dinner
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
09:00Lecture
Drug Transporters and Efflux Systems
09:30Lecture
Pharmacokinetic and Target-Related Mechanisms
10:00Virtual Event
Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine
10:30Break
Break
11:00Lecture
Etiology associated factors
11:30Virtual Event
Genetic basis
12:00Lecture
Q&A Session
12:30Break
Lunch
14:00Lecture
Microglia and Astrocyte Roles in Drug Resistant Epilepsy
14:30Lecture
Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation
15:00Virtual Event
Connectivity in the Epileptogenic Zone
15:30Break
Break
16:00Workshop
Experimental Models of Pharmacoresistance
17:30Group Work
Meeting with tutors
19:30Break
Dinner
21:00Social Event
Fiesta de las naciones
Thursday, February 26, 2026
09:00Lecture
Electrographic biomarkers of the DRE
09:30Lecture
Predicting the outcome after epilepsy surgery
10:00Lecture
Q&A Session
10:15Break
Break
10:30Virtual Event
Corticosteroids and immunotherapy in epilepsy: past or future?
11:00Virtual Event
Managing the diagnosis of DRE in the clinic: critical steps
11:30Lecture
Gene therapy in epilepsy: the future is here
12:30Lecture
Q&A Session
13:00Break
Lunch
14:00Workshop
Parallel hands-on workshops: Simulation of drug response
18:30Break
Dinner
21:00Lecture
Ethics in research
Friday, February 27, 2026
09:00Lecture
Morbi-mortality of pharmaco-resistant epilepsy
09:30Lecture
Psychiatric and cognitive comorbidity
10:00Lecture
Impact on personal development and quality of life
10:30Break
Break
10:45Lecture
Costs of epilepsy and pharmaco-resistant epilepsy
11:30Lecture
Indirect costs of epilepsy from the patients’ perspective
12:00Lecture
Q&A Session
12:30Break
Lunch
14:00Lecture
Cost-effectiveness of antiseizure medications: a patient-centered perspective
14:30Lecture
Cost-effectiveness of antiseizure medications: perspective of health and funding agencies
15:00Lecture
Access to antiseizure medications and therapeutic gap in Latin America
15:30Break
Break
16:00Lecture
Solution or delusion: originals vs. generics in epilepsy
16:30Lecture
The role of funding and investment on pharmaceutical innovation
17:00Lecture
Summary of contributions from the industry working group
18:00Lecture
Discussion and proposals
Saturday, February 28, 2026
09:00Group Work
Group Presentation
12:00Break
Lunch
13:30Group Work
Group Presentation
15:30Break
Break
16:00Virtual Event
Bridging basic science, drug mechanisms, and resistance into clinical practice
16:30Virtual Event
How new knowledge may reshape definitions of refractoriness
17:00Lecture
Roundtable: Where do we go from here?
19:30Break
Dinner
21:00Social Event
Farewell Party
Faculty
Angel Aledo-Serrano
🇪🇸 Spain
Mario Alonso Vanegas
🇲🇽 Mexico
Jerónimo Auzmendi
🇦🇷 Argentina
Giuseppe Bertini
🇮🇹 Italy
Marta Bertone
🇦🇷 Argentina
Alicia Bogacz
🇺🇾 Uruguay
Patricia Braga
🇺🇾 Uruguay
Jorge Burneo
🇨🇦 Canada
Jaime Carrizosa
🇨🇴 Colombia
Esper Cavalheiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
Fernando Cendes
🇧🇷 Brazil
Guilca Contreras
🇻🇪 Venezuela
Jacqueline French
🇺🇸 United States
María del Carmen García
🇦🇷 Argentina
Laura Hernández
🇲🇽 Mexico
Katia Lin
🇧🇷 Brazil
Iscia Lopes-Cendes
🇧🇷 Brazil
Leonor López-Meraz
🇲🇽 Mexico
Iris Martínez
🇲🇽 Mexico
Laura Medina-Ceja
🇲🇽 Mexico
Sandra Orozco-Suárez
🇲🇽 Mexico
Jose Eduardo Peixoto-Santos
🇧🇷 Brazil
Luisa Rocha
🇲🇽 Mexico
Rafael Naime Ruggiero
🇧🇷 Brazil
Loreto Ríos
🇨🇱 Chile
Helen Scharfman
🇺🇸 United States
Francisco Taveras
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Mónica E. Ureña-Guerrero
🇲🇽 Mexico
Elvira Vacas
🇪🇸 Spain
Samuel Wiebe
🇨🇦 Canada