Epilepsy pioneers Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic awarded PM's Prize for Science

By Nicky Phillips
Updated November 4 2014 - 10:08am, first published October 29 2014 - 5:41pm
Unmasking the role of genetics: Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic.  Photo: Justin McManus
Unmasking the role of genetics: Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic. Photo: Justin McManus
Unmasking the role of genetics: Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic.  Photo: Justin McManus
Unmasking the role of genetics: Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic. Photo: Justin McManus
Unmasking the role of genetics: Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic.  Photo: Justin McManus
Unmasking the role of genetics: Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic. Photo: Justin McManus
Unmasking the role of genetics: Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic.  Photo: Justin McManus
Unmasking the role of genetics: Ingrid Scheffer and Sam Berkovic. Photo: Justin McManus

It was only a few hundred years ago that people with epilepsy were thought to be possessed by the devil. While that stigma passed, doctors continued to believe the disorder was acquired from injury - a fall, a difficult labour, a tumour or a sports or car accident - as recently as two decades ago.