Ingrid Scheffer

Ingrid Eileen Scheffer is an Australian paediatric neurologist and senior research fellow at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. Scheffer has made several major advances in the field of epilepsy research. Scheffer is credited with finding the first gene implicated in epilepsy. She has also described and classified novel epileptic syndromes such as Epilepsy limited to Females with Mental Retardation.^[1]

Professor Ingrid Scheffer AO FRS FAA FAHMS
Ingrid Scheffer at the Royal Society admissions day in London, July 2018
Born	Ingrid Eileen Scheffer Melbourne, Australia
Education	Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne
Alma mater	University of Melbourne (PhD)
Awards	Prime Minister's Prizes for Science (2014) L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award (2012)
Scientific career
Fields	Epilepsy Neurology
Institutions	Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
Thesis	Inherited epilepsy syndromes in multiplex families (1988)
Website	ingridscheffer.com

Early life and education

Ingrid Eileen Scheffer was born in Melbourne, Victoria on 21 December 1958.^[2] Scheffer finished secondary school at Methodist Ladies' College in 1976, and then attended Monash University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in 1983.^[2] Scheffer went on to complete her PhD in neurology at the University of Melbourne in 1998.^[2] Scheffer undertook her general paediatric neurology training at the Royal Children’s Hospital before moving to the UK to train in child neurology at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, and epileptology at the Austin Hospital.^[2]

Career and research

Beyond further describing the aetiology of epilepsy, Ingrid has worked to characterise new epilepsy syndromes, from infancy to adulthood, which have permitted appropriate treatment and diagnosis, such as Dravet Syndrome^[3] and Epilepsy limited to Females with Mental Retardation. Her work also provides for more accurate genetic reproductive counselling.

In 2014, Scheffer, alongside her close collaborator Professor Sam Berkovic, AC, won the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science for their work on deciphering the genetics of epilepsy.^[4] It is one of many awards in she has received throughout her career.^[2]

Awards and honours

• American Epilepsy Society Research Recognition Award (2007)^[5]
• RACP Eric Susman Prize (2009)^[5]
• GSK Award for Research Excellence (2013) ^[5]
• ILAE Ambassador for Epilepsy Award (2013) ^[5]
• Australian Neuroscience Medallion (2013)^[5]
• Emil Becker Prize for child neurology (2013)^[5]
• L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science (2012)^[6]
• Prime Minister's Prize for Science (2014)^[7]
• Order of Australia (2014)^[5]
• Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences^[8]
• Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2018^[9]