The Inaugural New Jersey Epilepsy Symposium: Innovations in Medical and Surgical Management Across the Lifespan

Friday, November 21, 2025, 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Pines Manor, Edison, NJ

Despite advances in neuroimaging, pharmacology, minimally invasive surgery, and neuromodulation, significant practice gaps persist in the care of patients with epilepsy, contributing to misdiagnosis, suboptimal management, and delays in surgical referral. Approximately one-third of patients with epilepsy remain pharmacoresistant, and emerging treatment options, including surgical and device-based therapies, are often underutilized due to lack of awareness, limited access, or uncertainty about referral timing and patient selection criteria.

Many clinicians involved in epilepsy care don’t realize they may be missing key opportunities to improve outcomes, such as timely surgical referrals, optimal patient selection for neuromodulation therapies, or confident interpretation of advanced EEG and imaging data. Others may feel uncertain about managing epilepsy in special populations, navigating new genetic data, or integrating sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) risk reduction into care planning. These gaps contribute to fragmented care and prolonged morbidity in both adult and pediatric patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

This comprehensive activity is designed to close those gaps through real-world, case-based education. Attendees will gain the latest insights into seizure localization, surgical and device-based interventions, pharmacologic innovations, and care strategies tailored to complex populations such as those with autism, developmental epilepsies, or women of childbearing age. Through expert-led sessions and interprofessional dialogue, participants will walk away equipped to apply current evidence, collaborate more effectively across disciplines, and take action to improve long-term outcomes for patients with epilepsy.

Target Audience

This activity is designed for adult and pediatric neurologists and epileptologists, neurosurgeons, residents, fellows, advanced practice providers, and researchers involved on the management of patients with epilepsy.

Activity Co-Directors

Robert E. Gross, MD, PhD, Henry Rutgers Professor of Neurosurgery, Chair, Department of Neurosurgery, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson and New Jersey Medical Schools

Ram Mani, MD, MSCE, Associate Professor of Neurology, Chief, RWJMS Adult Epilepsy Division, Epilepsy Fellowship Director, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Director, Inpatient General Neurology Consult Service, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Planning Committee

Robert E. Gross, MD, PhD
Ram Mani, MD, MSCE
Enrique Feoli, MD
Eric B. Geller, MD
Luke Tomycz, MD
Alice Edwards, PA-C, MHCM
Denise Fedele, PhD
Adam Ganzman, MSN, RN, APN-BC

1. Apply updated clinical guidelines to determine when patients with drug-resistant epilepsy should be referred for surgical or device-based evaluation.
2. Interpret EEG and neuroimaging findings to localize seizure foci and assess candidacy for surgery.
3. Differentiate treatment strategies for pediatric versus adult epilepsy patients, including the use of newer ASMs and developmental considerations.
4. Evaluate neuromodulation options and identify appropriate candidates based on seizure type, localization, and comorbidities.
5. Implement seizure management strategies in high-risk populations, such as women with epilepsy during pregnancy or individuals with epilepsy and autism.
6. Incorporate SUDEP prevention strategies, including seizure monitoring technologies, into individualized patient care plans.
7. Facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration across neurology, neurosurgery, imaging, and nursing to improve epilepsy care coordination and outcomes.
8. Recognize the newer usage for EEG in point of care urgencies and the EEG results in relation to decisions about seizures for critically ill patients

Registration Fees
Physician	$50
Other Health Professional	$25
Rutgers Health/RWJBarnabas Health Faculty/Staff	$25
Resident/Fellow/Healthcare Student (with letter*)	Complimentary

* Registration must be accompanied by program director’s letter confirming resident/fellow/student status. Please upload your letter when registering or email it to [email protected].

Registrants may be asked to furnish documentation confirming their employment status in order to be eligible for a reduced rate. If it is determined that a registrant does not meet the eligibility criteria, the registrant will be required to pay the necessary tuition fee.

Registration fee includes continental breakfast, refreshment breaks, lunch, continuing education credits, and course material. Registration can only be accepted through our secure online website until November 18, 2025. Registration will not be confirmed until payment is received. If payment is not received in time for the activity, Rutgers reserves the right to cancel the registration

Pre-registration is recommended. On-site registration will be accommodated on a space available basis.

Confirmation
Once registered, you will receive a confirmation message and additional information to assist you with your plans to participate in this activity.

Cancellation/Refund
A full refund, less a $25 cancellation fee, will be granted if notice is received no later than November 20, 2025. Refunds will not be issued for any cancellation received after November 20, 2025 and cannot be given for no shows. To cancel, email your cancellation request to [email protected].

For any other questions, concerns, or if you require special arrangements to attend this activity, please contact CCOE by email at [email protected].

Rutgers Health reserves the right to modify program content, faculty and program activities. It also reserves the right to cancel the activity if necessary. If the activity is cancelled, liability is limited to the registration fee.

In support of improving patient care, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physicians: Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences designates this live activity for a maximum of 7 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses: This activity is awarded 7 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should only claim those contact hours actually spent participating in the activity.


Physician Associates: Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 7 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.


Method of Participation
In order to meet the learning objectives and receive continuing education credit, participants are expected to register for the activity, check in at the registration desk, attend the program, and complete the online evaluation at the conclusion of the activity. A CE certificate will be emailed to participants upon completion of the online evaluation.

Course Material
In an effort to provide the most complete materials to attendees and conserve resources, PDF versions of the lecture slides will be made available online to registered attendees. Additional information will be provided in future confirmation communication.

Questions
For any other questions, concerns, or if you require special arrangements to attend this activity, please contact CCOE by email at [email protected].

Disclaimer
Rutgers and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital reserve the right to modify program content, faculty and program activities. It also reserves the right to cancel the activity if necessary. If the activity is cancelled, liability is limited to the registration fee.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (7.00 hours), AAPA Category 1 CME (7.00 hours), ANCC Contact Hours (7.00 hours), Non-Physician Attendance (7.00 hours)

Pines Manor
2085 Lincoln Highway
Edison, NJ 08817


Complimentary parking will be available at the Pines Manor for symposium attendees. Participants will receive additional information in their confirmation materials.

Murray D. Becker, MD, PhD, Clinical Associate Professor of Radiology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; PET-CT and Nuclear Medicine, University Radiology

 

Chelsea Earley, MD, Pediatric Epileptologist and Child Neurologist, Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group, Morristown, NJ

 

Vikram V. Bhise, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Director, Division of Child Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities; Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

 

Abdolreza Esfahanizadeh, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Director, Pediatric Epilepsy Program, Division of Child Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

 

Enrique Feoli, MD, Director, Adult Epilepsy Program, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center; Associate Director and International Branch Epileptologist, Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group, Morristown, NJ

 

Genevieve Gabriel, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Child Neurology & Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Director, Pediatric Clinical Neurophysiology, Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

 

Eric B. Geller, MD, Director, Adult Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, The Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center

 

Robert E. Gross, MD, PhD, Henry Rutgers Professor of Neurosurgery, Chair, Department of Neurosurgery, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson and New Jersey Medical Schools

 

Helen Han, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

 

Vasileios Kokkinos, PhD, CNIM, CMEG, NA-CLTM, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Neurophysiologist, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center

 

Ruben I. Kuzniecky, MD, Keynote Speaker, Professor of Neurology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell; Vice-Chair, Academic Affairs, Department of Neurology, Northwell Health, Hempstead, NY

 

Ram Mani, MD, MSCE, Associate Professor of Neurology, Chief, RWJMS Adult Epilepsy Division, Epilepsy Fellowship Director, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Director, Inpatient General Neurology Consult Service, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

 

Yasunori Nagahama, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Director, Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson and New Jersey Medical Schools

 

Shelly Rishty, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

 

Luke Tomycz, MD, Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health; Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Epilepsy Institute of New Jersey

 

 

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

The relevant financial relationships of all individuals who affect the content of continuing education activities and any discussion of off-label/investigational uses will be disclosed to the audience at the time of the activity.

Friday, November 21, 2025

Exhibit Opportunity Available

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This activity is provided by

Comprehensive Epilepsy Center of New Jersey
Rutgers Health

in collaboration with

RWJBarnabas Health