Photo of Professor Tony Marson

Professor Tony Marson MB ChB, MD, FRCP, FEAN, FMedSci

Professor of Neurology Pharmacology & Therapeutics

Research

Research Overview

My research has focussed on improving the treatment of epilepsy in the UK and worldwide, and in particular on the assessment of interventions and outcomes in epilepsy. I have also had the opportunity to make a contribution to translational and genomics research through the collection of genomic, MR imaging and other biomarkers alongside prospective outcome data.

I've led the largest multi-centre randomised controlled trials worldwide assessing clinical and cost effectiveness of treatments for epilepsy (SANAD Trials) and am coordinating editor of the Cochrane Epilepsy Group. I lead the UKs National Audit of Seizure Management in Hospitals NASH and the European Union funded sister project EuroNASH, I’m also the Person Centred Complex Care lead for the NIHR North West Coast Applied Research Collaboration ARC NWC, the NHS England Epilepsy pathway lead, currently Secretary General of the European Academy of Neurology, and an NIHR Senior Investigator

Research Group Membership

Research Grants

Seizures and Epilepsy in nursing and care HOMes pilot study

EPILEPSY ACTION (UK)

May 2023 - March 2024

Supporting the ambulance service to safely convey fewer patients to hospital by developing a risk prediction tool: Risk of ADverse Outcomes after a Suspected Seizure (RADOSS)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

November 2022 - October 2024

Developing patient-centred, feasible alternative care for emergency department users with epilepsy. A model for service design

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

February 2019 - November 2021

Development of methodology and computationally efficient software for the analysis of PGx exome sequencing studies of complex "time-to-event" outcomes

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

April 2018 - January 2023

Clinically effective treatments for central nervous system disorders in the NHS, with a focus on epilepsy and Movement Disorders.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

January 2018 - June 2020

National Audit of Seizure Management in Hospitals (NASH3)

UCB PHARMA LTD (UK)

May 2018 - October 2024

EpiBioNet: Identifying imaging network biomarkers of antiepileptic drug treatment outcome

EPILEPSY RESEARCH INSTITUTE UK (UK)

December 2018 - May 2020

Functional and genomic analyses of novel epilepsy mutations

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

March 2017 - April 2020

Research Capability 2017/18

THE WALTON CENTRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)

November 2017 - March 2018

Brain architecture and function at epilepsy diagnosis: markers of pharmacoresistance and cognitive dysfunction

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

May 2019 - August 2025

CIVIC DATA CO-OPERATIVE

LIVERPOOL CITY REGION COMBINED AUTHORITY (UK)

June 2020 - March 2026

Service delivery interventions for people with epilepsy and for people with epilepsy and intellectual disability

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

September 2021 - April 2023

Pharmacological management of post-traumatic seizures

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

December 2019 - May 2026

NIHR Senior Investigator Award

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

April 2022 - March 2026

SPRING: Seizure PRophylaxis IN Glioma

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

August 2018 - March 2024

European Study on the Burden And Care of Epilepsy - ESBACE

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

September 2015 - February 2019

MICA: Towards using historical data for research prioritisation in children

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

March 2015 - February 2018

NIHR ARC 2 national social care implementation projects

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK), LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)

October 2019 - March 2026

are2Care: PED4PED - People with Epilepsy sharing Data for care with Paramedics and Emergency Department staff

UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

February 2019 - March 2020

North West Research Design Services

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

April 2010 - September 2018

Department of Health Sponsored chair in pharmacogenetics.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

September 2007 - March 2019

The role of resilience for good quality of life in epilepsy and factors promoting such resilience

BRITISH EPILEPSY ASSOCIATION (UK)

February 2009 - February 2011

Pharmacogenetics of GABAergic mechanisms of benefit and harm in epilepsy.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

February 2005 - November 2010

A pragmatic randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of levetiracetam and zonisamide versus standard treatments for epilepsy: a comparison of Standard And New Antiepileptic Drugs (SANAD-II)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

June 2012 - November 2019

Core support for UK based Cochrane Collaborative Review Groups: Epilepsy.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

April 2004 - March 2023

The role of multidrug transporters in causing pharmacoresistance in epilepsy

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

January 2010 - January 2013

North West Coast CLAHRC

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK), LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK), MERSEY CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)

January 2014 - June 2021

North West Hub for Trial Methodology Research (NWHTMR)

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

October 2008 - August 2014

Discriminant Function Analysis for Longitudinal Data: Applications in Medical Research (DiALog)

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

October 2014 - September 2017

MerseyBeat - Best Evidence, Application and Translation of research

LIVERPOOL PRIMARY CARE TRUST (UK)

March 2008 - September 2019

Exploring oxidative stress pathways in epilepsy

REPUBLIC OF IRAQ MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

October 2014 - September 2017

Clinical and cost effectiveness of interventions for epilepsy in the NHS

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

June 2011 - May 2015

A systematic review of randomised controlled trials assessing the beneficial and harmful effects of treatments for epilepsy in people with a learning disability: the development of clinical guidelines and recommendations for research.

THOMAS BAILEY'S CHARITY

October 2004 - December 2005

Cochrane Epilepsy Review Group.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

April 2001 - March 2004

Refractory Juvenile Myoclonoc Epilepsy Cohort (ReJuMEC)

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

January 2009 - June 2011

Using routine data in large multicentre clinical trials

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (UK)

September 2014 - August 2017

The Role of Multidrug Transporters in causing Pharmacoresistance in Epilepsy

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

January 2013 - August 2013

Epilepsy Pharmacogenomics: delivering biomarkers for clinical use (EpiPGX)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

October 2011 - September 2016

Seizure first Aid training For Epilepsy (SAFE) for people with epilepsy who attend emergency departments and their carers: A follow-on study to develop and pilot SAFE.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

May 2015 - August 2019

Multi-centre randomised control trial comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of trans-foraminal epidural steroid injection to surgical microdiscectomy for the treatment of chronic radicular pain secondary to prolapsed intervertebral disc herniation. (NErve Rootblock VErsus Surgery; NERVES)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

June 2014 - December 2020

Defining patient preferences and priorities for treatment options and outcomes in epilepsy

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

June 2011 - February 2014

Health economic evaluations in epilepsy: Developing a preference-based outcome measure.

EPILEPSY RESEARCH INSTITUTE UK (UK)

August 2009 - January 2011

Models for selection bias, applied to controlled trials and observational studies of antiepileptic drugs.

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

September 2005 - March 2009

A systematic review of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of neuroimaging assessments used to visualise the seizure focus in people with refractory epilepsy being considered for surgery.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

June 2003 - April 2004

North West Research Design Services (Phase 2).

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

April 2015 - September 2018