The goal of this study is to identify abnormal gene regulatory networks (GRN) of infantile spasms by leveraging the recent advances in genetic research. These advances allow us to creatively utilize the scarce surgical brain tissue obtained in our center over the years from children with infantile spasms. The construction of GRN will enhance our understanding of the mechanisms by which the disease develops. In addition, this knowledge can be used to identify new drug targets. If FDA-approved drugs are already available for these new targets, new clinical trials can be started to determine whether they are useful in treating infantile spasms. If such FDA-approved drugs are not available for these targets, the knowledge obtained from this study can be used to initiate new drug discovery programs. Thus, we believe that the results of this study could potentially open up new possibilities for therapeutic intervention.
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