Professor Samuel Berkovic is a Laureate Professor at the University of Melbourne and Foundation Director of the Epilepsy Research Centre at Austin Health. He is acknowledged as a world leader in the field of neurology, specifically for his contribution to understanding epilepsy.
Professor Berkovic and his collaborators discovered the first gene for epilepsy in 1995 and subsequently discovered many more. His research brought genetics to the forefront of epilepsy research. He has coordinated international efforts for epilepsy gene discovery. This knowledge is now applied widely in patient care, in basic studies to understand epilepsy mechanisms and in the development of new therapies.
In 2014, Professor Berkovic was Senior Victorian of the Year, became a Companion in the Order of Australia (AC), and along with Professor Ingrid Scheffer AO FAA FAHMS FRS, was awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, and a member of the US National Academy of Medicine.
He was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2005 and became the 21st President of the Academy in 2026.
