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About
Dr. Morris H. Scantlebury is Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Calgary, as well as a Consultant Pediatric Neurologist and Epileptologist at Alberta Children’s Hospital. He completed medical school at the University of the West Indies, followed by a fellowship in Child Neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Basic Neuroscience Pathway) and a fellowship in Pediatric Epilepsy at the University of Calgary. Before his residency, he completed basic science research fellowships at the University of Montreal and Albert Einstein College of Medicine under the mentorship of Drs. Lionel Carmant and Solomon "Nico" Moshe, respectively.
Dr. Scantlebury holds scientific appointments with the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and the Owerko Center, where he directs the CIHR-funded Developmental Epilepsy Research Laboratory. His research focuses on elucidating the mechanisms underlying febrile seizures and infantile spasms to identify new treatments for these conditions. He has authored more than 50 publications and nine book chapters, covering the full spectrum of pediatric epilepsy from bench to bedside.
In addition to his research, Dr. Scantlebury plays significant leadership roles, serving as the Scientific Director of Discovery (Basic) Science at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Chair of the Scientific Research Committee of Epilepsy Canada, Co-Director of the Canadian Epilepsy Research Initiative of the Canadian League Against Epilepsy, and director of the Pediatric Epilepsy Outcomes and Informatics Program of the Alberta Children's Hospital. He also serves as an Associate Editor of Pediatric Neurology.
Dr. Scantlebury is deeply committed to mentorship and works tirelessly to improve access to epilepsy care in resource-limited communities. In recognition of his contributions he received in 2020, the inaugural Calgary Black Chambers Achievement Award in Medicine for his efforts to improve the lives of patients and students, as well as for his achievements in research. He was honored in 2024 with the highly prestigious Anthony N. Sabga Award for Caribbean Excellence in Science and Technology for his efforts to establish cloud-based ambulatory EEG monitoring services throughout the Caribbean.
Principal Investigator: Morris H. Scantlebury MB.BS., M.D., dipl ABPN, CSCN (EEG), FAESemail:mhscantl@ucalgary.caPhone: 403-210-8635X (Twitter) handle: @Scantlebury_Lab
Current Lab Members
Current Lab Members
Dr. Cezar Gavrilovici PhD, Adjunct Professor, Lab Co-Director
Dr. Cezar Gavrilovici PhD, Adjunct Professor, Lab Co-Director
Electrophysiologist: Mechanisms of the ketogenic diet in infantile spasms
Sabrina D'Alfonso MSc
Sabrina D'Alfonso MSc
Translation Research Associate: IS-BioPRO , PEIOP, Seizure Clusters, DEE-SWAS and emerging treatments
Dr. Andy Ng MD PhD
Dr. Andy Ng MD PhD
Mechanisms of the ketogenic diet in infantile spasms
Inflammation and febrile seizures
Anamika Choudhary MSc, PhD candidate
Anamika Choudhary MSc, PhD candidate
Mechanisms of the ketogenic diet in infantile spasms and acid sensing ion channels
Fejiro Erome MSc candidate
Fejiro Erome MSc candidate
Mechanisms of febrile seizures:impact of inflammation on heat sensitive channels
Aaranyo Gosh BSc candidate
Aaranyo Gosh BSc candidate
Mechanisms of febrile seizures: impact of inflammation on heat sensitive channels
Research Interest
Research Interest
Development of novel non-pharmacologic treatments for Infantile Spasms
Role of heat sensitive channels in febrile seizures
Breathing and Epilepsy
Role of microbiota in epilepsy
Select Publications
Select Publications
1. Harris SA, Gordon EE, Barrett KT, Scantlebury MH, Teskey GC. Febrile Seizures, Ongoing Epileptiform Activity, and the Resulting Long-Term Consequences: Lessons From Animal Models. Pediatr Neurol. 2024 Sep 28;161:216-222. doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2024.09.026. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39442247.
2. Choudhary A, Gavrilovici C, Ng AC, Scantlebury MH. Protocol for continuous video-EEG/EMG recording to study brain function in neonatal rats. STAR Protoc. 2024 Jul 18;5(3):103205. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103205. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39028620.
3. Ng AC, Scantlebury MH. Successful treatment of epileptic encephalopathy with spike wave activation in sleep with anakinra. Epilepsy Behav Rep. 2024 May 25;27:100678. doi: 10.1016/j.ebr.2024.100678. PMID: 38881883; PMCID: PMC11177074.
4. Ng AC, Chahine M, Scantlebury MH, Appendino JP. Channelopathies in epilepsy: an overview of clinical presentations, pathogenic mechanisms, and therapeutic insights. J Neurol. 2024 Apr 12. doi: 10.1007/s00415-024-12352-x. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38607431
5. Barrett KT, Roy A, Ebdalla A, Pittman QJ, Wilson RJA, Scantlebury MH. The Impact of Inflammation on Thermal Hyperpnea: Relevance for Heat Stress and Febrile Seizures. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2024 Apr 10. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2023-0451OC. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38597725
6. Wang W, Choudhary A, Mu C, Scantlebury MH, Shearer J, Reimer RA. Protocol for nutritional intervention in neonatal rats using the "pup-in-a-cup" artificial rearing system. STAR Protoc. 2024 Mar 15;5(1):102919. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.102919. Epub 2024 Feb 29. PMID: 38427567
7. Ng AC, Choudhary A, Barrett KT, Gavrilovici C, Scantlebury MH.. Mechanisms of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome: What have we learned from animal models? Epilepia. 2024 Feb;65(2):266-280. doi: 10.1111/epi.17841. Epub 2023 Dec 18.
8. Shearer J, Scantlebury MH, Rho JM, Tompkins TA, Mu C. Intermittent vs continuous ketogenic diet: Impact on seizures, gut microbiota, and mitochondrial metabolism. Epilepsia. 2023 Aug;64(8):e177-e183. doi: 10.1111/epi.17688. Epub 2023 Jun 29
9. Plumereau Q, Ebdalla A, Poulin H, Appendino JP, Scantlebury MH, Au PYB, Chahine M. De novo Y1460C missense variant in NaV1.1 impedes the pore region and results in epileptic encephalopathy. Sci Rep 2022 Oct 13;12(1):17182. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-22208-x
10. Mu C, Nikpoor N, Tompkins TA, Choudhary A, Wang M, Marks WN, Rho JM, Scantlebury MH, Shearer J. Targeted gut microbiota manipulation attenuates seizures in a model of infantile spasms syndrome. JCI Insight. 2022 Jun 22;7(12):e158521. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.158521 PMID: 35730569
11. Harris SA, George AG, Barrett KT, Scantlebury MH, Teskey GC. Febrile seizures lead to prolonged epileptiform activity and hyperoxia that when blocked prevents learning deficits. Epilepsia. 2022 Jul 19. doi: 10.1111/epi.17371. PMID: 35852401
12. Mu C, Pochakom A, Reimer RA, Choudhary A, Wang M, Rho JM, Scantlebury MH, Shearer J. Addition of Prebiotics to the Ketogenic Diet Improves Metabolic Profile but Does Not Affect Seizures in a Rodent Model of Infantile Spasms Syndrome. Nutrients. 2022 May 26;14(11):2210. doi: 10.3390/nu14112210. PMID: 35684010
13. Mu C, Choudhary A, Mayengbam S, Barrett KT, Rho, JM, Shearer J, Scantlebury MH. Seizure modulation by the gut microbiota and tryptophankynurenine metabolism in an animal model of infantile spasms. Ebiomedcine. 2022 Feb;76:103833. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103833. Epub 2022 Jan 25.PMID: 35090836
14. Mu C, Nikppo N, Tompkins TA, Rho JM, Scantlebury MH, Shearer J. Probiotics counteract hepatic steatosis caused by ketogenic diet and upregulate AMPK signaling in a model of infantile epilepsy. Ebiomedicine. 2022 Feb;76:103838. Doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103838.Epub 2022 Feb 9. PMID: 35148983
15. Choudhary A, Mu C, Barrett KT, Williams-Dyjur C, Marks WN, Charkhand B, Shearer J, Rho JM, Scantlebury MH. The link between brain acidosis, breathing and seizures: A novel mechanism of action for the ketogenic diet in a model of infantile spasms. 2021. Brain Communications. doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcab189
16. Scantlebury MH, Barrett KT, Jacinto S, Corbin DOC, Kerr M, Khan A. Cou Cou, flying fish and a whole exome please…lessons learned from genetic testing in Barbados. PAMJ. Volume 38, Article 111; 2021 Feb 3; doi:10.11604/pamj.2021.38.111.27969
17. Barrett KT, Hasan SU, Scantlebury MH, Wilson RJA. Impaired cardiorespiratory responses to hypercapnia in mice lacking PAC1 or VPAC2 receptors. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2021 Feb 1; 320(2): R116- R128. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00161.2020. PMID: 33146556
18. Barrett KT, Roy A, Rivard KB, Wilson RJA, Scantlebury MH. Vagal TRPV1 activation exacerbates thermal hyperpnea and increases susceptibility to experimental febrile seizures in immature rats. Neurobiol Dis. 2018 Nov;119:172-189. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.08.004. Epub 2018 Aug 16. PMID: 30121230
19. Scantlebury MH, Chun KC, Ma SC, Rho JM, Kim DY. “Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Protects Learning and Memory Function in Epileptic Kcna1-null mice.” Neuroscience Letters; 2017 Apr 3; 645:14-18. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.02.069. PMID: 28249786.
20. Barrett KT, Wilson RJ, Scantlebury MH. “TRPV1 deletion exacerbates hyperthermic seizures in an age- dependent manner in mice.” Epilepsy Res; 2016; 128:27-34. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.02.069. PMID: 27810513.
21. Chudomelova L, Scantlebury MH, Raffo E, Coppola A, Betancourth D, Galanopoulou AS. “ Modeling new therapies for infantile spasms.” Epilepsia 2010; 51 Suppl. 3:27-33. 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2010.02605.x. PMID: 20618396.
22. Scantlebury MH, Galanopoulou AS, Chudomelova L, Raffo E, Betancourth D, Moshe SL. A model of symptomatic infantile spasms syndrome. Neurobiol Dis. 2010; 37(3):604-12. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2009.11.011. PMID: 19945533.
23. Gibbs SA, Scantlebury MH, Awad P, Lema P, Essouma JB, Parent M, Descarries L, Carmant L. Hippocampal atrophy and abnormal brain development following a prolonged hyperthermic seizure in the immature rat with a focal neocortical lesion. Neurobiol Dis. 2008; 32:176-182. 10.1016/j.nbd.2008.07.005. PMID: 18678257.
24. Scantlebury MH, Gibbs SA, Foadjo B, Lema P, Psarropoulou C, Carmant L. Febrile seizures in the predisposed brain: a new model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Ann Neurol. 2005; 58:41-49. doi: 10.1002/ana.20512. PMID: 15940665.
25. Scantlebury MH, Ouellet P-L, Psarropoulou C, Carmant L. Freeze lesion-induced focal cortical dysplasia predisposes to atypical hyperthermic seizures in the immature rat. Epilepsia.2004; 45(6):592-60. Doi: 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2004.51503.x. PMID: 15144423.
Past Trainees
Past Trainees
Dr. Wendie Marks, PhD. (Post Doctoral Fellow)
Dr. Chunlong Mu, PhD. (Post Doctoral Fellow)
Dr. Karlene Barrett PhD (Post Doctoral Fellow)
Ms. Sydney Harris, MSc. (Masters Student)
Collaborators
Dr. Quentin Pittman PhD
Dr. Richard Wilson PhD
Dr. Jane Shearer PhD
Media
Rex Big Adventure Watch Rex's big adventure in research | News | University of Calgary
Quo Vadis Dr. Scantlebury: George Alstons | "We should all have access to advanced healthcare facilities no matter where we are in the world" Listen to Dr. Morris Scantlebury, a... | Instagram
UToday: Grant will help team find mechanisms underlying epilepsy in infants | News | University of Calgary
Meet Dr. Morris Scantlebury Joint ANSA Laureate Science and Technology: Bing Videos
At the intersection of research, care and advocacy: HBI (Hotchkiss Brain Inst.) | At the intersection of research, care, and advocacy, Dr. Morris Scantlebury is working to change the future of epilepsy. As Chair of... | Instagram
BBC World News: Tech Life - Artificial intelligence in the classroom - BBC Sounds: Health Tech helps patients with epilepsy in the caribbean (scroll to 19:15)
CTV New: Inside Education: Stopping the Seizures :
WhatsApp Video 2025-04-04 at 16.31.11_c7a99056.mp4
Contact Us
Department of PediatricsCumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary3300 Hospital Drive NWCalgary, AB, T2N 4Z6Ph: (403) 220-6617Fax: (403) 270-8928Report abuse