The Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation (PERF®) was founded in 2004 as a not-for-profit organization focused on supporting research into pediatric epilepsy and other pediatric neurological conditions. Its creation was inspired by the initiative to study vigabatrin for treating newly diagnosed infantile spasms, leading to collaborations and ultimately FDA approval of the drug. PERF® dedicates its resources to advancing pediatric neurology research.
The CNS Bridge Grant Program, a collaboration between the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation® (PERF®) and the Child Neurology Society, is designed to support the career development of child neurologists by providing bridge funding for research. This grant specifically targets child neurology researchers who are in the process of applying for their first independent support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) but were unsuccessful in obtaining it. The program aims to sustain investigators in clinical, translational, or basic research within child neurology as they prepare to reapply for NIH or CIHR funding, thereby maintaining the momentum of promising research and retaining talent in the field.