Ben Kreitlow, PhD
Mentor
Program Start
August 2020
Research Interest
Epilepsy is an incredibly common neurological disease that will affect almost 1 in every 26 individuals. Medications fail to control seizures in nearly one-third of patients with epilepsy. The number one cause of death in patients with medically-refractory epilepsy is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, or SUDEP. SUDEP has been shown to occur more often during the night. I am interested in better understanding the role that circadian rhythms and oscillating neurophysiological systems play in this nocturnal susceptibility to seizure-induced death.
Mentorship
2022 - SUMR Program - McCowen Community Student Advisor
Awards
2022 - Gloria Lee Student Service Award in Neuroscience 2022 Award Nominee
Dissertation Topic
The role of circadian rhythms and serotonin in the nighttime tendency of seizure-associated death
Thesis Defense Date
October 2025
Current Position
Student, Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)
University of Iowa
