Elaine C. Wirrell

Dr. Elaine C. Wirrell is a Professor of Neurology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where she serves as Director of Pediatric Epilepsy and Director of the Child and Adolescent Neurology Residency Training Program. She is affiliated with the Department of Neurology within the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, and her clinical expertise spans early-onset epilepsies, epileptic encephalopathies, medically intractable epilepsy, ketogenic diet therapy, and surgical interventions for epilepsy.

• Director, Pediatric Epilepsy, Mayo Clinic
• Director, Child and Adolescent Neurology Residency Training Program, Mayo Clinic
• Co-Founder, Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium
• Chair, Medical Advisory Board, Lennox-Gastaut Foundation
• Editor-in-Chief, Epilepsy.com, Epilepsy Foundation of America
• Member and Leader in ILAE Task Forces on Nosology and Definitions

Dr. Wirrell’s research focuses on predictors of medical intractability in pediatric epilepsy, optimizing early diagnosis and therapeutic selection, and managing comorbidities in children with epilepsy. She has played a pivotal role in shaping international consensus on epilepsy syndromes, Dravet syndrome, and status epilepticus, contributing to standardized diagnostic and treatment frameworks.

Her recent scholarly output includes high-impact review articles and consensus position papers published in journals such as Lancet Neurology, Epilepsia, and Continuum. These works emphasize classification systems, treatment resistance, and multimodal management strategies, reflecting a strong trend toward evidence-based, collaborative, and patient-centered care in pediatric epileptology.

• J Kiffin Penry Award for Excellence in Epilepsy Care, American Epilepsy Society (2021)
• Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology (2017)
• Distinguished Clinician Award, Mayo Clinic (2016)
• American Epilepsy Society Infrastructure Award (2012)
• Multiple Parents' Choice Awards (2008–2011)
• Clinical Teaching Awards (2006)

Dr. Wirrell mentors residents and fellows through her leadership in residency training and has contributed extensively to medical education via editorial roles, committee leadership, and curriculum development. She has been a grant reviewer for the Epilepsy Foundation of America and has led multicenter research initiatives. Her work is supported by collaborative networks such as the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium and international bodies like the ILAE.

She is actively involved in professional organizations including the American Epilepsy Society, International Child Neurology Association, and the Lennox-Gastaut Foundation, where she chairs or co-chairs key committees focused on medical therapies, education, and nosology.