CHICAGO — The American Epilepsy Society (AES) is pleased to recognize Nathalie Jetté, MD, MSc, FRCPC, FAES, as the recipient of the 2026 Clinical Science Research Award, honoring her groundbreaking contributions to epilepsy epidemiology, health services research, and the advancement of evidence-based clinical care.
Dr. Jetté is Professor of Neurology and Head of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services in Canada. She is also an adjunct professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.
An internationally recognized clinician-scientist, Dr. Jetté has dedicated her career to improving the quality and outcomes of epilepsy care worldwide. Her research includes large-scale population studies examining epilepsy incidence, prevalence, comorbidities, treatment, prognosis, and disparities in care.
Among her most significant contributions is the development of an internationally implemented decision-support tool for epilepsy surgery referrals, helping address barriers to timely access to potentially life-changing treatment. She has also developed an epilepsy-specific comorbidity index to improve mortality risk assessment and helped establish rigorous international standards for clinical practice guidelines, bridging the gap between research evidence and clinical practice.
Dr. Jetté has authored more than 425 peer-reviewed publications with an H-index of 105 and more than 52,000 citations. She serves as chair of the International League Against Epilepsy Standards and Best Practice Council and as a member of its Executive Committee. Her previous leadership includes service on the AES Board of Directors, chair of the AES Epidemiology Special Interest Group, and as president of the Canadian League Against Epilepsy.
Her numerous honors include the AES/Milken Family Foundation Early Career Physician Scientist Award, the ILAE Ambassador for Epilepsy Award, and fellowships in the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
The 2026 Clinical Science Research Award recognizes Dr. Jetté's lasting impact on translating scientific evidence into more timely, and effective epilepsy care.