Samden Lhatoo, MD, FRCP (Lon)

Biography

Dr. Samden Lhatoo is an internationally recognized neurologist, epileptologist, and physician-scientist whose career has been dedicated to advancing the understanding, treatment, and prevention of epilepsy and its complications. He serves as Chair of the Department of Neurology and holds the Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Distinguished Chair in Neurology at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston). He also serves as Co-Director of the Texas Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and Co-Director of the Texas Institute of Restorative Neurotechnologies.

A leader in the field of epilepsy, Dr. Lhatoo completed advanced training in epilepsy and epilepsy surgery at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Queen Square in London and at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. His clinical expertise focuses on the care of patients with complex epilepsy, while his research has significantly advanced the understanding of epilepsy-related mortality and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

Dr. Lhatoo’s research leverages large-scale, multicenter collaborations, advanced data analytics, machine learning, and innovative monitoring technologies to improve patient outcomes and reduce epilepsy-related mortality. His work is supported by the National Institutes of Health, where he serves as Co-Director and Co-Principal Investigator of the NIH-funded Center for SUDEP Research, a leading international consortium dedicated to understanding and preventing epilepsy-related deaths.

An accomplished scholar, educator, and mentor, Dr. Lhatoo has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, contributed numerous book chapters, and edited several influential textbooks in epilepsy and epilepsy surgery, including Invasive Studies of the Human Epileptic Brain. Prior to joining UTHealth Houston, he served as the Dorothy Blair and Robert Daroff Endowed Chair in Epilepsy at Case Western Reserve University. He is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in London, a distinction recognizing his significant contributions to medicine and neuroscience.

Through his leadership, clinical innovation, and internationally recognized research, Dr. Lhatoo continues to shape the future of epilepsy care while advancing the Department of Neurology’s mission of excellence in patient care, research, and education.