In honor of our 10th anniversary, here is a spotlight on Dr. Elia M. Pestana Knight. She is a pediatric epileptologist in the Pediatric Epilepsy Section, Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute, Cleveland, Ohio. She is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.

Where do you work?

Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute and Lerner College of Medicine.

Tell us about your research. (Assume we know nothing!)

I have had more than 30 papers published in peer-reviewed journals related to epilepsy and neurological disorders.

What interests you most about your area of study?

My areas of research interest include co-morbidities in pediatric epilepsy, epileptic encephalopathy, in particular CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder and CSWS/ESES, epilepsy surgery and pediatric epilepsy outcomes.

I am an enthusiastic teacher. I love taking care of children with epilepsy and their families, particularly children with refractory seizures.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

In my free time, I am a fabric and watercolor artist. Here is some of my work: