Dr. Epstein has been engaged in basic and translational research with continuous NIH funding since 1986. Most of his prior research was in the area of neurovirology in particular investigating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For the past 8 years his research has focused on the role of human herpes virus 6, 7 (HHV-6, 7) in febrile status epilepticus, hippocampal injury and mesial temporal sclerosis. In addition to basic molecular virologic studies he served as the program director (PI) for two multi-center studies of cognitive impairment in HIV infected individuals and he has directed several randomized controlled clinical trials and conducted longitudinal studies using quantitative MR imaging methods in this condition. Dr. Epstein is the Associate Chair for Research at the Feinberg School of Medicine (FSM) Department of Pediatrics. He also serves as director of the Clinical Research Unit (CRU) at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago which is funded as part of the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Science Institute (NUCATS). Dr. Epstein is the Division Head for Neurology at Lurie Children's.