Melissa Blotter (PhD ’27, NEURO) gently places a thin slice of neurological matter onto a small sensor chip designed to record brain activity. With a few clicks, she triggers a seizure in the tissue, studying the monitor in front of her as thousands of tiny electrodes begin tracking the explosion of frantic electrical signals spreading across the brain. The chaos is sudden and all-encompassing, a painfully accurate representation of what patients with status epilepticus experience when they begin seizing. These types of prolonged seizures—which anti-seizure medications are not effective against—cause brain cells to expend unsustainable amounts of energy, often resulting in cognitive impairment, a decrease in brain volume, and even death. Blotter’s determination to find a solution to this life-altering problem led her to investigate ketone bodies, the molecules produced by the ketogenic diet, as a possible solution. Though further research is needed before this treatment could be used clinically, early experimentation suggests that the injection of ketone bodies may be able to stop the seizures altogether.
For Blotter, curiosity and creativity are not distractions from science; they are part of what makes discovery possible. That same curiosity shaped the beginnings of Blotter’s research.
“I began to get curious about the keto diet,” Blotter says, “since it has been traditionally recommended to patients with status epilepticus and often decrease seizure frequency and severity.” However, Blotter quickly realized the ketogenic diet has two major limitations as a treatment for epilepsy. It is difficult for many patients to maintain, and it cannot help in emergencies like status epilepticus because it only works if someone is already on the diet. “This is frustrating,” Blotter explains, “because the ketogenic diet works by increasing the production of molecules called ketone bodies that give cells extra energy. For someone having a seizure, that energy can help exhausted brain cells recover. So, I began to wonder if we could skip the diet and give patients the ketone bodies directly.”
Encouraged by Dr. Parrish, Blotter began putting her theory to the test. Initial experiments used slices of brain tissue placed on a sensor chip to record electrical activity. After triggering seizure activity, the team introduces ketone bodies to see whether they can stop it. The results have been incredibly promising, with the ketone bodies terminating all seizure activity with impressive speed and efficiency. “The hope is that in time this research will lead to the creation of a type of seizure medication that could be produced in shot form, like an EpiPen,” Blotter says excitedly. “In theory, when someone is having a seizure, you could inject them with ketone bodies to stop them from seizing.” In the coming months, Blotter and her team plan to begin experiments with live mice to see whether ketone bodies can stop seizures in a functioning brain.
This level of creative problem solving is not surprising to find in one as enthusiastic as Blotter, who applies every ounce of her zest for life to her PhD studies in neuroscience. A multi-disciplinary student with a deep love for both art and science, Blotter feels strongly that engagement with different fields of study strengthens an individual’s personal development and capacity to serve. “Though both art and science engage with the world differently, both are dedicated to exploring the human experience,” Blotter explains with a smile. “I think that’s what actually drew me to neuroscience. It’s a hard science but it also has these creative ties to psychology.”
Today, Blotter brings those two sides together in her work as she leads research aimed at finding new treatments for status epilepticus. “I feel like fun is kind of my big thing,” Blotter shares. “Every time I make a presentation, they’re very colorful. I choose to speak about science with excitement, and I try to make it exciting for other people as well. When I go to conferences, I wear outfits that are authentic to me. I believe God made us each unique for a reason and gave us agency so that we can be different. So, we should be different!” Her approach to presentations is very effective and landed her second place in the College of Life Sciences Three Minute Thesis Competition. This mindset also shapes the way Blotter approaches her work in the Parrish Lab, where she leads experiments, mentors undergraduate researchers, and remains open to unexpected ideas.
As Blotter reflects on the potential impact of her research for those living with status epilepticus, she expresses deep gratitude. “We encountered challenges during the research process,” she admits. “But I always felt that God knew how this worked and that I could figure it out. I knew there was a bigger picture. The solution existed. I just had to keep working toward it.” Now, Blotter looks to the future with her trademark enthusiasm.
While she enjoys research, her ultimate goal is to teach at the university level. “Teaching is such a cool way to interact with so many people,” she says. “You can help people academically, but you can also play a supportive, encouraging role in their lives.” Blotter has already found joy in that role as a teaching assistant and while mentoring undergraduate students in the lab. For Blotter, the goal is not only to make discoveries, but to help others discover what they are capable of.