Epilepsy affects upwards of 1% of the population of which 30% are resistant to medical treatment. Because standard antiepileptic drugs affect the entire nervous system, and do so chronically, there are serious and chronic side effects. In this project, I will develop ‘closed-loop precision therapy’ technology for epilepsy, using novel photopharmacological and optogenetic methods. Photopharmacology relies on light sensitive drugs, which are available through collaboration with the lab for medicinal chemistry at UGent. Optogenetics rely on gene therapy to make neurons directly sensitive to light and is available through collaboration with the viral vector core at KULeuven. The envisioned closed-loop technology is based on continuous measurement of brain signals to detect or forecast seizures using artificial intelligence algorithms, which will be developed in collaboration with signal processing engineers at UGent. These algorithms will enable delivery of light pulses at the right moments for activation or photopharmacological or optogenetic interventions, with the aim of terminating or preventing seizures. Upon development, this promising concept will be tested in an animal model of epilepsy in collaboration with the 4Brain lab at UGent, which is specialized in translational epilepsy research. Downstream, this project has potential to develop completely novel approaches for seizure control, which only treat the epilepsy WHERE and WHEN needed.