Dean Mobbs, Ph.D. - November 2, 2021 
​
"Space, Time and Fear"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program in the LPCH auditorium
11:00am - 11:45am      Lunch will be served beforehand in the LPCH banquet room

Dean Mobbs is interested in the intersection of behavioral ecology, economics, emotion, and social psychology. By understanding the neural, computational and behavioral dynamics of human social and emotional experiences, he wants to develop theoretical models that merge those fields.

Using brain-imaging, computational modeling and behavioral techniques, his lab is probing the neurobiological systems responsible for fear and anxiety, revealing how people learn to control their fears, and how anxiety and psychiatric disorders disrupt those processes. He's interested in the value of social behavior. In particular, he's trying to determine the behavioral and neural signatures behind positive social interactions—for example, those involved with altruism, empathy, and when viewing others' success as rewarding (vicarious reward and reflected glory). His research also focuses on the interplay between social interaction and emotion—how fear can depend on whether you're alone or in a group (e.g. risk dilution).

Prior to Caltech, Mobbs was an assistant professor of psychology at Columbia University and a research assistant at Stanford University. His awards include the APS Janet Spence Award For Transformative Early Career Contributions (2015) and the NARSAD Young Investigator Award (2015). He is a life fellow of Clare Hall at the University of Cambridge.

Learning objectives: 

1. Understand new approaches to studying fear and anxiety.
2. Distinguish between different types of fear and anxiety.
3. Understand new and old theories of emotion.

For Physicians: Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the Oklahoma State Medical Association to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.
 
Saint Francis Health System designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
For Psychologists: The Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the American Psychological Association and the Oklahoma Psychological Association recognize AMA PRA Category 1  credit™. Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the OSMA
 
For Social Workers: Saint Francis Health System is an approved provider of continuing education for social worker through the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers for 1 hour Category 1 Clinical. (CEP Number - 20210007)
 
For CADCs and LADCs Saint Francis Health System is accredited as a provider of continuing education programs for CADCs and LADCs through the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors. (1 hour)
 
The LPC/LMFT This virtual event, on June 9, 2021 has been approved by the State Board of Behavioral Health Licensure (BBHL) for 1 hour of CE.  

For questions, email:  Lauren Haguewood at lehaguewood@saintfrancis.com

October 5, 2021
Professor Klaas Stephan
 
"Translational Neuromodeling, Computational Psychiatry, and Computational Psychomatics"
 
William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture
VIRTUAL PRESENTATION (see below for Zoom link info)
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Klaas Enno Stephan is a computational neuroscientist and medical doctor. He is Full Professor for Translational Neuromodeling & Computation Psychiatry at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich.
His scientific work spans the entire translational pipeline, from the development of disease theories via the creation of computational methods to their application in clinical studies. A central goal is the development of clinically useful “computational assays” for psychiatry and psychosomatics, with a current focus on brain-body interactions in fatigue and depression. In 2012, Klaas founded the Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU) at Zurich, an interdisciplinary institution with the mission to translate advances in computational neuroscience into diagnostic and prognostic tools for clinical practice.

Klaas’ track record includes several disease theories (schizophrenia, fatigue, depression), the development of open source and widely used computational tools for investigating human brain connectivity, as well as numerous studies on psychiatric conditions and disease mechanisms. His work has been recognized by various awards and honours, including the Wiley Young Investigator Award for Human Brain Mapping and election to the Max Planck Society.
Learning objectives:
 
  1.  Learn about the principles and strategy of Computational Psychiatry (CP).
  2.  Learn about the generative models that are used as central tools for CP.
  3.  Learn about the approaches to investigating brain-body interactions with computational models.

Zoom link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86444675383
 
Meeting ID: 864 4467 5383
Passcode: 314531

John C. Markowitz, M.D. - September 23, 2021 

"Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
In-Person Presentation, Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital Auditorium

2:00pm - 2:45 pm      Refreshments
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm     Program 

John C. Markowitz is an American physician, a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and a Psychiatric Researcher at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. For several decades he has conducted research on psychotherapies and medications as treatments for mood disorders (major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder), anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. He is currently[when?] conducting an outcome study of three psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)[1][2] thanks to a five-year grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. He is most widely published in the area of interpersonal psychotherapy or IPT, a manualized form of treatment, in which he was trained by the late Gerald L. Klerman, M.D.[3][4][5] Dr. Markowitz is a graduate of Columbia University and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and received his psychiatric residency training at the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic of Cornell University Medical School/New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Learning objectives:  
1. The attendee will appreciate differences between affect-focused and exposure-based psychotherapies.
2. The attendee will understand the basic strategies of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT).
3. The attendee will understand the evidence supporting use of affect-focused IPT in posttraumatic stress disorder.

June 9, 2021
Stephen T. Higgins, Ph.D.

"Contingency Management in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders and Other Health Conditions"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm  Program

Stephen T. Higgins, Ph.D. is Director of the University of Vermont’s (UVM) Center on Behavior and Health, and Principle Investigator on five NIH grants on the general topic of behavior and health, including two center grants, two research grants, and an institutional training award. He is the Virginia H. Donaldson Endowed Professor of Translational Science in the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology and serves as Vice Chair of Psychiatry. He has held many national scientific leadership positions, including terms as President of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence and the American Psychological Association’s Division on Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse. He is the author of more than 300 journal articles and invited book chapters and editor of a dozen volumes and therapist manuals in the area of behavior and health.

Learning objectives: 

1. Learn how to be able to define Contingency Management (CM).
2. Learn how to be able to outline the level of empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of CM for treatment of substance use disorders.
3. Learn how to be able to give examples of other health conditions for which CM has treatment efficacy.

Zoom Link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82801930666
Meeting ID: 828 0193 0666
Passcode: 964710

For Physicians: Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the Oklahoma State Medical Association to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.
 
Saint Francis Health System designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
For Psychologists: The Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the American Psychological Association and the Oklahoma Psychological Association recognize AMA PRA Category 1  credit™. Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the OSMA
 
For Social Workers: Saint Francis Health System is an approved provider of continuing education for social worker through the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers for 1 hour Category 1 Clinical. (CEP Number - 20210007)
 
For CADCs and LADCs Saint Francis Health System is accredited as a provider of continuing education programs for CADCs and LADCs through the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors.      (1 hour)
 
The LPC/LMFT This virtual event, on June 9, 2021 has been approved by the State Board of Behavioral Health Licensure (BBHL) for 1 hour of CE.  
 
No need to register, please login day of event with Zoom link above.

For questions , email:  Lauren Haguewood at lehaguewood@saintfrancis.com

On May 18th, 2021, Dr. Martin Paulus presented a free webinar on "Connectedness and Mental Health" during the pandemic in collaboration with ResearchMatch and the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA). 

"Physical and mental health are closely related to how connected we are to others. Loneliness, that feeling of not being connected, is often associated with poorer health. Dr. Martin Paulus, M.D., Scientific Director and President of the Laureate Institute for Brain Research and Chair of the ADAA's Scientific Council will talk about how the brain is "wired for connections", and why the current pandemic may be influencing our mental health. He will also discuss ways to focus on "connectedness" as a way to improve mental health."

Manpreet K. Singh, MD, MS - April 20, 2021

"Evolving Neuroscience-Informed Interventions for Pediatric-Onset Mood Disorders"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program

Zoom Link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/95301637203

Meeting ID: 953 0163 7203
Passcode: 083713

Dr. Singh is Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and leads a program aimed to accelerate understanding and treatment in youth with or at high risk for developing a major mood disorder.
 
Dr. Singh earned her MD at Michigan State University and her MS at University of Michigan.  She completed her combined residency training in Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. After two years of T32 postdoctoral training at Stanford’s Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, she joined the faculty at Stanford in 2009. 
 
Dr. Singh leads a multidisciplinary team that evaluates and treats youth with a spectrum of mood disorders as young as age 2 and well into their 20s. Her NIMH and industry funded studies examine mechanisms underlying mood disorders and apply cutting edge strategies to directly modulate the brain using transcranial magnetic stimulation and real time neurofeedback.  She is also investigating the efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies for youth with and at risk for bipolar disorder, such as family focused psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation, to reduce mood symptoms and family stress.  All of these areas of research aim to elucidate core mechanisms underlying mood disorders and how treatment early in life can pave the path to more adaptive outcomes.
 
In her spare time, Dr. Singh enjoys traveling and hiking with her husband and three children, and avidly teaches Indian classical music. 

Learning objectives: 

1. Apply knowledge of how mood symptoms commonly present in youth, including historical perspectives and current state of neuroscience.
2. Utilize current neuroscience knowledge to guide us toward developing better evaluation and treatment strategies for pediatric mood disorders.
3. Integrate knowledge from prior intervention studies (including known placebo effects) to design new clinical trials.
   
   

For Physicians: Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the Oklahoma State Medical Association to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.
 
Saint Francis Health System designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
For Psychologists: The Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the American Psychological Association and the Oklahoma Psychological Association recognize AMA PRA Category 1  credit™. Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the OSMA
 
For Social Workers: Saint Francis Health System is an approved provider of continuing education for social worker through the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers for 1 hour Category 1 Clinical. (CEP Number - 20210007)
 
For CADCs and LADCs Saint Francis Health System is accredited as a provider of continuing education programs for CADCs and LADCs through the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors.      (1 hour)
 
The LPC/LMFT board is currently not allowing new applications for events therefore we cannot give out LPC/LMFT credit for this event. We will have a Certificate of Completion showing LPCs/LMFTs completed the course.
 
No need to register, please login day of event with Zoom link above.

For questions, email:  Lauren Haguewood at lehaguewood@saintfrancis.com

Erin A. Hazlett, Ph.D., March 4, 2021

"Studying Emotion Processing in Individuals at Risk for Suicide: Psychophysiological and Neuroimaging Approaches"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm  CST 
​ 
Dr. Hazlett has a 5-year Research Career Scientist Award from Clinical Science Research and Development (CSR&D) which supports her full-time VA position. She is a member of the Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC VISN 2) at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center (JJPVA). Dr. Hazlett is also a professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS). She is the Director of the Cognitive Psychophysiology Laboratory within both the Department of Psychiatry at ISMMS and the MIRECC at the JJPVA. Dr. Hazlett conducts collaborative clinical research using the new JJPVA state-of-the-art 3T Siemens Skyra magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner and also mentors MIRECC Advanced Psychology Fellows on cutting-edge clinical neuroimaging research.

Dr. Hazlett conducts multidisciplinary clinical research using neuroimaging and psychophysiological approaches to examine the neurobiology of psychiatric illness. She primarily examines the neurobiology of attention and emotion processing abnormalities in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, personality disorders, and major depressive disorder. She has received funding for her research from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, National Institutes of Mental Health, and private foundations (e.g., Brain & Behavior Research Foundation). Her current two VA Merit Award grants employ functional and structural fMRI and/or psychophysiology to examine emotion regulation and impulsivity in Veterans at low and high risk for suicide with and without mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Learning objectives: 
 1. Learn about the neurobiology of borderline personality disorder.
 2. Learn about the neurobiology of major depressive disorder.
 3. Learn about psychophysiological and neuroimaging research in these disorders.

Zoom Link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/96135710544

Meeting ID: 961 3571 0544
Passcode: 497486

________________________________________________________________________________

For Physicians: Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the Oklahoma State Medical Association to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.
 
Saint Francis Health System designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
For Psychologists: The Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the American Psychological Association and the Oklahoma Psychological Association recognize AMA PRA Category 1  credit™. Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the OSMA
 
For Social Workers: Saint Francis Health System is an approved provider of continuing education for social worker through the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers for 1 hour Category 1 Clinical. (CEP Number - 20200007)
 
For CADCs and LADCs Saint Francis Health System is accredited as a provider of continuing education programs for CADCs and LADCs through the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors.      (1 hour)
 
The LPC/LMFT board is currently not allowing new applications for events therefore we cannot give out LPC/LMFT credit for this event. We will have a Certificate of Completion showing LPCs/LMFTs completed the course.
 
No need to register, please login day of event with Zoom link above.

For questions, email:  Lauren Haguewood at lehaguewood@saintfrancis.com

Tanja Jovanovic, Ph.D., February 16, 2021

"Neurobiological Effects of Trauma in Adults and Children"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program
​
Tanja Jovanovic, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences and the David and Patricia Barron Chair for PTSD Neurobiology at Wayne State University. Dr. Jovanovic’s research program focuses on the interaction of traumatic experiences, neurophysiology, neuroendocrinology, and genetics in stress-related disorders in adults and children in high-risk populations. She directs the Detroit Trauma Project (www.detroittraumaproject.com), which investigates the impact that urban trauma exposure has on the brain. Her research employs psychophysiological (e.g. fear-potentiated startle, skin conductance response, heart-rate variability) and brain imaging methods (e.g. MRI, fMRI) to investigate biomarkers of risk for trauma-related psychopathology, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her laboratory developed novel human fear conditioning, fear inhibition, and extinction paradigms for PTSD patients. Dr. Jovanovic is the lead investigator on several federally funded grants from the National Institutes of Health and has an Independent Investigator Award from the Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and served on national and international grant review panels.
​
Learning objectives: 

 1. Describe intermediate phenotypes for PTSD.
 2. Understand impact of trauma on brain and behavior.
 3. Discuss utility of brain-based biomarkers.
 
Zoom Link:

Topic: WKW Frontiers in Neuroscience - Tanja Jovanovic, Ph.D. - February 16, 2021
Time: Feb 16, 2021 12:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97638857323

Meeting ID: 976 3885 7323
Passcode: 929508

For Physicians: Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the Oklahoma State Medical Association to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.
 
Saint Francis Health System designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
For Psychologists: The Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the American Psychological Association and the Oklahoma Psychological Association recognize AMA PRA Category 1  credit™. Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the OSMA
 
For Social Workers: Saint Francis Health System is an approved provider of continuing education for social worker through the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers for 1 hour Category 1 Clinical. (CEP Number - 20200007)
 
For CADCs and LADCs Saint Francis Health System is accredited as a provider of continuing education programs for CADCs and LADCs through the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors.      (1 hour)
 
The LPC/LMFT board is currently not allowing new applications for events therefore we cannot give out LPC/LMFT credit for this event. We will have a Certificate of Completion showing LPCs/LMFTs completed the course.
 
No need to register, please login day of event with Zoom link above.

For questions , email:  Lauren Haguewood at lehaguewood@saintfrancis.com
​

Ned H. Kalin, M.D., February 2, 2021

"The Childhood Risk to Develop Anxiety and Depression:  A Translational Neuroscience Approach"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom (email for link)
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program

Ned H. Kalin, M.D. is Hedberg Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.  He is the Director of the HealthEmotions Research Institute and the Lane Neuroimaging Laboratory, a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, and an affiliate scientist at the Wisconsin Reginal Primate Center and the Harlow Primate Laboratory.  He serves as the principal investigator for several ongoing NIH funded research projects and has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles related to the adaptive and maladaptive expression of emotion and anxiety, and the childhood risk to develop anxiety disorders and depression.  His research focuses on uncovering basic mechanisms that relate stress to the development of psychopathology and to understanding the mechanisms that cause some children to be vulnerable for the development of anxiety and depression.  The aim of his research is to develop novel, neuroscientifically-informed strategies for the treatment of anxiety disorders with a special focus on early life and preventive interventions for young children.  In addition to his research activities, he treats patients who suffer from anxiety and depression who are refractory to standard treatment.

Dr. Kalin earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, did his residency in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin, and a fellowship in Neuropsychopharmacology at the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Kalin is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is a Fellow Emeritus of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and a fellow of the American College of Psychiatry. He has been recognized for numerous awards including the 1985 A.E. Bennett Award for basic science research in biological psychiatry, the 2005 Edward A. Strecker Award, the 2007 American College of Psychiatrists Award for research in mood disorders, the 2007 Gerald Klerman Senior Investigator Award, and the 2015 AnnaMonika Prize of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology. In 2013 he was inducted as a Fellow in theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science, and in 2015 he was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine. In 2017, Dr. Kalin was inducted as a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He has served as President of the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology and President of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, as a member of the National Advisory Mental Health Council and as Co-Editor for the international journal, Psychoneuroendocrinology. In 2019, Dr. Kalin was appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Learning objectives: 

 1. Recognize early life risk factors to develop anxiety and depression.
 2. Describe brain alterations associated with childhood illness.
 3. Consider ideas about treatment informed by neuroscientific evidence.

Peter L. Strick, Ph.D., January 19, 2021

"The Neural Basis of the 'Brain-Body' Connection"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom (email for details) 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program

Peter L. Strick, Ph.D., Thomas Detre Professor and Chair, Department of Neurobiology; Scientific Director, University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute; Co-Director, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh.

Peter L. Strick, Ph.D., received his B.A. (Biology, 1968) and Ph.D. (Anatomy, 1972) from the University of Pennsylvania. Then, he was a Staff Fellow in Edward V. Evarts’ Laboratory of Neurophysiology at NIMH (1972-1976). In 1976, Strick moved to the VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY and the Departments of Neurosurgery and Physiology, SUNY-Upstate Medical Center. He was appointed George W. Perkins, III Memorial Professor in Neurosurgery (1988) and served as Acting President of the Central New York Research Corp. (1994-1996), and Interim Director of the Neuroscience Program at SUNY-Upstate (1997-1998).

In 2000, Strick moved to the University of Pittsburgh to become Co-Director, Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition and Professor, Departments of Neurobiology, Neurological Surgery, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and Psychiatry. In 2007, Strick became the founding Director of the Systems Neuroscience Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. In 2012, Strick was appointed the Thomas Detre Professor and Chair, Department of Neurobiology and co-director for the Center for Neuroscience. Strick also was appointed the founding Scientific Director of the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute (2014-).

Strick co-founded the Neural Control of Movement Society (1990) and served as its Conference Co-Chair, Program Chair (1990-2007) and President (2007-2010). He was elected, Scientific Councilor (1996-2000) and Treasurer (1998-2000) of the Society for Neuroscience. He served as Section Editor (1986-1995) and then Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Neurophysiology (1995-2002), and he currently serves as Senior Editor, Cerebral Cortex (2003-) and on the PNAS Editorial Board (2016-).

Strick's major awards include the C.J. Herrick Award from the American Association of Anatomists (1979); Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award from NIH-NINDS (1986); Established Investigator Award from NARSAD (1995-1996); President's Award for Excellence and Leadership in Research, SUNY-Upstate Medical Center (1996); Senior Research Career Scientist Award from the Veterans Administration (1987-2015); University Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology (2011) and Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award, Senior Scholar, University of Pittsburgh (2013); Linné Lecture, Uppsala University (2017); Paul D. MacLean Award, American Psychosomatic Society (2018); Carnegie Science Award in the Life Sciences, (2018); and the Krieg Cortical Kudos Discoverer Award, Cajal Club (2019). Strick was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2004) and to the National Academy of Sciences (2012).

Strick's research focuses on four major areas: the generation and control of voluntary movement by the motor areas of the cerebral cortex; the motor and cognitive functions of the basal ganglia and cerebellum; the neural basis for the mind-body connection; and unraveling the complex neural networks that comprise the central nervous system.

Learning objectives: 

 1. Identify the types of cortical areas that influence the function of the adrenal medulla.
 2. Identify the areas of the cerebral cortex that influence sympathetic output of the stomach.
 3. Identify the areas of the cerebral cortex that influence parasympathetic output to the stomach.
 

Yael Niv, Ph.D., November 18, 2020

"Latent Causes, Prediction Errors, and the Organization of Memory"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom (email for details)
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program

Yael Niv received her MA in Psychobiology from Tel Aviv University and her PhD in Computational Neuroscience from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, having conducted a major part of her thesis research at the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit in UCL. She is currently a professor at Princeton University, at the Psychology Department and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. Her lab's research focuses on the neural and computational processes underlying reinforcement learning and decision making, with a particular focus on how the cognitive processes of attention, memory and learning interact in constructing task representations that allow efficient learning and decision making. She is co-founder and co-director of the Rutgers-Princeton Center for Computational Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, where she is applying ideas from reinforcement learning to questions pertaining to psychiatric disorders within the new field of computational psychiatry. 

Learning objectives: 

1. Participants will understand what is a latent cause in learning theory.
2. Participants will understand why latent causes are useful in organizing memories.
3. Participants will understand the role of prediction errors in segmenting latent causes and, therefore, in organizing episodic memories

Jennifer Blackford, Ph.D., October 6, 2020

"What Causes Anxiety?  Building a Reverse Translational Model"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program
Dr. Blackford is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University, and a Research Scientist at the Tennessee Valley VA. Dr. Blackford obtained her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Vanderbilt University, followed by training in neuroimaging and genetics, supported by a National Institute of Mental Health Mentored Career Development Award. Dr. Blackford's research is focused on identifying and characterizing the neurobiological basis of anxiety and the role of anxiety neurocircuitry in psychiatric disorders including PTSD, alcohol use disorders, and schizophrenia. She uses multi-modal and multi-level approaches. Multiple imaging methods are used to characterize brain structure, function, and connectivity. To provide a comprehensive assessment of anxiety, data are collected at the level of the brain, physiology, and behaviors. The long term goal of this research program is to use these discoveries to develop new prevention strategies for children at high-risk for developing psychiatric disorders and new treatments for individuals suffering with these disorders.
​
Learning objectives: 

 1. Compare the difference between fear and anxiety.
 2. State challenges for translating rodent findings to humans.
 3. Discuss the BNST's role in anxiety and addiction. 

Over the past weeks, we have experienced repeated events that are painful to watch, and that cannot be condoned with silence. It is all too obvious that people who look like me hurt people who do not look like me with the tacit assumption that there is no retribution. These events make me feel ashamed and guilty, feelings that are painful to be with and that my brain would prefer to suppress. These events have made me aware that there are many people who are struggling on a daily basis and are facing bodily harm, oppression, injustice, and disrespect. Violence against Black people has brought this struggle in focus, but these events are not limited to Blacks alone. There is an unfortunate history of violence and injustice against American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic American, and other minorities. Moreover, this struggle extends to one’s sexual orientations or one’s belief systems in contrast with the mainstream. One common element is the intolerance of what is different and the anger, aggression, and hate that emerges from this intolerance.
 
In science, we aim to observe, experiment, and draw conclusions from the facts.  However, science does not happen in a vacuum. It is done by people and – when it involves the human condition – it focuses on people. We have to ask ourselves, have the events that occurred on our streets also occurred in more subtle ways in our laboratories? Have people that look like me hurt people that do not look like me? The answer is yes, and this admission demands further evaluation. First, given certain circumstances, we are all capable of biased or racist thoughts, feelings, and actions. This is the source of pain experienced by those who see people of their group hurting those that are not part of their group. Second, we have to make an ongoing effort to openly work with these sentiments and to arrive at choices that will reduce the chance that we will hurt people who are different from us in the future. Third, we have to provide an opportunity for those who are the target of these injustices.  However, that also means we have to learn about their struggle, understand the particulars of the pain they are experiencing, and develop paths that will reduce those painful events within the context of science in the future. Fourth, curiosity and understanding have to win over ignorance and intolerance. We need to learn about our differences, understand how they influence our feelings, thoughts, and actions, and develop better explanations of the human conditions that we are interested in.
 
Outrage and anger over the events on our streets, laboratories, and other public or private places are not enough. It may even be a cage that will not allow us to understand why we are inflicting pain on others and how this increases all human suffering. Instead, open engagement with respect, interest, and love will help to develop the understanding that can be used to build new systems to reduce the pain of those in the minority. The situation is serious and calls for urgent and sustained engagement in finding new solutions. Scientists are problem solvers; we need to be thinking about our contribution to finding solutions to overcoming intolerance, anger, and aggression on the one hand and discover ways of healing the pain of those that have been the target of racism. We must work to build each other up and empower minorities in science rather than tearing people down.
 
To that end, we have started a workgroup that consists of individuals who work at LIBR to enhance the recognition that race and ethnicity play an important role to improve our scientific approach to solving mental health problems:
 
Aim 1: Increase the consideration of race/ethnicity when developing research questions, analysis plans, and assessments (e.g., including biological, sociocultural, economic variables).

• Goals:
  • Increase investigator and staff understanding and comfort level with research on race and ethnicity concerning neuroscience and mental/physical health 
  • Increase understanding and sensitivity to issues of race/ethnicity in the conduct of research.
• Actions: 
  • Establish a “Diversity in Mental Health and Neuroscience Research” lecture series for which we invite experts in related areas of research to present their work.
  • Establish a training seminar or reading group for all LIBR staff/faculty concerning issues of culture and diversity in the conduct of research 
  • Establish a community advisory board with standing and/or rotating membership to inform how we can make our research more relevant to individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.

 
Aim 2: Increase the representation of under-represented minorities in the neuroscience and mental health research workforce.

• Goals:
  • Increase representation of researchers from under-represented minorities on our invited speaker lineup (WKW, Brown bags, Visiting Scientists).
  • Increase recruitment of under-represented minorities at all levels of employment and training (research assistants, students, staff scientists, investigators).
• Actions:
  • Ensure that advertisements for new positions are sent to universities and organizations with diverse students/members 
  • Establish Summer research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented minorities. 

 
Aim 3: Enhance outreach efforts to and partnership with communities and organizations with diverse race/ethnicity representation.

• Goals:
  • Increase our understanding of how we can optimize our research to better answer questions of relevance to individuals from diverse race/ethnicity backgrounds.
  • Increase recruitment of participants from diverse race/ethnicity backgrounds.
• Actions:
  • Organize regular opportunities for LIBR employees to volunteer together with Tulsa communities and organizations. 
  • Identify organizations and clinics that we can partner with to support the recruitment of participants from diverse race/ethnicity backgrounds. 

Judson Brewer, M.D., Ph.D., March 3, 2020

"One Simple Ingredient for Habit Change:  Awareness"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital Conference Center 
11:00 am - 11:45 am    Registration and Lunch, lunch stops being served at 11:45 - no exceptions
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program
​
Jud Brewer MD PhD is the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center and associate professor in Behavioral and Social Sciences at the School of Public Health and Psychiatry at the Medical School at Brown University. He also is a research affiliate at MIT.

A psychiatrist and internationally known expert in mindfulness training for addictions, Brewer has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for behavior change, including both in-person and app-based treatments for smoking, emotional eating, and anxiety. He has also studied the underlying neural mechanisms of mindfulness using standard and real-time fMRI, and source-estimated EEG, and is currently translating these findings into clinical use (see www.drjud.com for more information).

He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, presented to the US President’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, foreign Parliaments, trained US Olympic athletes and coaches, and foreign government ministers and has been featured on 60 minutes, at TED (4th most viewed talk of 2016 with over 14 Million views), in Time magazine (top 100 new health discoveries of 2013), Forbes, Businessweek, NPR, National Geographic, and the BBC among others. He is the author of The Craving Mind: from cigarettes to smartphones to love, why we get hooked and how we can break bad habits (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017). Follow him on twitter @judbrewer.

Learning objectives: 
1. Understand how habits are formed and perpetuated.
2. Discuss how mindfulness can help us step out of our old habits.
3. Learn how mindfulness can change our default brain patterns.

Please register for the lunch/lecture by calling or emailing:
Lauren Haguewood
Phone (918) 494-6490
Email: lehaguewood@saintfrancis.com 

​Janet Treasure, M.D., Ph.D.
​February 4, 2020
" Translational Research in Anorexia;  Relevant Results for the Everyday Practice "

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital Conference Center 
11:00 am - 11:45 am    Registration and Lunch, lunch stops being served at 11:45 - no exceptions
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program
​
Janet Treasure, M.D., Ph.D., completed her medical degree and a PhD in Physiology at St. Thomas’ Medical School in London. For much of her career, Dr. Treasure specialized in the treatment of eating disorders at the Maudsley Hospital and in King’s College London. She has carried out extensive research - often collaboratively with patients and carers- which led to a greater understanding of, and better treatments for eating disorders. 

Dr. Treasure has trained over 40 PhD students who have implemented various aspects of translational psychiatry as part of their research training.  Many of these have progressed to hold important academic and clinical positions in eating disorders. She worked collaboratively with other international centres and has authored over 600 scientific articles. 
As well as writing professional texts, Dr. Treasure co-produced self-care interventions (in books and e-health formats) for people affected by eating disorders and their careers and received many awards for her research. 
​
Learning objectives: 

 1. Review the cognitive interpersonal model.
 2. Discuss predisposing and precipitating factors.
 3. Understand how can we target perpetuating factors in treatment.