State Commissioner to Receive Yale School of Medicine Award April 8
Thomas Kirk, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, will receive the first Research Advocacy Award from the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine on Saturday, April 8.
The award recognizes Kirk’s commitment to research on the causes and treatments for mental illness. It acknowledges his vision, dedication and success in making Connecticut a model state in its efforts to eliminate obstacles to recovery for patients with chronic mental illness.
The award will be presented during the department’s annual research conference, “Neuroscience 2006: New Pathways to Recovery,” at Harkness Auditorium, Sterling Hall of Medicine, 333 Cedar St. The conference runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the public is encouraged to attend.
“We are very pleased that Dr. (Benjamin) Bunney (chair of the Department of Psychiatry) has chosen to make this conference the home for the Department of Psychiatry’s Research Advocacy Award,” said John Krystal, M.D., a member of the Conference Organizing Committee. “It speaks to the importance of the collaboration of the organizations that sponsor this annual conference.”
The Connecticut Mental Health Center, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and the Connecticut Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) are sponsoring the conference.
Neuroscience 2006 is the 14th & annual conference to highlight the research contributions of the Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities of the Connecticut Mental Health Center and the Yale Department of Psychiatry. The presentations are non-technical in nature and explain advances in the neurobiology and treatment of mental illnesses. Questions from the audience are encouraged.
The program is as follows:
8 a.m. Refreshments
8:15 a.m.-8:45 a.m. Opening remarks by Benjamin Bunney, M.D., chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, and Robert Correll, president, NAMI-Connecticut.
9:05 a.m. “Introduction to the Brain,” John Krystal, M.D., deputy chair for research, Department of Psychiatry, associate director for clinical research, Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, and medical director, Schizophrenia Biological Research Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System.
9:30 a.m. “New (and old) Treatments for Schizophrenia,” Cyril D’Souza, M.D., associate professor, Department of Psychiatry, director of the Schizophrenia Research Clinic at the Ribicoff Research Facilities and director of the Neuropsychiatry Program, Connecticut Healthcare System.
10:10 a.m. “New Treatments for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Depression,” Vladimir Coric, M.D., assistant clinical professor, Department of Psychiatry, director Inpatient Research Unit, Ribicoff Research Facilities.
10:50 a.m.-11:05 a.m. Coffee break
11:10 a.m.-11:45 a.m. “Stress, Depression and Obesity,” Ralph DeLeone, assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, investigator, Ribicoff Research Facilities.
11:50 a.m.-12:25 p.m. “New Insights on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Autism,” Robert Schultz, associate professor, Yale Child Study Center.
12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. Question and answer period led by Joan Kaufman, associate professor, Department of Psychiatry and the Child Study Center.
For more information please contact Georgia Miller at 203-974-7723.
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Office of Public Affairs & Communications: opac@yale.edu, 203-432-1345