2026 Speakers

Contemplative Sciences & Psychedelics

Judson Brewer, MD, PhD

May 19, 2026 | 10:30am

Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University

Bio

Kim Penberthy, PhD

May 19, 2026 | 10:30am

Chester F. Carlson Professor of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia

Bio

Cassandra Vieten, PhD

May 19, 2026 | 10:30am

Clinical Professor of Family Medicine, University of California San Diego

Bio

Stephanie Knatz Peck, PhD

May 19, 2026 | 10:30am

Founder & Clinical Director, BrightMind Therapy
Associate Clinical Professor, of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego

Bio

Systems Neuroscience

Dayu Lin, PhD

May 19, 2026 | 2:45pm

Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, New York University

Bio

C. Daniel Meliza, PhD

May 19, 2026 | 2:45pm

Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia

Bio

Cris Niell, PhD

May 19, 2026 | 2:45pm

Professor of Biology and Neuroscience, University of Oregon

Bio

Mary Kay Lobo, PhD

May 19, 2026 | 2:45pm

Professor of Neurobiology and Psychiatry, University of Maryland

Bio

Special Topics Presentations

David Seminowicz, PhD

Pain is Cognition

May 20, 2026 | 11:45am

Professor of Medical Biophysics,
Western University

Bio

George Bloom, PhD

Amyloid-β and Tau: Functionally Coupled Co-Conspirators in Seminal Steps of Alzheimer’s Disease Pathogenesis

May 19, 2026 | 1:45pm

Professor of Biology,
University of Virginia

Bio

Maternal Mental Health & Brain Development

Jamie Maguire, PhD

May 20, 2026 | 9:00am

Kenneth and JoAnn G Wellner Professor of Neuroscience, Tufts University

Bio

Meghan Puglia, PhD

May 20, 2026 | 9:00am

Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Virginia

Bio

Roxann Roberson-Nay, PhD

May 20, 2026 | 9:00am

Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia

Bio

Lauren Osborne, MD

May 20, 2026 | 9:00am

Vice Chair of Clinical Research in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine

Bio

UVA’s Brain Challengers: Big Ideas for Big Problems

Neuroscience TED-Style Talks

Nikolay Dokholyan, PhD

May 20, 2026 | 1:45pm

Professor of Neurology

Bio

Sarah Flowers, PhD

May 20, 2026 | 1:45pm

Assistant Professor of Neuroscience

Bio

Xin Ma, PhD

May 20, 2026 | 1:45pm

Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Bio

Aaron Reuben, PhD

May 20, 2026 | 1:45pm

Assistant Professor of Psychology

Bio

Neurodegeneration

Wei Cao, PhD

May 21, 2026 | 9:00am

Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Bio

Ifrah Zawar, MD

May 21, 2026 | 9:00am

Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Virginia

Bio

Scott Zeitlin, PhD

May 21, 2026 | 9:00am

Associate Professor of Neuroscience, University of Virginia

Bio

Timothy Miller, MD, PhD

May 21, 2026 | 9:00am

David Clayson Professor of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis

Bio

Stephen Strittmatter, MD, PhD

May 21, 2026 | 9:00am

Vincent Coates Professor of Neurology and Professor of Neuroscience, Yale University

Bio