The Neuroscience, Behavior, and Health (NBH) Transdisciplinary Research Initiative at the University of Vermont (UVM), the UVM Neuroscience Graduate Program and the Vermont Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience presented the third annual NBH Research Forum January 18 and 19, 2013 in the Grand Maple Ballroom of the Davis Center at UVM.
“The Forum is designed to promote cross‐disciplinary research and collaboration in investigating behavior and its underlying neurobiology as a major factor affecting human health, disease, and disability by providing avenue for disseminating new research findings and discussion,” says Rae Nishi, Ph.D., UVM professor of neurological sciences, director of the Neuroscience Graduate Program and director of the NBH Initiative.
The research forum began with a poster session at 4 p.m. on Friday, January 18, followed by a keynote lecture, titled “Rethinking Stress Biology,” at 5 p.m. James Herman, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience and director of the Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology at the University of Cincinnati, delivered the keynote. His laboratory studies how brain circuits get modified by stress and how this leads to disorders such as depression and hypertension.
On Saturday, January 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., faculty members and graduate students delivered scientific poster presentations and short talks on current research in neuroscience and behavior. More than170 people attended the forum, including faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students. Participants came from Dartmouth College, McGill University and HEC Montreal, in addition to UVM. To promote public outreach, students from area high schools served as judges at the event, evaluating graduate students’ ability to explain their research clearly to a non‐neuroscientist.
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About the Neuroscience, Behavior and Health Initiative
The Neuroscience, Behavior and Health (NBH) Initiative focuses on understanding the development and fundamental basis of human behaviors that are linked to health and disease — a research challenge that spans fields from molecular biology and genetics to behavior, rehabilitation, and education. Research in NBH is directed towards studying preventable diseases and disabilities, informing policies, and strategic investments that create healthier communities and decrease costs of treatment and mitigation. UVM NBH director is Rae Nishi, PhD, professor of neurological sciences and Steering Committee members include: vice-chair: Stephen Higgins, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and psychology; vice-chair: Mark Bouton, Ph.D., professor of psychology; Timothy Stickle. Ph.D., associate professor of psychology; Brian Flynn, Ph.D., professor emeritus of family medicine and professor of psychiatry; Sharon Henry, Ph.D., professor of rehabilitation and movement science; tech transfer liaison: Kerry Swift, M.S., interim director of the Office of Technology Commercialization; central administration liaison: Cindy Forehand, Ph.D., associate dean, Graduate College, and professor of neurological sciences.