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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for BHI
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260202T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260202T130000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260127T103912Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T144532Z
UID:7213-1770033600-1770037200@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:BHI Pain Research Center Virtual Seminar: Jennifer Gewandter\, PhD\, MPH
DESCRIPTION:“My contributions to developing pain treatments and researchers: Past\, present\, and future”\nSpeaker: Jennifer Gewandter\, PhD\, MPH\nAssociate Professor\, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine\, Research\, University of Rochester \nDate and Time: Monday\, February 2\, 2026\, 12:00 PM \nZoom Meeting: https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/95839220655?pwd=l6baIXwbaafYm4ACu6jGukzbv19v8W.1\nMeeting ID: 958 3922 0655; Passcode: 020226
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/bhi-pain-research-center-virtual-seminar-jennifer-gewandter-phd-mph/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Pain-Research-Center-Seminar_Jennifer-Gewandter_020226.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260204T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260204T130000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260128T154100Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T154100Z
UID:7226-1770206400-1770210000@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Translational Work-in-Progress (ADRD-TWIP): Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly\, PhD
DESCRIPTION:“Does Peripheral Immunosenesence Contribute to Alzheimer’s Disease and Provide Potential Targets for Intervention?”\nSpeaker: Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly\, PhD\nProvost\, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences\, Newark\nProfessor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine\nRutgers New Jersey Medical School and Center for Immunity and Inflammation \nDr. Fitzgerald-Bocarsly is a cellular immunologist and will discuss some of her work on immune senescence in the context of aging. She is working on a potential grant application that will build on some of her work on immune characterization of aging humans to investigate the increased senescence signature in peripheral blood immune populations from aging humans and the possible contribution of immune senescence to Alzheimer’s Disease. In addition to her groundbreaking work in innate immunity to viral infections\, Dr. Fitzgerald-Bocarsly’s research focuses on senescence of immune populations in blood of donors ranging from cord blood to individuals in their 80s and above\, with an emphasis on CD8+ T cell subsets as well as innate immune cells.\nThis is not a formal talk and discussion and critique are very much welcome. \nDate and Time: Wednesday\, Feb 4\, 12-1 PM \nZoom: https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/94769804345?pwd=IMqJIIvuDmRl997R6O4U4NKbt6UWfs.1\nMeeting ID: 947 6980 4345; Password: 454288
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/alzheimers-disease-and-related-dementia-translational-work-in-progress-adrd-twip-patricia-fitzgerald-bocarsly-phd/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ADRD-TWIP-Series_020426.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260206T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260206T130000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260129T062930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260204T044300Z
UID:7266-1770379200-1770382800@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:Distinguished Guest Virtual Seminar: Elyssa Margolis\, PhD
DESCRIPTION:“Synaptic pharmacology in midbrain reward circuitry: connections matter”\nElyssa B. Margolis\, Ph.D.\nProfessor in Residence\nEndowed Chair in Genetics of Addiction\nDepartment of Neurology\nUniversity of California – San Francisco School of Medicine \nFriday\, February 6\, 2026\n12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET \nJoin Zoom Meeting:\nhttps://rutgers.zoom.us/j/96316878745?pwd=yB53bWFpY7qAB7bOjcbGk7bMcowobJ.1 \nmore details. \nHosted by Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC) at the Brain Health Institute (BHI)
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/distinguished-guest-virtual-seminar-with-elyssa-margolis/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Margolis_Feb6_DistinguishedGuestSeminar.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260209T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260209T130000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260129T055208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T055208Z
UID:7254-1770638400-1770642000@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:Department of Genetics Seminar: Tsuyoshi Miyakawa\, PhD
DESCRIPTION:“Neuronal Immaturity Induced by Neural Excitations as an Endophenotype of Neuropsychiatric Disorders”\nEvent Start Date: 2026-02-09\nEvent Start Time: 12:00 PM\nEvent End Time: 1:00 PM\nEvent Location: Life Sciences Building Auditorium (LSB) 15 \nTsuyoshi Miyakawa\, PhD\, is a Professor and the director of the Division of Systems Medical Science at Fujita Health University. He received B.A\, M.A\, and Ph.D. degrees in Psychology\, in 1993\, 1995 and 1997 respectively\, at the University of Tokyo (Advisor: Hiroaki Niki). After being a Research Scientist at Niki’s lab at Riken Brain Science Institute\, he moved to the US in 1998 and received postdoctoral training from Jacqueline Crawley in Section on Behavioral Neuropharmacology at National Institute of Mental Health. In 1999\, he became a Research Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University. He then moved to Picower Center for Learning and Memory\, directed by Susumu Tonegawa\, at MIT in 2001 and was a Research Scientist and the supervisor of behavior core facility there. He has been investigating the relationships between genes\, brain and behavior by utilizing a “comprehensive behavioral test battery” on genetically engineered mice since 1993. At MIT\, he found that forebrain-specific calcineurin knockout mice show multiple abnormal behaviors related to schizophrenia with the strategy and this made him believe that a systematic investigation of the behaviors of mutant mice is helpful in understanding the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. Since coming back to Japan in 2003\, Miyakawa and his colleagues have assessed more than 200 different strains of mutant mice and they are trying to find what is happening in the brains of the mice models of psychiatric disorders. \nHost: Gleb Shumyatsky\, Ph.D. \, Professor\, Department of Genetics
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/department-of-genetics-seminar-tsuyoshi-miyakawa-phd/
LOCATION:Life Sciences Building Auditorium (LSB) 15
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260212T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260212T130000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260127T104041Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T144640Z
UID:7215-1770897600-1770901200@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:BHI Pain Research Center Virtual Seminar: Yun Guan\, MD\, PhD
DESCRIPTION:“Transforming Pain Research for Discovery and Innovation in Treatment—A 30-year Endeavor and Beyond”\nSpeaker: Yun Guan\, MD\, PhD\nProfessor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine\, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine \nDate and Time: Thursday\, February 12\, 2026\, 12:00 PM \nZoom Meeting: https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/96741812075?pwd=MXynpcXslWHHorF6NXg1zpUzjlgMBB.1\nMeeting ID: 967 4181 2075; Passcode: 021226
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/bhi-pain-research-center-virtual-seminar-yun-guan-md-phd/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Pain-Research-Center-Seminar_Yun-Guan_021226.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T133000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260113T145840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260204T051144Z
UID:6999-1771502400-1771507800@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:BHI Plenary Seminar: Timothy A. Ryan\, PhD
DESCRIPTION:“Metabolic vulnerabilities and opportunities in brain function”\nSpeaker: Timothy A. Ryan\, PhD\nProfessor of Biochemistry and Biophysics Professor of Biochemistry in Anesthesiology Tri-Institutional Professor\nWeill Cornell Medicine \nAbstract of the Talk: “Metabolic Vulnerabilities and Opportunities in Brain Function”\nOur brains are metabolically vulnerable\, as even brief interruptions in proper fueling lead to rapid degradation in cognitive performance. My lab identified presynaptic function as one of the likely loci of this vulnerability and has leveraged the sensitivity of synaptic vesicle recycling to metabolic compromise to dissect the molecular underpinnings of how local ATP production is balanced during electrical activity in axons. Our work has helped identify critical control points that in turn appear central to neurodegenerative diseases and offer new therapeutic approaches to neurodegeneration.\nLearn more \nDate and Time: February 19\, 12:00 – 1:30 PM \nIn-Person Location:  Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM)\, Room 010\, Busch Campus\, Piscataway \nZoom Meeting: https://rutgers.zoom.us/s/94481219250\nMeeting ID: 944 8121 9250  |  Passcode: 021926
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/bhi-plenary-seminar-timothy-a-ryan-phd/
LOCATION:Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM)\, Room 010\, Busch Campus\, Piscataway
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/BHI-Plenary-Speaker-Flyer_Timothy-A.-Ryan.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T140000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260129T062840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T062840Z
UID:7264-1771506000-1771509600@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:RARC Training in Addiction Research Program (TARP) Meeting featuring Dr. Schmidt “Targeting central GLP-1Rs to reduce drug-mediated behaviors”
DESCRIPTION:RARC Training in Addiction Research Program (TARP) Meeting Featuring Dr. Heath D. Schmidt (University of Pennsylvania)“Targeting Central GLP-1 Receptors to Reduce Drug-Mediated Behaviors”February 19 | 1:00–2:00 PM \nDean’s Conference Room (Busch) \nJoin Zoom Meeting\nhttps://rutgers.zoom.us/j/92461980760?pwd=z0tUteq21u537zfHyRB4IOdc0FPLrV.1 \nMeeting ID: 924 6198 0760\nPasscode: 139560 \nThe RARC Training in Addiction Research Program (TARP) welcomes Dr. Heath D. Schmidt\, Professor of Neuroscience\, Pharmacology\, and Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania\, for a seminar exploring how central GLP-1 receptor signaling influences motivated and drug-seeking behaviors. Dr. Schmidt’s research integrates preclinical models of addiction with cutting-edge molecular\, circuit-level\, and imaging approaches to identify novel therapeutic targets for substance use disorders. His work offers important insights into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction and the development of new pharmacological strategies to reduce drug use and relapse. \nThese events are for all TARP and RARC faculty and trainees\, as well as collaborators and friends\, so feel free to pass along the invitation to others. Food and drinks will be provided.
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/rarc-training-in-addiction-research-program-tarp-meeting-featuring-dr-schmidt-targeting-central-glp-1rs-to-reduce-drug-mediated-behaviors/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260223T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260223T130000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260218T060922Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T073723Z
UID:7442-1771848000-1771851600@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:Neuroscience Seminar Series for Rising Scholars: Emma Schweitzer (PI: Anna Konova\, PhD)
DESCRIPTION:“Food Craving Amplifies Brain and Behavioral Indices of Subjective Value for Palatable Foods”\nDate and Time: Monday\, February 23\, 2026\, 12:00 PM \nSpeaker: Emma Schweitzer\, PhD student\, PI: Anna Konova\, PhD \nIn-Person: Room 127\, Staged Research Building (SRB)\, Busch Campus \nJoin via Zoom: Please email the host\, Dr. Noelle Stiles (noelle.stiles@rutgers.edu)\, or check the CAHBIR Slack #General thread for the link. \nAbstract: Food craving profoundly influences dietary choice\, yet the cognitive and neural mechanisms through which this occurs remain poorly understood. Brain regions associated with reward value and interoception have been implicated in past work\, but these studies have primarily relied on passive cue-reactivity paradigms that often fail to capture how craving intersects with subjective valuation and choice. To address this gap\, here we paired a selective multisensory food cue reactivity/craving induction with an incentivized fMRI dietary decision-making task (N=42). Behaviorally\, participants showed significant\, selective increases in the value they assigned to craved (but not dissimilar) snacks following induction\, especially when snacks were offered at higher quantities\, consistent with craving narrowing and focusing motivation. Neurally\, canonical value regions (ventromedial prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum) tracked the interaction between similarity and quantity that drove post-induction changes in value judgements. Interestingly\, individual differences in body mass index (BMI) moderated these effects: participants with higher BMI showed reduced similarity-based scaling\, suggesting a less selective influence of craving on both behavior and neural value regions. By contrast\, regions outside the canonical valuation network showed distinct patterns. The insula tracked global shifts in state (post- vs. pre-induction)\, while the amygdala encoded snack similarity and quantity independent of global state. Together\, these findings support a distributed craving circuit integrating value\, interoceptive\, and emotional processes. This circuit dynamically encodes food-related state and stimulus attributes and may contribute to maladaptive dietary decision-making behavior\, particularly in individuals with higher weight status.
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/neuroscience-seminar-series-for-rising-scholars-emma-schweitzer/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Neuroscience-Seminar-Series-for-Rising-Scholars_Feb-23.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T130000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260129T040904Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T183930Z
UID:7252-1771934400-1771938000@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:BHI Pain Research Center Virtual Seminar: Alexandre DaSilva
DESCRIPTION:“AI-Driven Innovations in Pain and Migraine: Bridging Neural Networks and Networked Patient Care”\nSpeaker: Alexandre DaSilva\, D.D.S.\, D.Med.Sc.\nProfessor of Dentistry\, Department of Biologic and Materials Science\, School of Dentistry\, and Professor of Learning Health Sciences\, Medical School\, University of Michigan \nDate and Time: Tuesday\, February 24\, 2026\, 12:00 PM \nZoom Meeting: https://rutgers.zoom.us/s/95917069637\nMeeting ID: 959 1706 9637; Passcode: 022426
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/bhi-pain-research-center-virtual-seminar-alexandre-dasilva/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Pain-Research-Center-Seminar_022426.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T150000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260212T112510Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T112510Z
UID:7380-1771941600-1771945200@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:RARC Psychiatric & Behavior Genetics Workgroup Kickoff: Jared V. Balbona\, PhD
DESCRIPTION:“Examining Heterogeneity in the Genetic Architecture of Substance Use Disorders”\nSpeaker: Jared V. Balbona\, PhD\nAssistant Professor\, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine \nLed by Drs. Jill Rabinowitz\, Jessica Salvatore\, and Sarah Brislin\, the Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics Working Group brings together Rutgers scholars to advance understanding of the genetic basis of complex mental health outcomes and foster multidisciplinary collaboration.\nThe kickoff meeting will feature Dr. Jared V. Balbona\, whose research uses genome-wide and family-based approaches to examine risk\, resilience\, and heterogeneity across psychiatric conditions\, with a focus on substance use disorders. \nDate and Time: Tuesday\, February 24\, 2026\, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST \nZoom: https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/99382867088?pwd=TOTYb3j0kYxl6cgW46FJAdvzS0prpu.1\nMeeting ID: 993 8286 7088; Password: 774424 \n 
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/rarc-psychiatric-behavior-genetics-workgroup-kickoff-jared-v-balbona-phd/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Feb24_Psychiatric-Behavior-Genetics-Workgroups.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T170000
DTSTAMP:20260504T131237
CREATED:20260212T112736Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T112736Z
UID:7383-1771948800-1771952400@brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu
SUMMARY:RARC Interest Group on Cannabis featuring Elizabeth Minott\, Rutgers Office of General Counsel
DESCRIPTION:We are pleased to share that Elizabeth Minott\, Senior Associate General Counsel from the Rutgers Office of General Counsel\, will be joining an upcoming RARC Interest Group on Cannabis meeting to provide a legal and regulatory update. In light of the recent federal action to reschedule cannabis to Schedule III\, Elizabeth will help clarify what this change does\, and does not\, mean in the short term for Rutgers researchers and clinicians. The discussion will focus on managing common misconceptions\, understanding the limits of executive actions\, and grounding ongoing research and clinical work in the current legal reality.\n\nDate and Time: February 24\, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm\n\nJoin Zoom Meeting:\nhttps://rutgers.zoom.us/j/93314176338?pwd=aO1qOfIMjadpyq1FQlxwmNbdyqzoNW.1\nMeeting ID: 933 1417 6338; Passcode: 334400
URL:https://brainhealthinstitute.rutgers.edu/event/rarc-interest-group-on-cannabis-featuring-elizabeth-minott-rutgers-office-of-general-counsel/
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