April 20, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- J.D. Vance, author of bestseller "Hillbilly Elegy," along with experts in public health, addiction treatment and device technology, will take part in a special symposium, “Opioid Addiction and the Brain: Crisis in the Heartland,” to kick off the Second Annual Global Brain Health and Performance Summit on April 27.
Moderated by Dr. Ali Rezai, director of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Neurological Institute and Ross Center for Brain Health and Performance, the panel will explore how opioid addiction affects the brain, how policymakers can address this challenge and how technological innovations can contribute to treatment, management and prevention. The symposium is from 11:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Columbus Downtown Hilton.
"Opioid addiction represents an urgent public health crisis for Ohio and our nation, and a key step in combatting this epidemic is better understanding its impact on the brain," Rezai said. "We're fortunate to have an all-star group of experts, including policymakers, scientists and best-selling authors, to explore technological innovations that can better treat, assess, and prevent addiction."
The Symposium also will feature:
- Dr. Mark Hurst, medical director, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
- Dr. Igor Elman, professor, psychiatry, Wright State University
- Dr. John Campo, chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center
- Dr. Clay Marsh, VP and Executive Dean, Health Sciences, West Virginia University
- Dr. Greg Fiore, founder, CEO, SSI Strategy
Presented by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's Stanley D. and Joan H. Ross Center for Brain Health and Performance, the summit also features a breakfast session on April 28 featuring Eric Brown, director of Foundational Innovation, IBM Watson Health, and an innovations panel on data commercialization in neuroscience on April 29.
The three-day Summit will feature some of the world's most prominent brain health scientists, researchers and key experts, including entrepreneurs, corporate leaders and science journalists. Sessions will touch on technological advances for understanding brain-body connectivity, digitization of neuroscience and brain health analytics and their impact on patient care.
Registration for the Summit is open and day passes are available. Opioid Symposium tickets include lunch and can be purchased for $50. Register at go.osu.edu/brainhealth.
Featured summit speakers include Dr. Deepak Chopra; Dan Buettner, best-selling author, “Blue Zones”; Jeremy Abbate, publisher, Scientific American; Moshe Bar, Israel Brain Technologies, Harvard Medical School; Dr. Richard Friedman., professor, psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College; Jon Hamilton, National Public Radio Science Correspondent; Dr. Amir Kalali, head, Neuro Center of Excellence, QuintilesIMS; Arthur Kramer, senior vice provost, Northeastern University; Sarah Lenz Lock, executive director, Global Council on Brain Health, AARP; Abby Levy, president, Thrive Global (Arianna Huffington's latest venture); Nathan Price, head, 100k Wellness Project; James Olds, Directorate for Biological Sciences, National Science Foundation; Jeffrey Wadsworth, CEO, Battelle. View the agenda at go.osu.edu/brainhealth.
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Media Contact: Eileen Scahill, Wexner Medical Center Media Relations, 614-293-3737; Eileen.Scahill@osumc.edu