OVERVIEW
Join us on Wednesday, April 29th, 2026, from 8:30am – 6pm for the SOBP Pre-Meeting: Metabolic Health in Severe Mental Illness at 515 Madison Avenue, 10th floor, DuMont Building, in the heart of NYC. This event will take place on the eve of the SOBP conference also taking place in NYC from April 30-May 2, 2026. Metabolic health and mental illness is an evolving research area which is actively bringing together researchers, clinicians, patients, foundations, families, and community partners all with a common goal of understanding and treating mental illness through novel approaches centered around metabolism. At the pre-meeting attendees will hear from Basic and Translational Scientists, Clinicians, and those with Lived Experience to learn about ketone and glucose metabolism, metabolic interventions, and brain health. The day will encompass keynote speakers, expert panel sessions, trainee speaking opportunities, poster sessions, and awards.
Abstract Submissions:
All trainees are welcome to submit an abstract for the trainee poster session and trainee presentation time slots in the agenda. Please submit your abstracts below.
REGISTRATION COST
| Ticket Type | Cost |
| Faculty, Clinicians, Researchers | $50 USD |
| Student/Fellow | $20 USD |
| Lived Experience/ Patient | Free |
SOBP PRE-MEETING AGENDA
| 8:30 AM – 8:55 AM | Registration & Coffee |
| 8:55 AM – 9:00 AM | Welcome Remarks from Organizers |
| 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM |
Keynote Speaker: Ketone bodies, neuronal metabolism, and the mechanism(s) of seizure resistance Gary Yellen, George Packer Berry Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School |
| 9:45 AM – 10:00 AM | Discussion |
| Panel 1: Molecular + Translational | |
| 10:00 AM – 10:20 AM |
Panelist 1: New approaches to dissect central versus peripheral signalling in metabolic regulation: mechanistic relevance to ketogenic diet Zachary Freyberg, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh |
| 10:20 AM – 10:40 AM |
Panelist 2: Mitochondrial Redox Dysfunction in Psychosis: Mechanistic Insights for Ketogenic and Antioxidant Interventions Kim Q. Do, Professor of Translational Psychiatry, Lausanne University |
| 10:40 AM – 11:00 AM | Trainee Presentation selected from submitted abstracts |
| 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Panel Discussion |
| 11:30 AM – 1:25 PM | Poster Session + Lunch |
| 1:25 PM – 1:30 PM | Afternoon Session Remarks from Organizers |
| 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM |
Keynote Speaker: From epilepsy to psychiatry – What lessons can we learn about the study and implementation of ketogenic diets in another field Mackenzie Cervenka, Professor of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine |
| 2:15 PM – 2:30 PM | Discussion |
| Panel 2: Clinical + Translational | |
| 2:30 PM – 2:50 PM |
Panelist 1: Ketogenic Diet for Early Psychotic Disorders Virginie-Anne Chouinard, Director of Research, McLean Hospital OnTrack Program for First Episode Psychosis; Instructor in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School |
| 2:50 PM – 3:10 PM |
Panelist 2: Altered brain energetics in alcohol use disorder: potential for ketone therapies Corinde Wiers, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania |
| 3:10 PM – 3:30 PM | Trainee Presentation selected from submitted abstracts |
| 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM | Panel Discussion |
| 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM | Coffee Break – Poster Session continued |
| 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM |
Lived Experience Panel + Discussion Moderators and Panelists to be confirmed |
| 5:15 PM – 5:30 PM | Poster Awards + Closing Statements |
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Ana Andreazza
Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology & Psychiatry, Scientific Director, Mitochondrial Innovation Initiative, University of Toronto
Mary L. Phillips
Distinguished Professor, Psychiatry and Clinical and Translational Science, Pittsburgh Foundation – Emmerling Endowed Chair in Psychotic Disorders, Director, Center for Neural Circuit-Based Technology Interventions in Psychiatry, Center for Research in Translational and Developmental Affective Neuroscience, Director, Collaborative on Mood Disorders Research, Director Mood and Brain Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh
Robert McCullumsmith
Professor, Chair, Research Director, Neurosciences Institute in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo
Zoltan Sarnyai
Director, Margaret Roderick Centre for Mental Health Research, Professor, James Cook University
Margaret Hahn
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Senior Scientist, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute Centre of Addiction and Mental Health
Laura Rowland
Professor of Psychiatry, Director, Translational Imaging Research Program, MRI Center, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Julie Milder
Director of Neuroscience, Baszucki Group
Zachary Freyberg
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh
SUPPORTING COMMITTEE
Sonya Brijbassi
Associate Director, MITO2i
Erika Beroncal
Project Manager, MITO2i
Madeline Dougherty
Knowledge Translation and Communications Officer, MITO2i
