The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology will present its 2026 Annual Research Symposium on April 21 at 9 a.m. featuring guest speaker Jill Glausier, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.
Glausier’s research centers on identifying molecular and cellular changes in the human brain that underlie schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders, employing state‑of‑the‑art neurobiological techniques. At the symposium on April 21, she will present, “Brain Batteries and Broken Connections: Insights into the Schizophrenia Disease Process.”
“Despite decades of research, schizophrenia remains an enigmatic disorder and a significant public health concern nationwide,” said Shin‑Ichi Kano, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director of the Division of Behavioral Neurobiology. “Therefore, we are excited to welcome Dr. Glausier, an expert in human brain research, as this year’s featured speaker for our Annual Research Symposium. Presentations by Dr. Glausier, along with those by our department’s faculty and trainees, will share cutting‑edge insights into schizophrenia, other psychiatric disorders, and substance use disorders with the broader UAB community.”
The symposium will also feature presentations from research trainees and faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, including Rui Zhang, Ph.D., assistant professor, and Christina Bankston, Ph.D., assistant professor. Zhang will present, “Sleep and Circadian Disruptions in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder,” and Bankston will present, “Neuroimaging Biomarkers of Functional Neurological Disorder.”
Speaker presentations will be from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Heersink Conference Center, room 102. They will be followed by a poster presentation in the Heersink Conference Center lobby from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Find the full agenda here.