Welcome

Dear Friends and Members of ISPNE

First and foremost, we would like to congratulate and welcome our new President-elect, Clemens Kirschbaum.

We are also excited to announce the annual ISPNE conference in New York, NY on September 11-14, 2012, "Molecular and Hormonal Effects of Traumatic Stress"! The scientific program will be held at the spectacular New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) in Manhattan, New York. NYAS is a state-of-the-art facility, located on the 40th Floor of 7 World Trade Center, featuring breathtaking views of the New York City skyline, as well as newly opened memorial park at Ground Zero.

We hope to see you there!

Rachel Yehuda President of ISPNE

Some of the conference highlights include:

• Keynote address to be given by Nobel Prize Laureate Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn who will describe her ground breaking work on telomers! 
• Professor, Dr. Florian Holsboer will provide us with a roadmap to PTSD treatment
• Dr. Charlie Nemeroff will lead a symposium on the Neurobiology of childhood abuse.
  

Dr. Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Ph.D. University of California Professor of Biology and Physiology Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2009  Dr. Elizabeth H. Blackburn discovered the molecular nature of telomeres, the structures stabilizing the ends of the eukaryotic chromosomes, and the enzyme telomerase.  Currently, Dr. Blackburn and her research team are working with various cells including human cells, with the goal of understanding telomerase and telomere biology. They also are investigating the mechanisms of telomere and telomerase functions, and how perturbations in these functions signal to cells. Some of Dr. Blackburn’s most recent publications have focused on physical fitness and telomere length in patients with coronary heart disease, basal and stress reactive HPA axis activity and telomere length, and changes in stress, eating, and metabolic factors related to changes in telomerase activity.

Dr. Dennis Charney, MD Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs of The Mount Sinai Medical Center.  Professor of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Pharmacology & Systems Therapeutics. Dr. Charney is a world expert in the neurobiology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. He has made fundamental contributions to the understanding of neural circuits and neurochemistry related to human anxiety, fear, mood and the discovery of new treatment for mood and anxiety disorders. After decades of work on the biology of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Dr. Charney’s Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program have turned their attention toward investigating the psychobiological mechanisms of human resilience to stress. They have found specific hormones and peptides, which contribute to resilience and have identified a prescription for enhancing human resilience. He has more recently expanded this area into pioneering research related to the psychobiological mechanisms of human resilience to stress.

Professor Florian Holsboer, M.D., Ph.D. Director, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich    Dr. Holsboer’s research interests include the genetic and biochemical causes of depression, anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, and the adaptation to stress. He has also demonstrated that the treatment of psychological disorders would be enhanced by personalized medicine. His main research projects include the study of the pathogenesis and therapeutic approaches to depression and anxiety disorders, psychopharmacology, aging research, sleep medicine, and the treatment of multiple sclerosis and movement disorders. Some of his more recent publications target the neuroendocrinological mechanisms underlying PTSD, and the possibility for biological and genetic subtyping of the disorder.

Professor Charles B. Nemeroff, M.D., Ph.D. Professor and Chairman of the University of Miami    Dr. Charles Barnet Nemeroff has clinical interest in the treatment of patients with depressive disorder, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. His research interests include antidepressant treatment response, the neuroscience of mental disorders, antidepressant drug discovery, neuropeptide and cholinergic function in Alzheimer's Disease, the psychobiology of corticotrophin-releasing factor, the neurochemical pathology of human cocaine abuse, pancreatic cancer, depression and immune function, comparative effectiveness of antipsychotic medications and neurotensin, an endogenous neuroleptic-like peptide.  Dr. Nemeroff is the author of numerous textbooks, book chapters, and papers focusing on psychopharmacology and psychoneuroendocrinology.

What  Attendees Need to Know!

The NYAS is located in the heart of the financial district of Manhattan; you will have access to some of the World's greatest restaurants, museums, and nightlife. We will have a kickoff event on Tuesday September 11th to coincide with one of New York's most meaningful events, New York City's memorial services for 9/11. In observance of this traumatic event, the services for 9/11 will allow attendees to see New York demonstrate its remarkable resilience to the events of that day. It also sets the stage for the scientific program which will focus on the most recent advances in the molecular and hormonal contributions to traumatic stress. Our conference will consider proposals discussing this topic, as our field continues to pave the way for understanding and explain the individual differences to various types of trauma.

New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world. The Fall in New York is considered the ideal time to visit as temperatures are typically mild (60s F, 16-17 C), which allows visitors to fully engage in many of the attractions, including shopping, dining, nightlife, museums, and cultural celebrations. New York City is comprised of 5 distinct boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island). Manhattan may be the smallest borough by size, but there's no shortage of iconic attractions, culture and history on its bustling streets. Some of the exciting attractions include, the Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building which boast stunning views of the City's famous skyline. In lower Manhattan, visitors can enjoy easy walking access to the world class shopping and art studios of Soho, popular bakeries of Little Italy, bustling energy of Wall Street, vibrant nightlife and trendy restaurants of Greenwich Village, and historic charm of South Street Seaport and Battery City. For those interested in the arts, just a couple of subway stops away, you'll find the Theater District with Broadway shows located in the heart of Times Square. Manhattan also has some of the world's best museums, including the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Guggenheim, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Natural History, and Whitney. Plan your trip now.

Because New York is such a diverse city with many different experiences to offer, we have secured space at three Hotels for your convenience: The Hilton Millenium, which is a State-of-the-Art hotel located within walking distance of the conference and for those looking to enjoy a luxury boutique experience in Midtown Manhattan we have secured The Kimberly Hotel and The Roosevelt Hotel. September is a very popular month to visit New York, so we encourage members to make reservations early to ensure room availability at the low prices below:

The Hilton Millenium: $389.00

Please call reservations at 1-888-273-0734 and refer to the: ISPNE 2012 or Group Code: ISP to obtain the group rate.

The Kimberly Hotel: $399.00

The Roosevelt Hotel: $329.00

Rachel Yehuda President of ISPNE