Please join us for the upcoming Monthly Webinar on
July 9, 2025
12-1 pm ET
“The Role of the Social Environment in Neurodevelopment and Psychosis”

Benson Ku, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Emory University School of Medicine
Atlanta, GA
This presentation explores the explores the intersection of neighborhood factors, genomics, neuroimaging, EEG, and psychosis, focusing on gene-by-environment interaction and how it may contribute to the development of psychosis among youth. Growing research demonstrates the associations between neighborhood factors and psychosis, but mechanisms of this relationship and sensitive periods through which these factors may impact psychosis are less understood. The session will examines how, when, and for whom the social environment may impact neurobiology and psychosis. By synthesizing recent evidence, the presentation offers a novel framework for understanding the gene-environment interaction in the development of psychosis and outlines opportunities to develop novel interventions at the individual, community, and policy levels.
Upcoming Webinars
…
August 6, 2025, 12-1 pm ET
Michael Compton, M.D.,M.P.H.
Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York
“How Food Insecurity Impacts Diet Quality, Physical Health, and Mental Health”
Previous Webinars
Dilip Jeste, MD
Global Research Network on Social Determinants of Mental Health and Exposomics, La Jolla, California, US
“Social Determinants of Health in Schizophrenia-Spectrum Psychotic Disorders: What Do the Data Actually Show?”
September 16, 2023
…
Deanna Barch, PhD
Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, US
“The Enduring Impact of Poverty on Risk for Mental Health Challenges in Youth”
October 18, 2023
…
Steve Cole, PhD
University of California, Los Angeles, CA, US
“Social Regulation of Human Gene Expression: Implications for Interventions Targeting Social Determinants of Health”
November 8, 2023
…
Michael Compton, MD
Columbia University, New York, NY, US
“Food insecurity as a Social Determinant of Mental Health”
December 11, 2023
…
Dolores Malaspina, MD, MS, MSPH
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, US
“Social Epigenetics, Racism, and Perinatal Trauma”
January 25th, 2024
…
Vincenzo Di Nicola, MPhil, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FCAHS, DLFAPA, DFCPA
Tenured Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry & Addictions Medicine
University of Montreal and Clinical Professor, The George Washington University
“From Populations to Patients:
Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health in Clinical Practice”
February 8, 2024
…
Vani Pariyadath, PhD
Jessica Mollick, PhD
Janani Prabhakar, PhD
Courte Van Voorhees, PhD
National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health (NIDA/NIH)
“NIDA Funding Priorities on Social Determinants and Exposomics”
March 12, 2024
…
Matcheri Keshavan, MD, & Walid Yasmin, PhD
“Exposome in schizophrenia and related disorders: what can it tell about diagnosis, prevention and treatment?”
May 15th, 2024
…
Dr. Jo-An Occipinti, Ph.D.
Head, Systems Modelling & Simulation,
Brain and Mind Ctr., U. of Sydney:
“Systems modeling & simulation to guide targeted investments for mental health & suicide prevention”
June 26, 2024
…
Subodh Dave, M.D.,
Dean, Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, U.K.
“From Doctor-Patient to Doctor-Community – Building a Public Health Literate Psychiatric Workforce”
July 17th, 2024
…
Pallavi Joshi, D.O., and Rajesh
Tampi, M.D.,
Creighton University, Creighton, NE
“Social Determinants of Health for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias”
September 11, 2024
…
Prof. em. Ulrich Schnyder, MD,
University of Zurich
“Evidence-based Treatments for Trauma-Related Psychiatric Disorders”
October 29, 2024
…
Michael Green, Ph.D.,
University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
“Social Isolation and Loneliness in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder”
November 20, 2024