Decode Summit 2020:
The State of Mental Help
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Transforming Mental Health Through Science
During this on-demand webinar series, expert speakers from academia, industry, and advocacy share how research and innovation can help address the global mental health crisis. The DECODE Summit follows a “Bench to Bedside to A Better World” approach, showcasing breakthroughs in mental health treatments and collaborative strategies to shape the future of care.
Presenter’s Abstract
The DECODE Summit brings together leading voices in neuroscience, psychiatry, biopharma, and public health to tackle the urgent global mental health challenge. This event emphasizes the integration of cutting-edge research, translational science, and policy initiatives to improve mental health outcomes. Discussions span novel therapeutic strategies, precision psychiatry, and collaborative frameworks that bridge science and society. By convening experts across disciplines, the summit aims to accelerate innovation and create actionable solutions for mental health care worldwide.
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Speakers
Sachin Patel, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Dr. Sachin Patel is the James G. Blakemore Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, and Pharmacology and Director of the Division of General Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. His laboratory is focused on elucidating neurobiological mechanisms of central stress responses relevant to trauma and stress-related psychiatric disorders. His research group is specifically interested in the role of endogenous cannabinoids as modulators of stress responsivity and has active research projects in areas of endocannabinoid synaptic biology, preclinical endocannabinoid-based therapeutics development, and investigation of circuit-level mechanisms by which endocannabinoids modulate stress-related bio-behavioral phenotypes in rodent models. By integrating data derived from multiple levels ranging from synaptic biology to neural circuit analysis, his laboratory hopes understand how endocannabinoid signaling interact with hard-wired neural circuits to sculpt complex behavior and ultimately gain novel insights into the pathophysiology of, and novel treatment approaches for, stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders.
Leanne Williams, Stanford University
Leanne Williams, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is the founding director of the Stanford Center for Precision Mental Health and Wellness and of the Stanford PanLab for Precision Psychiatry and Translational Neuroscience, Associate Chair of Translational Neuroscience in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Director of Education and Precision Medicine at the Mountain View, California VA Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center. Prior to joining the Stanford community, Dr. Williams was the founding chair of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and directed the Brain Dynamics Center at Sydney Medical School. Her PhD was completed with a British Council Scholarship for study at Oxford University. Dr. Williams’ Center and translational programs integrate advanced neuroimaging, technology and digital innovation to transform the way we detect mental disorders, tailor interventions and promote wellness. She has developed the first taxonomy for depression and anxiety that quantifies brain circuits for diagnostic precision and prediction. Dr. Williams’ research programs are supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, spanning priority Research Domain Criteria, Human Connectome and Science of Behavior Change initiatives. She has contributed over 318 scientific papers to the field.
Ekaterina Malievskaia, COMPASS Pathways
Dr. Ekaterina Malievskaia is Chief Innovation Officer and Co-founder of COMPASS Pathways plc. She leads innovation at COMPASS. Ekaterina received her medical degree from St Petersburg Medical Academy in St Petersburg, Russia, and then moved to the US where she completed her Internal Medicine residency training. She worked in private practice, academic medicine and public health for more than 15 years in the greater New York area. She was a Clinical Instructor of Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, as well as a Research Professor at City University of New York.After moving to London in 2011, Ekaterina worked in global health and medical philanthropy, focusing on improving outcomes in maternal and child health. She founded COMPASS Pathways with her husband George Goldsmith in 2016, having experienced at first-hand the challenges in accessing evidence-based and effective mental health care for a family member.
Husseini Manji, Johnson & Johnson
Husseini K. Manji, MD, FRCPC is Global Head, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Science for Minds. He previously was Global Therapeutic Head for Neuroscience at Janssen R&D, LLC, a J&J pharmaceutical company. Before joining J&J, Dr. Manji was Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Director of the NIH Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, the largest program of its kind in the world. Dr. Manji’s research has helped to conceptualize neuropsychiatric disorders as genetically influenced disorders of synapses and circuits and has prompted the investigation of novel therapeutics for refractory patients. His work led to the FDA, Canada and EC approval of the first novel antidepressant mechanism in decades, SPRAVATO® (esketamine) nasal spray for adults with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. Dr. Manji has received numerous prestigious awards, is Visiting Professor at Duke University, Honorary Fellow at Oxford University, member of the World Dementia Council, member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Stanley Center at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and member of the World Economic Forum, Global Futures Council.
Kafui Dzirasa, Duke University Medical Center
Kafui Dzirasa completed a PhD in Neurobiology at Duke University. His research interests focus on understanding how changes in the brain produce neurological and mental illness, and his graduate work has led to several distinctions including: the Somjen Award for Most Outstanding Dissertation Thesis, the Ruth K. Broad Biomedical Research Fellowship, the UNCF·Merck Graduate Science Research Fellowship, and the Wakeman Fellowship. Kafui obtained an MD from the Duke University School of Medicine in 2009, and he completed residency training in General Psychiatry in 2016. Kafui received the Charles Johnson Leadership Award in 2007, and he was recognized as one of Ebony magazine’s 30 Young Leaders of the Future in February 2008. He has also been awarded the International Mental Health Research Organization Rising Star Award, the Sydney Baer Prize for Schizophrenia Research, and his laboratory was featured on CBS 60 Minutes in 2011. In 2016, he was awarded the inaugural Duke Medical Alumni Emerging Leader Award and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers: The Nation’s highest award for scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers. In 2017, he was recognized as 40 under 40 in Health by the National Minority Quality Forum, and the Engineering Alumni of the Year from UMBC. He was induced into the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2019. Kafui has served as an Associate Scientific Advisor for the journal Science Translational Medicine, a member of the Congressional-mandated Next Generation Research Initiative, the Editorial Advisory Board for TEDMED, and on the NIH Director’s guiding committee for the BRAIN Initiative. He currently serves on the NIH Director’s NExTRAC Advisory committee and Brain Initiative Multi-council working group. Kafui is an Associate Professor at Duke University with appointments in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neurobiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Neurosurgery. His ultimate goal is to combine his research, medical training, and community experience to improve outcomes for diverse communities suffering from Neurological and Psychiatric illness.
Brandon Staglin, One Mind
As President of One Mind, Brandon Staglin channels his deep experience in communications, advocacy, and personal schizophrenia recovery to drive brain health research programs to heal lives. Brandon also serves on advisory councils for the World Economic Forum, the National Institute of Mental Health, the California Mental Health Services Authority’s Help@Hand Program, Mindstrong Health, and Stanford University’s Prodrome and Early Psychosis Program Network, and is a member of The Stability Network. He earned a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration and Interprofessional Leadership from UCSF in September 2018, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Engineering Sciences and Anthropology from Dartmouth College in 1993. Among Brandon’s recent work, he has successfully advocated for the growth of data-driven, networked, continuously improving prevention and early intervention services for youth facing serious psychiatric illness. He has originated One Mind’s ASPIRe program, which aims to dramatically increase both quality treatment access and recovery rates for such individuals through expanding and improving early care. His work was instrumental in the passage of California laws AB 1315 and SB 1004, providing funding and accountability for such services statewide. Brandon has received numerous awards for his brain health advocacy, including the Schizophrenia International Research Society President’s Award, the Lifetime Achievement VOICE Award from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Clifford W. Beers Award from Mental Health America, the Shattering Stigma—Realizing Recovery Award from the Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America, and the Clifford W. Beers Centennial Service Award from the Clifford W. Beers Clinic. Brandon’s lived experience with recovery from schizophrenia makes him grateful to be living in health and happy every day he can contribute to the health of others.
Erik Ewers, Ewers Brothers Productions
Co-Director and editor Erik Ewers has worked with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns for more than 27 years on almost all of his single and multi-episodic films, including Baseball, Jazz, Mark Twain, The War, Prohibition, The Roosevelts, and his recent critically acclaimed miniseries, Vietnam. He currently serves as Ken’s senior editor on his upcoming Country Music miniseries, and as co-director and editor of Ewers Brothers—which has become one of the “go-to” production companies that co-creates Ken’s documentary films. Erik has been nominated for more than 7 personal and program Emmy Awards, and consequently has won 1 editing Emmy Award and 3 program Emmys. Additionally, he has also earned 2 prestigious ACE Eddie Award nominations and 1 ACE win for “Best Edited Documentary of 2015.” By working in many other professional film roles, Erik is extremely knowledgeable and capable in all aspects of film—having served as music producer, writer, director, film producer, picture editor, sound effects, music and dialogue editor.
Christopher Ewers, Ewers Brothers Productions
Co-Director and cinematographer Christopher Loren Ewers’ career behind the camera has spanned over 20 years. He studied cinematography at Boston University, photojournalism at the New England School of Photography and has traveled the world exploring the human experience through the lens. His eclectic work includes a variety of subjects, formats and collaborators. From renown documentarian Ken Burns and Florentine Films to national networks like NBC and PBS. From Fortune 500 brands like Apple, Coca-Cola, Vineyard Vines and IBM to nonprofit organizations like the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Clinton Global Initiative. However, it’s the unique mix of both film and journalism backgrounds that puts documentary filmmaking at the center of his work. He and Erik are currently directing a 2-part, feature length documentary series about our nation’s mental health crisis. Their first film, The Mayo Clinic: Faith, Hope, Science was broadcast on PBS in 2018. Both films are executive produced by Ken Burns.
Jewel, Singer-Songwriter
Jewel is a singer-songwriter, actress, and 2x New York Times Best-selling author. As a lived experience mental health expert, she is passionate about democratizing wellness. Through her career, Jewel has earned 26 Music Award nominations, including The Grammy’s, American Music Awards, MTV Awards, VH1 Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and Country Music Awards, winning 8 times. Jewel’s Inspiring Children Foundation has spent two decades helping at-risk youth struggling with anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation with mindfulness and meditation, trauma treatment, DBT, group therapy, entrepreneurship, mentoring, project-driven learning and athletics (tennis). Jewel’s Wellness Experience Mental Health and Music Festival, and her World Mental Health Day Summit and concert, brings many of these tools to the masses for free, in a fun and inspirational way.
Thomas Insel, Humanest Care
Dr. Thomas R. Insel is the President and co-founder of Mindstrong. A psychiatrist and neuroscientist, Dr. Insel served as Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) from 2002-2015. Most recently, he led the Mental Health Team at Verily. Dr. Insel is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and has received numerous national and international awards, including honorary degrees in the U.S. and Europe.
Kunal Ghosh, Inscopix
Kunal Ghosh is founder and CEO of Inscopix, Inc., a Mountain View, California-based startup developing a platform for mapping brain circuits. Kunal founded Inscopix out of a research project at Stanford University that resulted in the invention of a miniature, integrated microscope for in vivo brain imaging. The invention is the centerpiece of Inscopix’s core brain circuit mapping products which today have already advanced fundamental knowledge of the brain circuits underpinning brain function and behavior. Inscopix’s platform also has the potential of shaping the future of neuro-therapeutic discovery, enabling the development of entirely new in vivo circuit-based assays for diseases such as Parkinson’s, epilepsy, and depression. Kunal is a passionate advocate of the role of business as a force for good in society, and especially the role of entrepreneurial ventures in catalyzing a technology-fueled revolution in brain science and mental health. He is a frequent speaker on these themes at scientific meetings, industry conferences, and top Business schools, and serves on the World Economic Forum’s Council on Neurotechnologies and Brain Science. Kunal holds a BSE in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, a BS from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.