New York Academy of Sciences Hosts Forum on New Strategies for Treating Neurological Conditions and Disorders

NEW YORK, June 7, 2017 — From Tuesday, June 13, to Wednesday, June 14, the New York Academy of Sciences in collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company will present the conference, Neuroplasticity, Neuroregeneration, and Brain Repair at the Academy's headquarters in downtown Manhattan. This event will bring together the world's leading researchers, clinicians, industry experts, and government stakeholders to discuss the latest developments in the field.

"Recent advances hold promise to make neurogenesis possible therapeutically," said Mike O'Neill, PhD, Research Fellow & Head of Molecular Pathology Group, Lilly UK. "We are honored to help present the event, Neuroplasticity, Neuroregeneration, and Brain Repair to explore the latest research in this area."

Although much progress has been made in uncovering the underlying cellular mechanisms of neurogenesis, there is a critical need to translate these findings into therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and nervous system injuries, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis (MS). Experts will convene at this two-day conference to highlight advances in stimulating neuroregeneration and neurorestoration and identify new strategies for clinical impact.

"I look forward to participating in this important meeting and hearing about important new advances in neuroplasticity, neurodegeneration and neural repair," said Michael V. Sofroniew, MD, PhD, from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, who will give the keynote address titled, "Astrocytes in Central Nervous System Repair and Regeneration."

Eight plenary sessions will present emerging basic and clinical research on a range of topics, such as glial function in the central nervous system; mechanisms of neuroplasticity, including the role of dendritic spines, axonal growth, synaptic plasticity, inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and autophagy; cutting-edge strategies to promote and modify neurogenesis; and biomarker and imaging modalities for neuroregeneration. An Industry Perspective Lecture from Eric Karran, BSc, PhD, of AbbVie, will discuss "Disease-modifying Drugs for Alzheimer's Disease — The Past and The Future." The event will conclude with insights from Ralph A. Nixon, of New York University Langone Medical Center, on "The Ups and Downs of Translational Research in Alzheimer's Disease," and an interactive panel discussion exploring future directions, critical open questions, and promising therapies in the field of neuroregeneration and neurorestoration.

"It is our hope that this meeting will provide a greater understanding of these processes, and facilitate discussions that lead to novel therapeutic approaches and treatments for neurodegenerative disease." said David Bleakman, PhD, Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer, Lilly Neuroscience Discovery Research, New York. "We thank the Scientific Organizing Committee for their work assembling an excellent program of scientists and the New York Academy of Sciences for their partnership."

About the New York Academy of Sciences

The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been driving innovative solutions to society's challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy. With more than 20,000 Members in 100 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org and follow us on Twitter at @NYASciences.