Welcome to the 2025 Symposium
We welcome you to Viterbo University's annual Agnes W.H. Tan Science Symposium. We are excited to gather this year to explore the molecular underpinnings of depression, an increasingly urgent public health concern. A report earlier this year from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed a 60% increase in the prevalence of depression among US adolescents and adults over the past decade. In light of the significance of this disease and its growing prevalence, we are honored to host leading experts whose careers have focused on deepening our understanding of the biological basis of depression, the intricacies of how depression develops and how to leverage that understanding to craft novel approaches to treat depression.
On behalf of Viterbo University and the symposium planning committee, thank you for joining us in this important dialogue. We are delighted to welcome you to our campus and look forward to a day of we’re grateful you’re taking the time to learn with us and welcome you to our campus.
Sincerely,
Michael Alfieri,
Dean, College of Engineering, Letters, and Sciences
Friday, Oct. 31, 2025
| Morning events take place in the Fine Arts Center Main Theatre | |
| 8:30–9 a.m. | Registration |
| 9:05–10 a.m. |
Plenary Session #1 (Dr. Erika Forbes) - Neural Reward Systems and Adolescent Depression: A Mechanism and Possible Treatment Target |
| 10:10–11:05 a.m. |
Plenary Session #2 (Dr. John Mantsch) - Chronic stress-induced REDD1 expression in prefrontal cortex and cognitive inflexibility |
| 11:15 a.m.–12:10 p.m. | Plenary Session #3 (Dr. Katie Cullen) - Measuring and Enhancing Creativity and Brain Flexibility in Adolescents with Depression |
| Afternoon events take place in Reinhart Center room 134 | |
| 12:20–1:15 p.m. | Lunch Break (not provided) and Career Conversation |
| 1:25–2:20 p.m. | Panel Discussion With All Speakers |
| 2:20–2:25 p.m. | Closing Remarks |
Erika Forbes, PhD
Erika Forbes, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, Pediatrics, and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Pittsburgh. She received her BA in History and Literature from Harvard University and her PhD in Clinical and Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. She completed a predoctoral clinical psychology internship and a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh and then joined the faculty in 2005. Her research focuses on the development, pathophysiology, and treatment of depression and related problems in youth, with special attention to the role of neural reward, dopamine, and positive affect systems as mechanisms. She uses longitudinal, developmental psychopathology designs and neuroimaging, ecological momentary assessment, behavioral, and neuromodulation techniques. She has published over 210 peer-reviewed publications, has attained an h index of 71, and has received honors such as the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Eva King Killam Award. Dr. Forbes is also strongly committed to mentoring and serves as director of the NIH-funded Career Development Institute for Psychiatry, a training and networking program that has supported the growth of over 250 early-career scientists in the mental health field.
John Matsch, PhD
Bio coming soon.
Kathryn Cullen, MD
Bio coming soon.
- Due to a generous donation by the Agnes W.H. Tan family, this symposium is free. However, online registration is required (coming soon).
- Participants can register for the morning sessions, afternoon sessions, or the entire day.
- Interested in parking options, bathrooms, Mother's rooms, or maps of campus? Visit our Hospitality Page.