Studying sex differences in the human brain: missteps, motivations, methods, maps, mechanisms and meanings

Speaker: Dr. Armin Raznahan, psychiatrist, Chief of the Section on Developmental Neurogenomics (SDN), Senior Investigator, NIH-Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program

Armin Raznahan, MD, PhD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist, and Chief of the Section on Developmental Neurogenomics (SDN). His research combines neuroimaging, genomic and bioinformatic techniques to better understand the architecture of human brain development in health, and in neurogenetic disorders that increase risk for psychiatric symptoms. Dr. Raznahan completed his undergraduate and graduate training in London, UK (Medicine and Pediatrics at King’s College University/Hospital; Psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital), and then undertook a postdoctoral fellowship in developmental neuroscience at the NIMH Intramural Research Program. Dr. Raznahan joined the NIH-Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program in 2015 and became a tenured Senior Investigator at the NIMH IRP in 2020. Dr. Raznahan is a member of the UK Royal Colleges of Pediatrics (MRCPCH) and Psychiatry (MRCPsych), and a fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP). He has served as an editor for the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and NeuroImage, and also sat on the ACNP Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, the ACNP Membership Committee, the AXYS (Association for X- and Y-Chromosome Variations) Advisory Committee, the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences Council, and the French Autism and Neuro-Developmental Disorders Scientific Advisory Board. The SDN has been recognized by awards from the NIMH Director (Outstanding Mentorship and Scientific Contributions), ACNP (Eva King-Killam Award for Translational Research) and the American Psychopathological Association (Robins-Guze Award).

Talk summary:

Sex modifies the prevalence, presentation and course of most mental health difficulties. Understand why is essential for health equity, and linked to the controversial, but important question of sex-differences in human brain organization.

Mentorship opportunity: 

Immediately following Dr. Raznahan's presentation, audience members will have the opportunity to hear more about Dr. Raznahan's career. This is an excellent opportunity for trainees to ask questions and learn more about careers in women's health. 

Agenda:

9-9:45 : Speaker presentation

9:45-10:00: Question and answer period

10-10:30: Mentorship session

Register here