November 22, 2005

National Institutes of Health leaders to headline Vanderbilt Kennedy Center 40th anniversary symposium

A symposium featuring top federal officials in mental health and human development will cap off a year of anniversary celebrations for the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Human Development.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A symposium featuring top federal officials in mental health and human development will cap off a year of anniversary celebrations for the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Human Development.

The symposium, set for Nov. 30 from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Student Life Center on the Vanderbilt campus, will feature lectures by Dr. Duane Alexander, director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health; and Story C. Landis, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Other speakers include Vanderbilt Chancellor Gordon Gee; Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. Harry Jacobson; Kennedy Center Director Pat Levitt and Associate Director Elisabeth Dykens; Martin E.P. Seligman, University of Pennsylvania; Carla Shatz, Harvard Medical School; and Dr. Fred Volkmar, Yale University.

The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center was one of 13 mental retardation research centers established by President John F. Kennedy in 1965. For the past 40 years, the center has conducted groundbreaking research into developmental disabilities and has used that work to provide services to children and families while training new researchers.

Audio of the Nov. 30 symposium will be available at www.vanderbilt.edu/news beginning Dec. 1.

To reserve a place at the symposium, e-mail mse.events@vanderbilt.edu and type “VKC 1130SLC” in the subject line.

For more information, visit http://kc.vanderbilt.edu. For more Vanderbilt news, visit www.vanderbilt.edu/news.

Media contact: Melanie Moran, (615) 322-NEWS
Melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu