Friday, October 3 - Saturday, October 4, 2025
Mack Auditorium at Renown Health | Reno, Nevada
Please contact Johanna Bell for questions at bellj@med.unr.edu.
Sponsored by: UNR Med and Renown Health
3rd Annual Neuroscience Symposium: Advances in Neuroinflammatory and Neurodegenerative Diseases
Overview
Renown Health is proud to announce the Renown Annual Neuroscience Symposium at Renown Regional Medical Center. The conference will be held virtually and in person on October 3 and October 4th, 2025. This two-day course will focus on Advances in Neuroinflammatory and Neurodegenerative Diseases and include topics on Alzheimer's disease management, Neurosurgical interventions in neurodegenerative diseases, biomarkers for Parkinsons, lifestyle modifications in MS, Doctor's with Dementia, Demyelinating Neuropathies, and Emerging therapies for Alzheimer's.
Who Should Attend
The conference is open to all clinicians, medical and nursing students, researchers, and community partners.
CME will be awarded to Physicians, Pharmacists, and Nurses.
Registration
This is an in-person CME event also offered virtually
Early registration (on or before September 12, 2025)
Early Bird Physician Fee: $175
Pharmacist Fee: $150
Nurse Fee: $150
Late registration (After September 13, 2025)
Physician Fee: $225
Pharmacist Fee: $150
Nurse Fee: $150
Single Day Registration
Physician: $112.50
Pharmacist: $75
Nurse: $75
Registration closes September 19, 2025. After September 20, 2025, please contact Johanna Bell at bellj@med.unr.edu to inquire if late registration opportunities are available.
Discounted registration is available for Medical Students and Residents. For information, please call (775) 784-1451 or bellj@med.unr.edu.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations received by September 22, 2025 will receive a full refund less a $20 cancellation fee. Cancellations after September 23, 2025 are non-refundable.
Program Support
This program is supported by Renown Health.
The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of Renown Health.
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 7:30 - 8:00 a.m. | Registration/Breakfast |
| 8:00 - 8:10 a.m. | Introduction |
| 8:10 - 9:10 a.m. | Can Lifestyle Changes Improve Cognition and Function in Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease? Dean Ornish, M.D. |
| 9:10 - 10:00 a.m. | Neurosurgical Interventions for Neuro Degenerative Diseases Angelique Tay, M.D. |
| 10:00 - 10:15 a.m. | Break |
| 10:15 - 11:05 a.m. | Biomarkers for Parkinsons Danny Truong, D.O. |
| 11:05 - 12:00 p.m. | Lifestyle Modifications in MS Danilo Vitorovic, M.D. |
| 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1:00 - 1:50 p.m. | Doctor - Do I have Alzheimer's or Dementia? The Evaluation of Patients with Cognitive Impairment(s) and Dementia. Jon Artz, M.D. |
| 1:50 - 2:50 p.m. |
Doctors with Dementia: Flipping the Script Video and Panel Discussion with retired physicians living with dementia moderated by Brenda Roberts, Executive Director, National Council of Dementia Minds |
| 2:50 - 3:00 p.m. |
Break |
| 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. |
Community-Based Support for People Living with Cognitive Changes and Family Care Partners Jennifer Carson, Ph.D. and DEER (Dementia, Engagement, Education and Research) Program |
| 3:45 - 4:30 p.m. |
Poster Presentations |
| 4:30 - 4:55 p.m. |
Poster Awards |
| 4:55 - 5:00 p.m. |
Closing Remarks Jon Artz, M.D. |
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. | Check-In/Breakfast and Opening Remarks |
| 8:10 - 9:10 a.m. | Innovative Therapies for Type 1 Peripheral Neuropathies Lucia Notterpek, Ph.D. |
| 9:10 - 10:00 a.m. | Mitochondrial Function and Oxidative Stress in Parkinson’s Disease and Emerging Therapeutics Ruben Dagda, Ph.D. |
| 10:15 - 11:05 a.m. | Clinical Research at UNR/RENOWN in the Neurosciences Kristen Gurnea, MPH, CCRC, ACRP-PM, Renown Health Clinical Research Studies presented by Jon Artz M.D. and Melissa Bloch M.D. |
| 11:05 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Emerging Pharmacological Therapies for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease Hannah Thomas, PharmD, BCPS |
| 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1:00 - 1:50 p.m. | Common and Uncommon Clinical Presentations in Adult-Onset Neurodegenerative Diseases Austin Simpson, PhD, Davor Zink, PhD, Lauren Schwarz, Ph.D. |
| 1:50 - 2:40 p.m. | Case Studies and MRI in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Demyelinative Disorders Karthik Raghuram, M.D. |
| 2:40 - 2:55 p.m. | Break |
| 2:55 - 3:45 p.m. | Inflammatory Optic Neuropathies Meari Taguchi, M.D. |
| 3:45 - 4:35 p.m. | Updates in Multiple Sclerosis Lee Gerwitz, M.D. |
| 4:35 - 4:55 p.m. | Neuro Bowl Jon Artz, M.D. |
| 4:55 - 5:00 p.m. | Closing Remarks Benjamin (Tim) Pence, D.O. |
Learning Objectives
Following participation in this course, participants should be able to:
- Outline lifestyle changes that can affect mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer's.
- Recognize different surgical treatment opportunities that are available to this patient population within our community.
- Discuss the evaluation paradigm for cognitively impaired patients and the diagnostic tools available to stratify patients who may have neurodegenerative brain diseases.
- Outline the effects of lifestyle modifications in multiple sclerosis
- Be able to discuss the new diagnostic biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease.
- Understand the effects of dementia on quality of life
- Describe the resources available to our Dementia patients within northern Nevada.
- Explain the new innovative therapies for Type 1 peripheral neuropathies
- Identify current research studies in neurosciences at Renown.
- Discuss new pharmacologic therapies for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
- Recognize signs of neurodegenerative disease on MRI
- Describe updates in MS
Gold: $5,000
- Two display tables
- Complimentary registration for up to 4 people
- Networking during breakfast, lunch, and two breaks
- Recognition on welcome PowerPoint, no logos on an individual slide
- Verbal thank you during the welcoming remarks
Silver: $2,500
- One display table
- Complementary registration for two people
- Networking during Breakfast, lunch and two breaks
- Recognition on welcome PowerPoint, no logos with other Silver level supposters
Bronze: $1,500
- One display table
- Complementary registration for one person
- Networking during Breakfast, lunch and two breaks
- Recognition on welcome PowerPoint, no logos with other Bronze level supporters
Thank you, 2025 exhibitors!
All exhibitor opportunities have been claimed for this year's event. September 20, 2025. For additional information, please contact Johanna Bell bellj@med.unr.edu or call 775-784-1983.
The Renown Annual Neuroscience Symposium invites you to submit your abstract for consideration. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your research during the in-person poster presentation on Saturday, October 3, 2025, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at Renown Mack Auditorium.
For further information, please contact UNR Assistant Professor Physiology and Cell Biology via email albertgonzales@med.unr.edu
As an accredited provider of continuing medical education through the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine must ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all its educational activities. In order to assure that information is presented in a scientific and objective manner, The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine requires that anyone in a position to control or influence the content of an accredited activity disclose all financial relationships within the prior 24 months with any commercial or proprietary entity producing health care goods or services relevant to the content being planned or presented. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated. Following are those disclosures.
All other presenters, planners or anyone in a position to control the content of this continuing medical education activity have indicated that neither they nor their spouse/legally recognized domestic partner has any financial relationships with commercial interests related to the content of this activity.
CME Accreditation and Designation
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Renown Health. The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education to physicians.
Continuing Medical Education Credit
The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 13.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine approves this program for 13.50 hours of nursing continuing education credit. Nevada State Board of Nursing provider number 120894-1.