We are gearing up for a year of connection and impact at the NNDC! We hope you'll join us this year for one or more of our planned events, starting with our networking reception at the APA. Registration can be found here!

We also just opened registration for the 17th NNDC Annual Conference in Cincinnati this September 10-11 in collaboration with this year's co-hosts the University of Cincinnati, The Lindner Center of HOPE, and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center!

Thank you for being a valued member and follower of the National Network of Depression Centers. Let's make this month one of growth, resilience, and above all, kindness toward ourselves and one another.

Registration is live for the 2025 NNDC Annual Conference!

2025 NNDC Annual Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio

Who should attend?

This event is open for all clinicians, researchers, educators, staff and individuals certified, involved or interested in mental health. The NNDC plans on at least 7.25 continuing education credits that will be available for physicians, psychologists, social workers and nurses through the ACCME, APA, ASWB, and ANCC boards.

Attendees from NNDC member sites plus those that are interested in NNDC membership are encouraged to register. Colleagues from industry, non-profit, government and general mental health advocate sectors are also encouraged to attend to enjoy learning and collaboration with NNDC members.



Registration Fees

• MEMBERS: $95 for the September 11th NNDC Annual Conference
• NON-MEMBERS: $295 for the September 11th NNDC Annual Conference

Note: If you are attending the free September 10th NNDC Pre-Conference Day which includes NNDC Task Group meetings, several new workshop opportunities, a Board of Directors meeting plus a dinner reception, please select that option on the registration form.

Visit nndc.org/member-sites if you are unsure of your membership status.

Location

The 2025 NNDC Annual Conference in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati, The Lindner Center of HOPE, and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center will be held at The Graduate by Hilton at 151 Goodman St. Cincinnati, Ohio.

Hotel Information

The NNDC Annual Conference currently has a special rate at the following hotel:

• Graduate by Hilton at a rate of USD $169 per night (plus tax)
• Guests can use the link above to make reservations
• Select the dates of your stay + room type

Note: Additional hotel block information is being gathered and we'll have more resources in the coming weeks.

The Conference Program Committee welcomes all conference attendees to submit a poster related to depression and bipolar illnesses.

Posters can be submitted to one of two categories:

1.  Basic Science

All areas of research are welcome, but posters dealing with approaches (both biological and psychosocial) to understanding mood disorders, new or repurposed treatments and technologies, monitoring strategies with the potential to improve patient outcomes, or objective measures like biometrics, neuroimaging, bloodwork, or genetics are encouraged.

2.  Clinical Programs

Unified efforts are the best way to expedite technological innovation, dissemination of new information, and translation of research into clinical practice. Posters in this category might showcase multidisciplinary programs, demonstrate the efficacy of collaborations beyond academic boundaries, or deal with clinical assessments like patient questionnaires, clinical diagnoses, or clinical interviews.

There will be a total of four (4) poster awards given. A “Best Overall” and a “Best Emerging Scholar” poster award will be designated for each category. “Emerging Scholars” are graduate students, fellows, post-doctoral fellows, residents, or early career faculty within 5 years of fellowship or post-graduate appointment at an NNDC Center of Excellence or an NNDC Associate Member institution.

The Conference Program Committee is pleased to offer up to 10 Young Investigator Travel Awards of $1,000 each to eligible conference attendees who present a poster at the NNDC 2025 Annual Conference. This award can be used to cover travel costs associated with attending the conference, including airfare, hotel, ground transportation, parking, and mileage, as appropriate. Awardees still must register for the conference. 

A 1099 form will be issued to all awardees. 

Complete applications must be submitted for consideration by 5:00 pm EST on July 11, 2025.

Indiana University: What's Next for Bipolar Disorder

Medscape | Underfunded, Underdiagnosed, and Misunderstood: What's Next for Bipolar Disorder

It’s not clear whether BD incidence is on the rise, experts said. An analysis published in 2024 in General Psychiatry concluded that the incidence among adolescents and young adults increased from 79.21 per 100,000 in 1990 to 84.97 per 100,000 in 2019.

But Steve Strakowski, MD, professor of psychiatry at Indiana University Indianapolis, is not convinced. BD is a genetic condition, and “it’s hard to imagine that gene prevalence has actually gone up since this has been present the entire course of human history,” he said.

Instead, it’s more likely that clinicians’ ability to identify BD has improved — but only slightly. Diagnosis still lags symptom onset by about 7-10 years, Strakowski said.

“The illness is so dynamic that it can present in a variety of different states and sets of symptoms,” he noted.

Read more here: Medscape

Mayo Clinic: How the News Rewires Your Brain

Constantly tuning into the news can feel stressful, and sometimes… inescapable. Even when you turn off your TV, you’ll still find out what’s going on – online, through friends, or through social media. How can we find ways to be calm when it feels like we’re constantly being bombarded?

On this episode of Health Matters, clinical psychologist Adam S. Anderson talks about how our bodies are wired to seek information, why negative, sensationalist news can feel addictive, and how we can adjust our relationship to the news by implementing healthy habits.

Listen or read here, or on Apple Podcasts

AI Breakthrough at Stanford on Genetic Clues to Psychiatric Disorders

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have developed an AI-based method to identify complex structural variants in the human genome, revealing insights into genetic factors influencing psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The study leveraged whole-genome sequencing data from over 4,000 genomes worldwide, highlighting variants in brain-related genes and regions linked to human evolution. This advanced genetic analysis could improve our understanding of heritable psychiatric conditions, offering a more precise understanding of disease mechanisms and treatment avenues.

Read more in SciTechDaily.

Coming up! Huntsman Mental Health Center Grand Opening

When the doors of the Kem and Carolyn Gardner Crisis Care Center open in March 2025, it will be a welcoming place for all adults. The Center will help individuals de-escalate, stabilize, and connect to community resources catered to their individual mental health needs. The Center will help people facing a psychiatric crisis get on the path to mental wellness by unifying critical crisis services and many community resources in one easy-to-access location. The building design and operations will ensure patients and their families feel welcome, respected, and secure throughout every step of their care.

Learn more here.

WomenWise Research Event: Treating & Preventing Alcohol Misuse in Women

The National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) is working with researchers at Mayo Clinic on a project to involve more women in patient-centered research on alcohol misuse. Studies show that women experience more health problems related to alcohol use than men. Unfortunately, it's often more challenging for women to get treatment and participate in research studies for alcohol misuse. 

The NNDC and Mayo Clinic are hosting a virtual event on Thursday, May 8^th, 2025 from 6:30-8:00pm ET/5:30-7:00pm CT for attendees to learn more and share their perspectives on the following:

• Health and treatment-related disparities in alcohol misuse among women
• Patient-centered comparative effectiveness research
• Perceptions and experiences on how to address treatment barriers
• Perspectives on areas for future research on alcohol misuse in women

Female attendees ages 18+ are welcome to join if they meet any of the following criteria:

• Lived experience with alcohol misuse (past or current)
• Family member of a woman with alcohol misuse
• Healthcare provider or trainee specializing in alcohol misuse

Attendees will receive a $150 prepaid cash card in thanks for their participation. See the attached flyer for more information. If you are interested in participating, please register here. For more information about this project, visit this link.

Registration is open for the 2025 NNDC Reception at APA!

Join us this May for the 2025 NNDC Reception at APA in Los Angeles!

While you’re in town for the APA 2025 Annual Meeting, join us – along with our cohosts

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Johns Hopkins University, Mayo

Clinic and UTHealth Houston – for a cocktail reception from 6:30-9:30 pm PST at

Bonaventure Brewing Co. inside the Westin! It promises to be a fun and valuable

evening of:



• Networking and relationship building opportunities with NNDC Member sites, guests and NNDC staff
• Meeting with industry and biotech partners to discuss clinical trial or study opportunities
• Discussing research, publication, and grant opportunities
• Connecting with peers in an outdoor rooftop setting (indoor option) in LA with cocktails / hors d’oeuvres

Is your organization interested in being a co-host this year for our annual reception at the APA Conference in Los Angeles? Reach out to either Courtney Soule at csoule@nndc.org or Matt Samocki at msamocki@nndc.org and we'll get you more information!

Register for the 2025 NNDC Annual Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio!

You can now register for the event! Follow for more information on our website and keep an eye out for more information in the coming weeks!

Join us for the 2025 Best Practices for Mood Disorders with Mayo Clinic

The National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) Best Practices for Mood Disorders in Collaboration with Mayo Clinic 2025 course is aimed at providing clinically relevant updates for the management of mood disorders and associated comorbidities across the lifespan. Topics include updates and clinical pearls on treatment-resistant depression and bipolar disorder, new and novel treatments for depression, and referral criteria for ketamine, TMS, ECT, and psychedelic therapy.

The NNDC faculty are leaders in the field and active clinicians [psychiatrists, child psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and advanced practice providers (APRN, CNP, DNP, PA-C), informed by new research, and committed to meet the mission of NNDC: to use the power of our network to advance scientific discovery, and to provide stigma-free, evidence-based care to patients with depressive and bipolar illnesses.

Learn more and register here!

Good Life Project | How Wearable Tech & AI Read Your Mind

Good Life Project | How Wearable Tech & AI Read Your Mind (and What to Do About It) with Nita A. Farahany

Brace Yourself for the Decoding of Private Thoughts by Consumer Gadgets - Everyday devices like headphones and watches could soon interpret your brain activity and inner experiences. Nita A. Farahany, author of "The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology," unveils the remarkable potential and alarming risks of this emerging neurotechnology. Get ready to rethink assumptions!

Listen on Apple Podcasts

For a Good Laugh | Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

If a full-belly laugh, or listening to others try to overcome one sounds like it would be good right now, check out the new podcast "Good Hang with Amy Poehler," which just launched this week. There is something special about listening to a group of close friends catch up and share a few laughs that warms our hearts.

Listen on Apple Podcasts