Personalizing depression treatment is focus of UofL lecture

Tailoring treatments for people with bipolar and depressive illnesses and the need to forgo a one-size-fits-all approach is the focus of the “Building Hope” public lecture on Thursday, Nov. 9.

John F. Greden, MD, Rachel Upjohn Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences and executive director of the University of Michigan Depression Center, will present “Depression 2017: Finding the Best Treatment for Each Person.” The event is part of the “Building Hope” public lecture series sponsored by the University of Louisville Depression Center and will be held at 6 p.m. at the Clifton Center, 2117 Payne St.

“Personalized medicine is an overused but essential concept,” Greden said. “The right treatment for the right person at the right time is the only way to attain and maintain wellness for most of those struggling with depressive and bipolar illnesses.”

The lecture kicks off the Depression Center’s 11th annual conference at the Clifton Center on Friday, Nov. 10, that will focus on advancements in the treatment of mood and personality disorders.

Conference sessions are geared toward psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurse practitioners, primary care physicians and other mental health clinicians. Focusing on some of the most promising developments in biological psychiatry and psychotherapy, participants will learn about advanced methods for challenging clinical problems.

Keynote speakers include Greden, Kate Comtois, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington and director of the dialectical behavior therapy program at Harborview Mental Health Services in Seattle, and G. Randolph Schrodt, MD, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at UofL and managing partner and principal investigator for transcranial magnetic stimulation research at Integrative Psychiatry in Louisville.

Continuing education credits are available for attendees.

Attendance is free for UofL physicians, nurses, faculty members, students, residents and fellows. Registration for other health care professionals costs $100. Register online. For more information, call 502-588-4886 or visit the website.

The conference is supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Norton Healthcare, Centerstone, Passport Health Plan and The Brook Hospitals.