UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health Logo
April 30, 2025

Metabolic Psychiatry: From Treatment to Prevention

This event brings together investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, clinicians, and patients to explore the transformative connections between metabolic health and mental well-being. This event will feature insights into the science of metabolic psychiatry and neural mechanisms, lived experiences, clinical opportunities to improve mental health through metabolic disease treatment, and the barriers and incentives for payers. Together, we’ll uncover strategies to shift from reactive treatment to proactive prevention in this emerging field.

UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and HealthCornucopian Capital Logo

Wednesday, April 30
1:30 PM
Welcome and Introduction
  • Aryeh Ganz, Founder & Managing Partner, Cornucopian Capital
  • Kirk Nylen, Managing Director Neuroscience, Baszucki Group
1:35 PM
Panel Introduction
  • Julie Milder, Director, Neuroscience, Baszucki Group
1:40 PM
The science of metabolic psychiatry and therapeutic potential

Metabolic psychiatry and neural mechanisms:

  • Dominic D’Agostino, Research Scientist, Institute of Human and Machine Cognition, University of South Florida

Clinical research inspired through lived experience:

  • Iain Campbell, Baszucki Research Fellow in Metabolic Psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh

Ketogenic diet and memory loss:

  • Gino Cortopassi, Professor, Molecular Biosciences, UC Davis
2:15 PM
Panel Discussion with Audience Q &A

Moderator: Antonio Paoli, Professor of Exercise and Sport Sciences at the Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova. Professor and Chair of Strength Training and Sport Nutrition at the University UCAM (Murcia, Spain).

2:30 PM
Practitioners and Payors

Clinical opportunities for treatment of metabolic disease and links to better mental health:

  • Mariela Glandt, CEO and Co-Founder of Owna Health; Endocrinologist

Barriers and incentives for payors:

  • Deb Adler, CEO, Navigator Healthcare
2:50 PM
Panel Discussion with Audience Q &A

Moderator: Giovanni Battistini, CEO and Founder, Phenotap

3:05 PM
Keynote Speaker:

Bi-directional relationship between metabolism and mental health:

  • Gary Taubes, American journalist, author of:
    • Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It (2010)
    • The Case Against Sugar (2016)
    • The Case for Keto: Rethinking Weight Control and the Science and Practice of Low-Carb/High-Fat Eating (2020)
3:40 PM
Audience Q&A - Julie Milder
4:00 PM
Closing Remarks
4:10 PM
Refreshments and Networking
IIFH Involvement