Lunch | Segundo Mesa-Castillo, About the Etiology of Schizophrenia: A View from Cuba
Dr. Mesa-Castillo has been conducting research on schizophrenia for more than 33 years in Cuba, the United States, Spain, Brazil, Venezuela, and Ethiopia. He will provide an overview of his research, which provided the first direct evidence of virus infection in the central nervous system in schizophrenia [Journal of Microbiology Review, 1995] and also advanced the application of electro-microscopy to the study of serious mental illness. Dr. Mesa-Castillo's presentation will address the role of infection and fetal programming in mental illness, as well as the importance of disease prevention through investigation of the prenatal stage of development. Dr. Mesa-Castillo is the recipient of numerous awards, including an International Award from the U.S. Stanley Foundation and a Distinguished Investigator Award from NARSAD.