Vanderbilt Kennedy Center

02/25/2026

TOMORROW AT NOON!

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Lecture on Development and Developmental Disabilities: Menstrual Cycle Hormone Sensitivity in Neurodevelopmental and Mood Disorders: Implications for ADHD, Autism, and Adolescent Su***de Risk
Thursday, February 26, 12-1 p.m. CT
Room 241, VKC/One Magnolia Circle Building and online. Lunch will be offered in-person on a first come, first served basis.

For many girls with ADHD, depression, or autism, the menstrual cycle acts as a "symptom amplifier" that worsens symptoms and reduces quality of life. This session will review the emerging science of "hormone-sensitivity," highlighting how shifting our focus to specific hormonal triggers can transform our approach to su***de prevention and personalized care for girls with psychiatric disorders.

Presented by Tory Eisenlohr-Moul, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology; Associate Director of Translational Research in Women’s Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine

02/24/2026

From the latest issue of VKC Notables: Students who are deafblind vary widely in their abilities, their level of disability, and their support needs, and they often present unique challenges in how teachers can best tailor supports and modifications to enhance the students’ success at school.

A team led by Rachel Schles, Ph.D., an assistant professor of the practice in Special Education and a Vanderbilt Kennedy Center member, wrote an article entitled “Improving Access for Students Who Are Deaf-Blind Through Collaboration.” The manuscript encourages classroom teachers and related service providers to work closely with other teachers and professionals with expertise in deafness/hard of hearing and low vision/blindness education.

Not subscribed to Notables yet? Visit https://vkc.vumc.org/subscribe/ to sign up!

ARTICLE LINK: https://notables.vkcsites.org/2026/02/team-offers-strategies-to-improve-collaboration-among-educators-of-students-with-deafblindness/

Students who are deafblind vary widely in their abilities, their level of disability, and their support needs, and they often present unique challenges in how teachers can best tailor supports and modifications to enhance the students’...Read more

02/23/2026

IN ONE WEEK!

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Lecture on Development and Developmental Disabilities: Neurobehavioral Pathways and the Emergence of Autism in Infancy
Monday, March 2, 12-1 p.m. CT

Room 241, VKC/One Magnolia Circle Building and online. Lunch will be offered in-person on a first come, first served basis.

Autism is increasingly understood as a neurodevelopmental condition that unfolds through dynamic interactions among early-developing biological and behavioral systems. Drawing on prospective longitudinal studies of infants at elevated likelihood for autism, this lecture will examine how neurobehavioral pathways, including attention, autonomic regulation, and motor development, interact during infancy to shape later autism-related outcomes, with implications for early identification and supports.

Presented by Jessica Bradshaw, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology, University of South Carolina

02/23/2026

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Vanderbilt University College of Connected Computing AI DAYS
March 4-5

AI Days 2026 is happening March 4–5 at the Holiday Inn Vanderbilt. Two days of workshops, research, and hands-on sessions focused on applying generative AI and agents to academic and scholarly work. Open to students, faculty, staff, and industry partners. Come with Ideas. Leave with S

🔗 Register here: bit.ly/ai-days-2026

02/19/2026

From the latest issue of VKC Notables: A new five-year project led by Elizabeth Biggs, Ph.D., assistant professor of special education and a Vanderbilt Kennedy Center member, is taking on a long-standing gap in early education for children with disabilities who are nonspeaking or have very limited speech.

Not subscribed to Notables yet? Visit https://vkc.vumc.org/subscribe/ to sign up!

ARTICLE LINK: https://notables.vkcsites.org/2026/02/paths-to-reading-expanding-the-world-of-literacy-for-children-who-use-aac/

A new five-year project led by Elizabeth Biggs, Ph.D., assistant professor of special education and a Vanderbilt Kennedy Center member, is taking on a long-standing gap in early education for children with disabilities who are nonspeaking...Read more

02/17/2026

From the latest issue of VKC Notables: Since 1976, researchers have been investigating a brain system called the kappa opioid receptor system (KOR). It has been linked to how we experience stress, pain, learning, motivation, and drug use. A long‑standing belief in neuroscience has been that this system primarily generates negative feelings such as emotional discomfort, stress, and aversion, and that blocking it might relieve depression or addiction.

Now, a National Institutes of Health funded review* by Vanderbilt Kennedy Center investigator Cody Siciliano, Ph.D., an assistant professor of pharmacology, and his colleague Zahra Farahbakhsh, a graduate student in neuroscience, have taken a fresh look at decades of research and argue that this popular view is too simple. By carefully reexamining both classic and modern studies, they show that the KOR system behaves in far more complex and sometimes surprising ways.

Not subscribed to Notables yet? Visit https://vkc.vumc.org/subscribe/ to sign up!

ARTICLE LINK: https://notables.vkcsites.org/2026/02/a-new-look-at-a-brain-system-that-shapes-motivation-stress-and-mood/

Since 1976, researchers have been investigating a brain system called the kappa opioid receptor system (KOR). It has been linked to how we experience stress, pain, learning, motivation, and drug use. A long‑standing belief in neuroscience...Read more

02/16/2026

Metro Nashville Public Schools leaders like Debra McAdams, executive director of Exceptional Education, work behind the scenes reimagining and updating systems and practices to improve the educational experiences and lives of students. The work McAdams has done for Nashville’s students and schools is featured in EdWeek's “Leader to Learn From” feature.

"The transformation—part of a broader, multipronged effort to improve education in the 81,000-student Nashville district—required strategic planning, coalition-building, and deep trust-building from McAdams and her team. But the results were measurable: Before the work began in the 2008-2009 school year, about 36% of Nashville students with disabilities spent more than 80% of their time in general education classrooms, a federal metric used to define the least restrictive environment. By the 2023-24 school year, that number had climbed to 76%."

Nashville overhauled special education to prioritize inclusion, and changed school culture.

02/13/2026

The American Psychological Association has awarded Velma McBride Murry, PhD, University Distinguished Professor of Health Policy and Human and Organizational Development at Vanderbilt University, with the Distinguished Scientific Award for the Applications of Psychology, recognizing her career of “exemplary integration of science and practice, reinforcing the value of psychology in addressing societal needs.”

Murry, who holds the Lois Autrey Betts Chair in Education and Human Development, has for years studied societal and economic factors in communities that have structural barriers to care and wellbeing. Her research is the undercarriage for evidence-based interventions that have benefited the differences in outcomes and improved the wellbeing of those populations.

The American Psychological Association has honored Velma McBride Murry for "reinforcing the value of psychology in addressing societal needs.”

02/12/2026

Disability Day on the Hill 2026 registration is open! DDH is our chance as the Tennessee disability community to unite, share our stories, and meet with lawmakers about the issues that matter to our community. We hope to see you there! You can RSVP and learn more about DDH 2026 events at this link: https://tinyurl.com/3u334khw

02/12/2026

Black history includes the stories and leadership of Black disability advocates who shaped lasting change.

Many Black disabled leaders have pushed for stronger protections in schools, better access to care, safer communities, and fair treatment across systems that affect daily life.
Disability Rights Florida recently highlighted 17 Black disability advocates whose work continues to influence families today. Their contributions remind us how important it is to recognize the full story, past and present.

🖤 Honoring Black history means honoring every part of it, including disability.
https://ow.ly/TRmZ50YcszL

02/11/2026

RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS NEEDED!

People with Down syndrome have a significantly increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The disease can have a devastating impact on quality of life, beginning with memory loss and difficulties with thinking that worsens over time.

Researchers at the Vanderbilt Center for Cognitive Medicine (CCM) are currently enrolling participants in the ABATE study, a clinical trial evaluating an investigational treatment designed to slow or potentially prevent Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome.

To be eligible, participants must:
• Have a diagnosis of Down syndrome
• Be 35 to 50 years old
• Have a caregiver or study partner who can attend study visits and help monitor symptoms and side effects between visits.

If enrolled, participants will be in the study for approximately 2 years. During that time, they will come to the study clinic for about 19 visits.

All study related visits, tests, and the study drug will be provided at no cost. In addition, reimbursement for study-related time and travel will be provided.

If you or someone you know may be interested in learning more about this trial, please contact:

blake.wilson@vumc.org | 615.936.4997

02/10/2026

YOUR FEEDBACK NEEDED!

The window for PUBLIC COMMENT is now open on the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities Draft 2026–2031 State Plan (FY27–31).

Over the past 18 months, our state’s Developmental Disabilities Network reviewed Tennessee’s disability services and gathered input from nearly 1,500 people across the state. Now we’re asking for your feedback on the draft plan that will guide our work from 2027–2031.

DEADLINE: February 15, 2026

REVIEW THE DRAFT AND SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT HERE: https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/forms/tncdd_state_plan_public_comment

Prefer Spanish? Enviar comentarios públicos en Español:
https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/forms/tncdd_state_plan_public_comment_spanish