2026 Hoag Neuroscience & Integrative Brain Health Summit

Brain health is increasingly recognized as the product of interconnected biologic systems rather than the nervous system alone. Advances in neuroscience are redefining our understanding of neurologic disease by revealing critical interactions between the brain and cardiovascular, immune, endocrine, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and behavioral health systems. Hoag’s 2026 Integrative Brain Health Summit brings together experts from across its institutes to challenge traditional specialty boundaries and explore the future of collaborative, interdisciplinary brain care. Through a series of innovative, thought provoking presentations from leading experts and interactive panel discussions, participants will explore how emerging science, innovative technologies, and cross-disciplinary collaboration are transforming the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and restoration of neurologic disease. From artificial intelligence and precision medicine to biomarkers, neuromodulation, and regenerative therapies, the program highlights the innovations that are redefining lifelong brain health.

Featuring a keynote presentation by Sam Walker, bestselling author of The Captain Class, the groundbreaking book that uncovered the hidden leadership traits behind the 17 greatest dynasties in sports history. His work challenged conventional wisdom about what truly makes legendary teams and the leaders who drive them. Walker has advised Fortune 500 companies, elite military units, nonprofit organizations, Olympic programs, and championship professional sports teams on building cultures of sustained excellence. During a distinguished two-decade career at The Wall Street Journal, Walker held several influential editorial roles and became renowned for his sharp insights and fearless perspective. He has become one of the world’s leading voices on leadership, high performance, and what separates great teams from dynasties.

Valet parking will be provided by the event. Please anticipate possible wait times at the valet. We encourage colleagues to carpool whenever possible.

1. Develop interdisciplinary strategies that bridge traditional specialty boundaries to advance integrated brain health, improve patient outcomes, and accelerate innovation across systems.
2. Recognize how disorders of the gut, heart, immune and endocrine systems, musculoskeletal system, and cancer biology influence brain function and neurologic disease.
3. Evaluate emerging evidence that organ-specific diseases may be driven by dysfunction in interconnected biologic and neural networks.
4. Assess how advances in artificial intelligence, genomics, biomarkers, neuromodulation, and data science are reshaping the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of neurologic disease.
5. Describe how inflammation, metabolism, hormones, vascular health, and the microbiome influence brain aging, resilience, neurodegeneration, and mental health.
6. Apply contemporary concepts of neural circuitry and network dysfunction to better understand chronic pain, cognitive decline, epilepsy, and neurorecovery.
7. Identify opportunities to intervene earlier in the disease process through risk stratification, predictive biomarkers, and precision prevention strategies designed to preserve long-term brain health.
8. Explore next generation therapies designed to restore, regenerate, and optimize nervous system function.

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian designated this Live Activity educational activity for the maximum of 7.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM. Physicians Should claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This credit can apply to the CMA Certification of Continuing Medical Education.

Cancellation Policy

Please send cancellation requests to [email protected] 

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian reserves the right to cancel or postpone this program if necessary; in the event of cancellation, course fees will be fully refunded. We are not responsible for other costs incurred such as non-refundable airline tickets or hotel penalties.

Registration cancellations and refund requests will be accepted up till Friday, October 23, 2026. After which, refunds will not be accepted. 

Accessibility Statement
 
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is committed to ensuring that its programs, services, goods and facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities as specified under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008.  If you have needs that require special accommodations, including dietary concerns, please contact the CME Conference Coordinator.

The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel
21100 Pacific Highway, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Rooms start at $349 + applicable taxes and fees. Rooms are subject to sell out. Room block available through Friday, October 16. 

CLICK HERE TO BOOK 

Book via phone: 1-800-HILTONS

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian adheres to ACCME Criteria, Standards and Policies regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of faculty and their commercial relationships will be made prior to the activity.

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Continuing Medical Education adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

Member Information

Role in activity

Nature of Relationship(s) / Name of Ineligible Company(s)

Lanara Hardy, n/a
Executive Assistant
Hoag Memorial Hospital

Activity Administrator

Adam Kanter, MD, MS, MBA, FAANS
Ron & Sandi Simon Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair
Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute

Course Director, Faculty

Royalties or Patent Beneficiary-Medtronic (Any division)|Royalties or Patent Beneficiary-NuVasive, Inc.|Advisor-Globus|Royalties or Patent Beneficiary-Globus|Royalties or Patent Beneficiary-ZimVie Spine

Aram Asatrian, MD, PhD
Neurologist, Movement Disorders
Hoag Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute

Faculty

Lauren Bennett, PhD, ABPP-CN
Clinical Neuropsychologist
Hoag Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute

Faculty

Membership on Advisory Committees or Review Panels, Board Membership, etc.-Cognivue

Brandon Bentzley, MD, PhD
Psychiatrist
Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer
Magnus Medical

Faculty

Executive-Magnus Health

Mindy K Bixby, DO
Neurologist, Movement Disorders
Hoag Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute

Faculty

Allyson M Brooks, MD
Executive Medical Director, Women's Health
Hoag Hospital

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

David M Brown, MD
Neurologist
Director, Stroke Program
Hoag

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Antonio J Covarrubias, MD
Vascular Surgeon
Hoag

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Stephanie Davis, MD, FACOG, MSCP
OB/GYN
Sexual & Hormonal Health Program Advisor
Hoag

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Christopher M Duma, MD
Neurosurgeon
Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Hoag

Faculty

Christy M. Dunst, MD, FACS, FAFS
Division Chief, Foregut Surgery
Hoag Digestive Health Institute
President - elect,
American Foregut Society
Hoag Digestive Health Institute

Faculty

Charlotte Eaton, PhD
Neuroscientist
Universtiy of California, Irvine

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Zachary Gersey, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Loma Linda University Health

Faculty

Ezequiel Goldschmidt, MD
Neurosurgeon
Surgical Medical Director, Stroke Program
Hoag

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Steven Grossman, MD, PhD
Grace E. Hoag Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair at the Hoag Family Cancer Institute
Hoag

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Nathan Han, MD
Neurosurgeon, Hoag Spine Institute
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of California San Francisco

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Neal Hermanowicz, MD, FAAN
Neurologist, Movement Disorders
Hoag

Faculty

Caroline Hwang, MD
Margolis Family Endowed Chair in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Hoag Digestive Health Institute

Faculty

Yasir Jassam, MD, FRCP, FAAN
Janet Curci Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology
Neurologist, Hoag Specialty Clinic Chief of Neurology
Director, Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Program
Hoag

Faculty

Simon Khagi, MD
Neuro-oncology, Medical Director Hoag Family Cancer Institute
Hoag

Faculty

Kevin Kheder, MD
Interventional Cardiologist
Hoag

Faculty

Richard Lee, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
Hoag Orthopedic Institute

Faculty

Robert G Louis, MD
Empower360 Endowed Chair in Skull Base and Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Program Director, Pituitary & Skull Base Surgery Program Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute
Hoag

Faculty

Tim Lucas, MD, MBA, PhD
Snyder Family Endowed Chair in Restorative Neuroscience
Neurosurgeon, Hoag Speciality Clinic Chief of Neurosurgery
Director, Functional Neurosurgery
Hoag

Faculty

Andrew D Ly, MD
Neurologist
Concussion/Mild TBI Program Director
Hoag

Faculty

Joshua Martin, MD
Neurologist, Epileptologist
Hoag

Faculty

Avinash Mesipam, MD
Interventional Radiologist
Hoag

Faculty

David E Millett, MD
Neurologists
Co-Director, Epilepsy Program
Hoag

Faculty

Catherine B. Ngo, MD
Gastroenterologists
Director, Mobility Program
Hoag Digestive Health Institute

Faculty

Christopher P O'Carroll, MD
Neurologist
Director, Neurobehavioral Medicine
Hoag Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute

Faculty

Bethany O'Connor, MD
Chief Physician and Founder of ReAbility MD
ReAbility MD

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

James D Park, DO
Neurologist
Co-Director, Hoag Epilepsy Program Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute
Hoag

Faculty

Matthew J. Reed, MD, MSPH
Psychiatrist
Inpatient Pain and Outpatient Addiction Services
Hoag

Faculty

Aaron Ritter, MD
Program Director, Memory & Cognitive Disorders Program
Larkin Family Endowed Chair in Integrative Brain Health
Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute

Faculty

Sina M Safahieh, MD
Program Director, ASPIRE and Young Adult Mental Health Program
Hoag

Faculty

Kunal Sinha, MD
Interventional Pain Specialist
Hoag Spine Institute

Faculty

Jeremy S Smith, MD
Orthopedic Spine Surgeon
Division Chief, Spine Surgery
Hoag Orthopedic Institute

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Jack Sun, MD, MS, FRCSC
Cardiovascular Surgeon
Director, Cardiovascular Surgery
Hoag Specialty Clinic

Faculty

Consulting Fee-Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

Hao Tran, MD, FACC, FJFSA
Transplant Cardiologist
Medical Director, Advanced Heart Failure Program
Hoag

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Andrew Vivas, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
University of California, Los Angeles

Faculty

Samuel R Walker
Speaker
Captain Class Inc.

Faculty

Nothing to disclose

Anusha Wijeyakumar, MA, CPC, E-RYT, Dip Mentoring
Wellness Consultant
Hoag

Faculty

Nothing to disclose