Join us on December 5, 2025 when we feature the work of talented early-career investigators Shinnyi (Cindy) Chou, MD, PhD and Daniel Wonjae Chung, MD, PhD as part of our Researchers on the Rise lecture series.
Re-visiting the Cannabinoid Receptor as a Treatment Target for Schizophrenia
Shinnyi Chou, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Dr. Chou earned her MD and a PhD in behavioral neuroscience from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She completed her residency training in psychiatry and a child and adolescent psychiatry clinical fellowship at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH). Dr. Chou then conducted postdoctoral research training as part of the Department’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded Training in Transformative Discovery in Psychiatry T32 training program. Dr. Chou's research focuses on using human postmortem brain tissue and animal models to examine the role of terminal type-specific cannabinoid CB1 receptor alterations in behavioral aberrations relevant to schizophrenia and cannabis use. In addition to her research activities, she is a talented physician providing clinical care in the adult integrated behavioral health in the WPH primary care clinics.
Deciphering Cortical Circuit Abnormalities Underlying Deficits in Visual and Prefrontal Gamma Oscillations in Schizophrenia
Daniel Wonjae Chung, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Dr. Chung earned his MD and his PhD from the University of Pittsburgh and completed his residency training in psychiatry at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH). Dr. Chung then conducted postdoctoral research training as part of the Department’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded Training in Transformative Discovery in Psychiatry T32 training program. Dr. Chung’s research integrates biological and computational studies of neural circuits with the goal of uncovering novel cortical circuit abnormalities in schizophrenia. He also provides clinical care as an attending physician in WPH’s Psychiatric Emergency Intake Services.
Join us in person in the UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital Auditorium or via Zoom using the following information:
Zoom Link: https://pitt.zoom.us/j/99554769570
Passcode: 924844
For More Information. Please contact Shardai Key Ward at keysj4@upmc.edu.
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS. The entirety of this program will be a lecture by the speaker(s). All individuals able to control the content of this educational activity are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any proprietary entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services, used on, or consumed by, patients. Registration is not required for this event. This event is free and there will be no refunds. The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Each physician should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Other health care professionals are awarded .15 continuing education units (CEUs), which are equal to 1.5 contact hours. In accordance with Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education requirements on disclosure, information about relationships of presenters with commercial interests (if any) will be included in materials which will be distributed at the time of the conference. WPH is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. WPH maintains responsibility for this program and its contents. This program is being offered for 1.5 continuing education credits. The indicated number of clock hours of continuing education is provided through UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital’s Office of Educational Resources and Planning, a PA-approved provider of social work continuing education in accordance with all the applicable educational and professional standards of the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapist. These clock hours satisfy requirements for LSW/LCSW, LPC and LMFT renewal. For more information, call (412) 204-9085.
