2026 Mats Sundin Fellowships in Human Developmental Health - Defy Gravity Campaign

By Marianne Russ Sharp(SACRAMENTO) The UC Davis MIND Institute’s popular Distinguished Lecturer Series kicks off this month with a symposium focused on mental health and other challenges commonly experienced in people with autism and other developmental disabilities. The free event, which is open to the public, takes place Oct. 14 from 4 to 6:15 p.m. in the MIND Institute auditorium in Sacramento. It will feature a keynote address on mental health and a panel discussion about anxiety, feeding problems and gastrointestinal issues.

[Chicago, Il - September 28, 2026] The Alzheimer's Association and Special Olympics today announced a new partnership to increase access to brain health education, dementia resources and support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), their families and caregivers. In conjunction with the new partnership, the organizations will collaborate to expand awareness of brain health and dementia, develop accessible educational resources, and strengthen connections between local Alzheimer's Association chapters and Special Olympics Programs. An initial focus of the partnership is adapting the Alzheimer's Association's "10 Healthy Habits for Your Brain" resource into an easy-read format to better serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. "This partnership reflects our commitment to making brain health and dementia resources accessible to all communities. Together with Special Olympics, we can better support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and caregivers with trusted information, education and resources. "

Two UBC Vancouver faculty members, Dr. Patrick Keeling and Dr. Rachel Scholes, have been awarded $1-million Wall Fellowships, the university’s highest-value internal research award. The fellowships will support a deeper exploration of hidden forces shaping human and ecosystem health, from toxic pollutants in urban environments to the largely unexplored microbial networks that sustain our oceans. “The Wall Fellowships are awarded annually to two of UBC’s most outstanding researchers and give them the freedom to pursue ambitious ideas with the potential for lasting impact,” said UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon. “Dr. Keeling and Dr. Scholes exemplify the breadth and ambition of research at UBC, and we are incredibly proud of the work they are leading. We are deeply grateful to Dr. Peter Wall for his transformative generosity and the enduring legacy he established in support of research and discovery at UBC.”