Board on Health Sciences Policy

Workshop

Unraveling the Neurobiology of Empathy and Compassion: Implications for Treatments for Brain Disorders and Human Well-Being: A Workshop

May 19 - 21, 2025

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

About

Virtual Workshop Details

Day 1 - May 19, 2025, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm ET
Day 2 - May 21, 2025, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm ET

Workshop Objectives

A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a 2-day public virtual workshop that brought together leaders and experts across disciplines and sectors to explore the neurobiology of empathy and compassion and potential implications for treatments for brain disorders and other real-world applications.
Invited presentations and discussions:

Considered the various definitions and measurements of empathy and compassion across fields.
Examined evidence on the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of empathy and compassion, their evolutionary origin, and their role in brain functionality, including in some cases of brain disorders.
Explored how factors such as genetics, environment, social interactions, and psychological states influence the development and expression of empathy and compassion.
Discussed how different treatments (e.g., behavioral and pharmacological) for brain disorders affect empathy and compassion.
Considered how understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of empathy and compassion may be applied in other domains such as healthy workforce practices and to foster human well-being.

A planning committee developed the agenda for the workshop, selected and invited speakers and discussants, and moderate the discussions. Following the workshop, a proceedings of the presentations and discussions will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.

Organizing Project

Unraveling the Neurobiology of Empathy and Compassion: Implications for Treatments for Brain Disorders and Human Well-Being: A Workshop

Contact

Sheena Posey Norris

sposey@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Forum on Traumatic Brain Injury: Spring 2025 Business Meeting

May 12, 2025

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This will be a virtual membership meeting of the Forum on Traumatic Brain Injury.

Organizing Project

Forum on Traumatic Brain Injury

Contact

Katie Bowman

kbowman@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Webinar

Charting a Path Toward New Treatments for Lyme Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses - Report Launch Webinar

May 9, 2025

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)

Past

Discussion

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About

Please join us for a webinar to learn about this new National Academies’ report on Friday, May 9, 2025. Members of the report authoring committee will discuss its key messages and recommendations and will answer questions from the audience about the report.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Not Closed

Organizing Project

The Evidence Base for Lyme Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses Treatment

Contact

Contact us

LymeStudy@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Webcast

Newborn Screening: Current Landscape and Future Directions: Report Release Webinar

May 1, 2025

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

The National Academies report "Newborn Screening in the United States: A Vision for Sustaining and Advancing Excellence" will be released to the public on May 1, 2025.

For over 60 years, public health newborn screening programs have served families in the United States by identifying babies at risk of serious but treatable conditions and connecting them to clinical care. Today, more than 98% of infants receive dried blood spot screening, which entails collecting a few drops of blood during the first days of life, applying them to a paper card, and sending the card to a lab to be tested for markers of specific health conditions. The public health impacts of newborn screening are vast, with over 7,000 infants identified annually for timely interventions. Despite these achievements, challenges in implementing newborn screening programs persist.

In response to a congressional request, the Office on Women’s Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asked the National Academies to convene an ad hoc committee of subject matter experts to examine the current landscape of newborn screening in the United States, recommend options to strengthen this public health service, and establish a vision for the future. Supplementary funding was provided by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to enable additional public engagement. The resulting report provides actionable recommendations for navigating the path ahead while preserving and enhancing what is already considered a valuable and effective public health achievement.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Not Closed

Organizing Project

Newborn Screening: Current Landscape and Future Directions

Contact

Emily Packard Dawson

epdawson@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Newborn Screening: Current Landscape and Future Directions Report Release Preparation

April 25, 2025

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (ET)

Past

About

The committee met to prepare for report release and dissemination activities.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Jewel Mullen
Don Bailey
Mei Baker
Wendy Chung
Titilope Fasipe
Amanda Ingram
Jose Pagan
Scott Shone
Kayte Spector-Bagdady

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The committee discussed preparations for report release.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

Briefing slides; briefing talking points.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

May 05, 2025

Organizing Project

Newborn Screening: Current Landscape and Future Directions

Contact

Gayatri Somaiya

gsomaiya@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Exploring Risks of Repeated Head Impacts in Youth and Strategies to Minimize Exposure: A Workshop

April 15 - 16, 2025

Past

Materials

Speaker Bios

About

This public workshop explored the state of knowledge on the risks of repeated head impacts among people ages 17 and under (impacts that may lead to pathophysiological changes in the brain but may not result in a diagnosed concussion). Sessions examined what is known and unknown about the risks of repeated head impact exposure among youth, considered evidence for strategies to minimize exposure, and discussed knowledge gaps and needs. The workshop was organized under a contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that ended in May 2025; publication of the proceedings providing a factual summary of workshop presentations and discussions is suppported by pooled funding from the ongoing Forum on Traumatic Brain Injury.

Watch the workshop recordings below.

Organizing Project

Exploring Risks of Repeated Head Impacts in Youth and Strategies to Minimize Exposure: A Workshop

Contact

Katherine Bowman

kbowman@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Webinar

Microplastics and Health Webinar Series: Webinar 3 - The Potential Hazards to Human Health and The Environment from Microplastics and the Complexity of Assessing Risks

April 10, 2025

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

About

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Environmental Health Matters Initiative organized a webinar series to explore human exposure to and related health effects of microplastics in the environment.

The third webinar in the series aimed to inform the public and the scientific research community about the potential hazards associated with microplastics, drawing on documented studies and scientific evidence. It explored the harmful characteristics that researchers and stakeholders may consider in future studies.

Additionally, speakers discussed established methodologies for risk assessment while examining the complexities, uncertainties, and challenges involved in evaluating risks. This webinar aimed to lay a foundation for the development of a comprehensive and standardized framework for assessing microplastic-related risks, which can inform research priorities and downstream decision-making.
The webinar featured presentations from Todd Gouin (TG Environmental Research), Philip Landrigan (Boston College), and Stephanie Wright (Imperial College London), followed by a multisectoral panel discussion between the speakers and Valerie Hanley (California Department of Toxic Substances Control).

PAST WEBINARS - The webinar series: Exploring Exposure and Related Health Effects ran between February and June 2025.

Webinar #1: Methodologies for appropriate and improved sampling, analysis, characterization, monitoring, and reporting of microplastics. Date: February 27
Webinar #2: The Distribution of Microplastics in the Environment and Human Exposure Pathways. Date: March 20

Please submit your feedback using this post event questionnaire, we'd love to hear from you!

Organizing Project

Microplastics Webinar Series: Exploring exposure and related health effects

Contact

EHMI Staff

ehmi@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Roundtable on Genomics and Precision Health - April 2025 Meeting

April 2 - 3, 2025

Past

About

The April 2025 meeting of the members of the Roundtable on Genomics and Precision Health included member updates and addresses, a discussion on prenatal genetics, a session on returning variants of uncertain significance, an overview of other National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine work of interest, and future planning.

Organizing Project

Roundtable on Genomics and Precision Health

Contact

Sarah Beachy

(202) 334-2217
genomics@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation: Meeting 60

March 25 - 26, 2025

Past

About

This is the March 2025 membership meeting of the Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation.

Organizing Project

Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation

Contact

Forum Staff

drugforum@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders Spring 2025 Membership Meeting

March 24, 2025

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This is the Spring 2025 Membership Meeting of the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders. Members will receive an update on current activities, discuss emerging topics, and plan for future events.

Organizing Project

Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders

Contact

Contact us

neuroforum@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Webinar

Microplastics and Health Webinar Series: Webinar 2 – Distribution of Microplastics in the Environment and Human Exposure Pathways

March 20, 2025

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

About

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Environmental Health Matters Initiative organized a webinar series to explore human exposure to and related health effects of microplastics in the environment.

The second webinar of the Microplastics & Health webinar series aimed to promote awareness and provide a standard baseline understanding of microplastics' distribution in the environment and the most prevalent sources or hotspots of human exposure. Specifically, speakers and panelists highlighted the major exposure pathways (e.g., inhalation, ingestion, dermal contact) and identified which pathways pose the highest risk to human health. The goal was to bridge scientific findings with policy and regulatory frameworks by identifying data gaps, research priorities, and regulatory strategies that can mitigate microplastic exposure and inform downstream decision-making.

The webinar featured presentations from Bart Koelmans (Wageningen University) and Tracey Woodruff (University of California, San Francisco) followed by a multisectoral panel discussion between the speakers and Matthew MacLeod (Stockholm University) and Jane Muncke (Food Packaging Forum).

PAST WEBINARS - The webinar series: Exploring Exposure and Related Health Effects ran between February and June 2025.

Webinar #1: Methodologies for appropriate and improved sampling, analysis, characterization, monitoring, and reporting of microplastics. Date: February 27
Webinar #3: The Potential Hazards to Human Health and The Environment from Microplastics and the Complexity of Assessing Risks. Date: April 10

Please submit your feedback using this post event questionnaire, we'd love to hear from you!

Organizing Project

Microplastics Webinar Series: Exploring exposure and related health effects

Contact

EHMI Staff

ehmi@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Newborn Screening: Current Landscape and Future Directions: Response to Review Meeting no. 3

March 12, 2025

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM (ET)

Past

About

The committee met to discuss possible report revisions and finalizations for the report response to review.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Donald Bailey
Mei Baker
Jewel Mullen
Jose Pagan
Kayte Spector-Bagdady
Scott Shone
Wendy Chung
Jochen Profit
Amanda Ingram
Titilope Fasipe
Faith Fletcher
Beth Tarini

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The committee discussed and came to a consensus on the final version of the report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

N/A

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

March 19, 2025

Organizing Project

Newborn Screening: Current Landscape and Future Directions

Contact

Gayatri Somaiya

gsomaiya@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

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My Academies

Board on Health Sciences Policy

Unraveling the Neurobiology of Empathy and Compassion: Implications for Treatments for Brain Disorders and Human Well-Being: A Workshop

Forum on Traumatic Brain Injury: Spring 2025 Business Meeting

Charting a Path Toward New Treatments for Lyme Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses - Report Launch Webinar

Newborn Screening: Current Landscape and Future Directions: Report Release Webinar

Newborn Screening: Current Landscape and Future Directions Report Release Preparation

Exploring Risks of Repeated Head Impacts in Youth and Strategies to Minimize Exposure: A Workshop

Microplastics and Health Webinar Series: Webinar 3 - The Potential Hazards to Human Health and The Environment from Microplastics and the Complexity of Assessing Risks

Roundtable on Genomics and Precision Health - April 2025 Meeting

Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation: Meeting 60

Applying Neurobiological Insights on Stress to Foster Resilience Across the Lifespan: A Workshop

Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders Spring 2025 Membership Meeting

Microplastics and Health Webinar Series: Webinar 2 – Distribution of Microplastics in the Environment and Human Exposure Pathways

Addressing the Impact of Tobacco and Alcohol Use on Cancer-Related Health Outcomes: A Workshop

Newborn Screening: Current Landscape and Future Directions: Response to Review Meeting no. 3

Examining Traumatic Brain Injury as a Chronic Condition: A Workshop