To what extent is genius and mental illness such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia related? To what extent do genetics and environment influence genius and mental illness? Do we as a society overestimate and overemphasize the value of intelligence? This talk explores the age-old notion that «genius» and «madness» are related. With the explosion of scientific knowledge on the brain in the last decade, this talk explores the extent to which we currently understand the biological basis of creativity, intelligence, and mental illness.

Dr. Lamont Tang graduated from Stanford University and received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Brandeis University while training under Professor Eve Marder, past President of the Society of Neuroscience. He then continued his post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco with Graeme Davis. Lamont has published in top neuroscience and biology journals and his research interests include genetics, genomics, physiology, and theoretical neuroscience. Outside of academia, Lamont is an accomplished musician, having studied under Carol Sindell and Dorothy Delay--one of the worlds most renowned violin teachers. Lamont has performed as a soloist with prominent orchestras such as the Oregon Symphony and has also performed in masterclasses with musicians such as Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukeman, Cho-Liang Lin and Glen Dicterow.

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