2025 BHBS Schedule

The 2025 symposium will take place on Tuesday, October 7th and Wednesday, October 8th. We will also offer an optional regional berry tour on Thursday, October 9th. This published schedule is subject to change and will be updated.

2025 bhbs berries symposium sidebar all berries wide

Session Chairs

Berries & Gut Health: Dr. Jess Reed, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Berries & Cognition: Dr. Barbara Shukitt-Hale, USDA-ARS / Tufts University

Berry Special Topics: Dr. Mary Ann Lila, North Carolina State University

Berries & Cardiometabolic Health: Dr. Britt Burton-Freeman, Illinois Institute of Technology


Monday, October 6th

2:00pm – 5:00pm | Registration Open


Tuesday, October 7th

8:00am | Opening Remarks – Chris Christian, California Strawberry Commission

8:15am – 9:00am | Keynote Talk: Dr. Johanna Lampe, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center: Diet and the Gut Microbiome: Whose diet is it?


Berries & Gut Health Session

9:00am – 9:15am | Session Chair Welcome, Dr. Jess Reed, University of Wisconsin-Madison

9:15am – 9:40am | Dr. Susanne Talcott, Texas A&M University: Cranberry Polyphenols in Cold and Flu

9:40am – 10:05am | Dr. Minghua Tang, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University: The Effect of Blueberry as a First Food in Infant Gut Microbiota and Immunity Development

10:05am – 10:25am | Break

10:25am – 10:45am | Dr. Bradley Bolling, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Food Science: Aronia Berry: More than the Sum of its Parts for Gut Health

10:45am – 11:15am | Berries & Gut Health Panel Discussion with Dr. Jess Reed, Dr. Susanne Talcott, Dr. Minghua Tang and Dr. Bradley Bolling


11:15am – 12:00pm | Berry Seminar Session

12:00pm – 1:45pm | Lunch Break


Cognition & Cardiometabolic Gut Health Connection Session

1:45pm – 2:00pm | Session Chair Welcome, Dr. Britt Burton-Freeman, Illinois Institute of Technology

2:00pm – 2:25pm | Dr. Christine Bösch, University of Leeds: Effects of Wild Blueberry on Obesity – A Pilot Dose-Response Study Targeting Starch Digestion and Satiety Through Activation of Gut-Brain Axis

2:25pm – 2:50pm | Di Xiao, Illinois Institute of Technology: Changes in Cognitive Performance, Gut Microbiome and Metabolism Following Strawberry Supplementation in At-Risk Middle-Aged Individuals

2:50pm – 3:15pm | Dr. Chin-Kun Wang, Chung Shan Medical University: The Improvement of Black Raspberry and Wild Blueberries on Neurodegeneration and Dementia – A Clinical Trial

3:15pm – 3:40pm | Dr. Ana Maria Rodriguez-Mateos, King’s College London: Role of Gut Microbial Metabolism on the Health Benefits of Berries

3:40pm – 4:10pm | Cognition & Cardiometabolic Gut Health Connection Panel Discussion with Dr. Britt Burton Freeman, Dr. Chin-Kun Wang, Di Xiao, Dr. Christine Bösch and Dr. Ana Maria Rodriguez-Mateos


4:30pm – 5:30pm | Poster Presentation Reception


2025 bhbs berries symposium sidebar all berries wide

Wednesday, October 8th

Berry Seminar Session

9:00am – 10:00am | Dr. Aedin Cassidy, Queen’s University Belfast: Anthocyanin Intake & Cardiometabolic Health – A Systematic Review & Meta-analysis

Berry Special Topics Session

10:00am – 10:15am | Session Chair Welcome, Dr. Mary Ann Lila, North Carolina State University

10:15am – 10:40am | Nicholas Gillitt, Berkley Labs: Berries and Human Metabolism: What is the Biggest Impact?

10:40am – 10:55am | Break

10:55am – 11:20am | Melanie Bush, Artemis International, From the Gut to the Immune System: The Multifaceted Benefits of European Black Elderberry

11:20am – 11:45am | Dr. Massimo Iorizzo, North Carolina State University: Closing the Gap Between Berry Genomics, Genetics, and Health-Relevant Traits

11:45am – 12:15pm | Berry Special Topics Panel Discussion with Dr. Mary Ann Lila, Nicholas Gillit, Dr. Stephan Plattner and Dr. Massimo Iorizzo


12:15pm – 1:30pm | Lunch Break


Cognition & Cardiometabolic Session

1:30pm – 1:45pm | Session Chair Welcome, Dr. Barbara Shukitt-Hale, USDA-ARS / Tufts University

1:45pm – 2:10pm | Dr. Shirin Hooshmand, San Diego State University: Impact of Strawberries on Cognitive Function and Cardiovascular Health in Older Adults

2:10pm – 2:35pm | Dr. Rafaela Feresin, Georgia State University: Impact of Berries on Cardiometabolic, Intestinal, and Cognitive Outcomes: Preliminary Clinical Findings with Supporting Insights from Animal Model

2:35pm – 3:00pm | Dr. Dragan Milenkovic, North Carolina State University: Nutrigenomics Analysis of Anthocyanins in Brain Endothelial Cells Related: From Impact on Endothelial Permeability to Molecular Mechanisms of Actions

3:00pm – 3:25pm | Dr. Arpita Basu, University of Nevada at Las Vegas: Role of Freeze-Dried Strawberries on Glycemic Control and Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Adults with Prediabetes: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

3:25pm – 3:55pm | Cognition & Cardiometabolic Panel Discussion with Dr. Barbara Shukitt-Hale, Dr. Shirin Hooshmand, Dr. Rafaela Feresin, Dr. Dragan Milenkovic, and Dr. Arpita Basu


3:55pm – 4:05pm | Jim Joseph Award Presentation

4:05pm – 4:35pm | Junior Investigator Oral Presentations


Interested joining us at the 10th Biennial Berry Health Benefits Symposium?