The Laboratory, Endocrine and Neurotransmitter Symposium (LENS) combines curriculum driven by research and real-world clinical scenarios, taught by engaging and seasoned practitioners and educators. Attendees return year after year to LENS to dive deep into neuroendocrine topics, leaving the weekend with a full toolkit of clinical tips, protocols, and practical applications that can be implemented right away in their practice.

 

Registration Options:

Attend IN-PERSON in Las Vegas! Purchase 2 tickets for extra savings (one for you, one for a colleague.) Early bird rates available until January 16, 2026.

1 ticket: Early Bird $449 (regular price $499)
2 tickets: Early Bird $699 (regular price $799)

Live stream not available. All sessions will be held live in Las Vegas. 

 
 

Registration Includes:

  • 14.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)

  • Recordings of all presentations

  • Free book "The Rainbow Diet" signed in-person by Deanna Minich, PhD

  • Lunch, snacks, and evening reception with raffle prizes

  • Live Q&A panels with all speakers

  • Intimate networking opportunities all weekend to interact with colleagues, speakers, and select exhibitors

 
Register
 

 

Schedule


All sessions are presented in Pacific Time

Friday, February 13, 2026

Time Session Speaker
8:15 - 8:30 Welcome and Announcements
8:30 – 9:30 Putting Skin in the Game: A Functional Medicine Approach to the Body’s Largest Organ Mark Tager, MD
9:30 – 10:30 Non-Invasive Approaches to Pain: From Neuromodulation to Nutraceuticals Mark Tager, MD
10:30 - 11:00 Networking and Exhibitor Break
11:00 - 12:00 Health Begins in the Gut: Foundations of Gut Microbiome Biomarkers in Clinical Practice Julia Malkowski ND, DC
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch break
1:00 - 2:00 The Importance of Integrating Neurotransmitters into Comprehensive Patient Care Lylen Ferris, ND
2:00 - 3:00 The Gut-Heart Connection: Clinical Insights into Cardiometabolic Risk, Intestinal Permeability, and the Gut Microbiome Julia Malkowski ND, DC
3:00 - 3:30 Networking and Exhibitor Break
3:30 - 4:15 Estrogen Metabolism and Breast Cancer Risk: Practical Insights and Interventions Lylen Ferris, ND
4:15 - 5:00 The Rhythm of Her Body: Circadian Biology and Mitochondrial Health in Women Deanna Minich, PhD
5:00 - 5:30 Panel Discussion with Expert Speakers
5:30 - 6:30 Networking reception with light refreshments, and free book signing with Deanna Minich, PhD

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Time Session Speaker
8:00 – 9:30 Reframing Perimenopause and Postmenopause: Nutrition and Lifestyle Strategies for the Second Half of Life Deanna Minich, PhD
9:30 - 10:00 Networking and Exhibitor Break
10:00 - 11:30 Mast Cells, Mitochondria and the Cell Danger Response: Biochemical Pathways to Immune Resilience Jill Carnahan, MD
11:30 - 12:30 Melatonin: The Forgotten Molecule of Light, Longevity, and Women’s Health Deanna Minich, PhD
12:30 - 1:30 Lunch break
1:30 - 3:30 The Gut–Brain–Heart Axis: A Systems Lens on Longevity Lara Zakaria, PharmD, MS, CDN, CNS, IFMCP
3:30 - 4:00 Networking and Exhibitor Break
4:00 - 4:45 Advanced Case Studies in Functional Medicine Lylen Ferris, ND
& Julia Malkowski, ND, DC
4:45 - 5:30 Panel Discussion with Expert Speakers
 

 

Overview and Learning Objectives

Although simple intervention and basic hormone balancing may prove effective in a majority of cases, many patients will present with symptoms and underlying conditions that involve multi- layers of physiologic dysregulation and these cases can be more complex and challenging. Even after years of experience with bioidentical hormone treatments and working to balance neuroendocrine symptoms, difficult and complex cases continue to arise. It is evident that there is a need for a more complete and deeper evaluation of the neuroendocrine system, encompassing information regarding inflammation, diet, metabolism, and gastrointestinal health, with the relationship between hormone imbalances and neurotransmitter fluctuations. 

At the conclusion of the weekend, participants will be able to identify the nuances of hormone balancing, the complex relationship between sex hormones, the HPA axis, neurotransmitters, and microbiome health, and recognize the complicated symptom presentation that can result from these imbalances. Discussion will be heavily based on current research and actual clinical cases, including pitfalls of practice and clinical pearls from seasoned practitioners. Participants will gain additional clinical insight and treatment considerations to evaluate some of the most prevalent and challenging conditions that patients present with, including menopause, depression, anxiety, altered mental focus and stamina, gastrointestinal issues, sexual dysfunction, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular health, autoimmune disease and chronic disease in general. 

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to… 

  1. Identify the nuances of hormone balancing and the complex relationship between sex hormones, the HPA axis, neurotransmitters, and microbiome health, and recognize the complicated symptom presentations that can result from these imbalances. 

  2. Gain valuable insights into a diverse array of pathologies, with a special emphasis on menopause, depression, anxiety, altered mental focus and stamina, gastrointestinal issues, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular health, autoimmune disease, and chronic disease in general. 

  3. Analyze gastrointestinal health and the gut microbiome as they connect to health outcomes, and identify and utilize lab markers appropriate to the GI system as they relate to human health and disease. 

  4. Discuss the intricacies of managing women’s health, including testing options and treatment through pharmacological, lifestyle, and nutraceutical support. 

  5. Explore skin health by examining its anatomy, the gut–skin axis, hormonal influences, and the role of nutrition and probiotics in skin conditions, and apply dietary assessments and nutrigenomic principles to support skin integrity, hydration, and repair. 

  6. Activate the body’s natural pain-relief systems using non-invasive neuromodulation and targeted nutraceuticals to reduce inflammation, restore balance, and improve outcomes in integrative pain care. 

  7. Assess and address risk through the lens of intestinal permeability and systemic inflammation, using advanced biomarkers and functional medicine strategies for personalized intervention. 

  8. Optimize hormone balance and support breast health by interpreting estrogen metabolism and the estrobolome, using urinary hormone and metabolite testing to guide personalized lifestyle, nutrition, and treatment strategies. 

  9. Enhance women’s metabolic, hormonal, and emotional resilience by aligning lifestyle strategies—such as light exposure and meal timing—with circadian and mitochondrial rhythms across the lifespan. 

  10. Reframe menopause as a dynamic transformation rather than a deficiency, and apply practical strategies to support hormonal balance, mitochondrial health, and body composition through personalized nutrition, circadian alignment, and lifestyle medicine. Integrate emerging science on estrogen metabolism, gut-brain signaling, and inflammation into whole-systems care for women in perimenopause and postmenopause. 

  11. Examine how melatonin functions beyond sleep regulation—as a key modulator of circadian rhythms, mitochondrial health, and hormonal balance—and apply evidence-based guidance to assess melatonin status, restore natural production, and integrate supplemental and botanical forms into personalized care plans. 

  12. Assess and optimize the gut–brain–heart axis as a foundation for cellular and systemic longevity, using functional markers and emerging science to guide personalized interventions. Implement nutrition, lifestyle, and botanical strategies that support resilience, vascular health, and neurocognitive function. 

  13. Apply a systems biology framework to evaluate and manage mast cell activation by targeting mitochondrial function, environmental triggers, and immune tolerance pathways.

 

CME Credits

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™, ACPE, and AAPA Category 1 CME credits.

See final CE activity announcement for specific details.

 
 

Physicians
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this live activity for a maximum of 14.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.


 

Physician Assistants
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 14.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.


 

Pharmacists
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this continuing education activity for 14.5 contact hours.


 

CE credit provided by AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare.

 

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare and Doctor’s Data. AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.