Max Planck Florida’s Neurotransmissions Podcast: Recent Episodes
Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience
Neuroscience stories from the lab and life: By scientists, for everyone. Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) researchers Ben Scholl, Ph.D., Joe Schumacher, Ph.D., Jeremy Chang, Ph.D, and Misha Smirnov, Ph.D. host Neurotransmissions: an engaging, accessible look inside the neuroscience research world, exploring current research topics and emerging technologies, public health issues in the domain of biomedical science, the intersection between science and society, and unique perspectives and experiences across generations of neuroscientists. Production and communication support by Dr. Helena Decker, Katie Edwards and Kevin Albertini.
In this 100th and final episode of the MPFI Neurotransmissions Podcast, hosts Joe Schumacher, Lesley Colgan, Jeremy Cheng, and Akash Pal sit down to reminisce on the journey of the podcast with podcast producer Kevin Albertini. To mark this incredible milestone, the podcast returns full circle and welcomes back our guest from our very first episode, CEO and Scientific Director David Fitzpatrick joined by the other two scientific directors of MPFI, Ryohei Yasuda and Lin Tian. The directors look back at the exciting changes that have happened both at MPFI and in the neuroscience field since the podcast started in 2016 and discuss what they think are the next big questions in the field.Episode Guests:David Fitzpatrick, MPFI CEO & Scientific DirectorFitzpatrick Lab: https://www.mpfi.org/science/our-labs/fitzpatrick-labLin Tian, MPFI Scientific Director | @LinTianPhDTian Lab: https://www.mpfi.org/science/our-labs/tian-labRyohei Yasuda, MPFI Scientific Director | @Ryohei_NeuroYasuda Lab: https://www.mpfi.org/science/our-labs/yasuda-labEpisode Hosts:Joe Schumacher - @JWScienceJeremy Chang - @jtchangLesley Colgan - @colgan_lesleyAkash Pal - @pal116aPodcast episodes produced and edited by Kevin Guy Albertini - @KGAlbertini Want to go through the podcast episodes? Listen to archived episodes onhttps://apple.co/43gT3hThttps://sptfy.com/O7nyMax Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast is produced at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience in Jupiter, FL.Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: / mpfneuroInstagram: / mpfneuroFacebook: / mpfneuroAs we want to sign off, we want to give special thanks to all of those who have made this journey possible - our hosts, production, communications, and admin team!Joe SchumacherMisha SmirnovBen SchollJeremy ChangLesley ColganAkash PalAnant JainAudrey BonnanAndre SteineckeMichael YetmanVered KellnerAlexandra GribizisMatt RowanPaul EvansTim HolfordKevin AlbertiniKatie EdwardsMiguel GutierrezMonica ReumNicole ShultzRenate WagnerHelena DeckerJennifer Gutierrez
In this episode of the MPFI Neurotransmissions Podcast, we sit down with the lead engineer behind the widely used Neuropixels Probe, Dr. Tim Harris from Janelia Research Campus. We also talk shop about Dr. Harris' 18 years working for Bell Labs. Don't miss a special announcement from Joe at the end of the episode (46:34).Episode Guest:Tim Harris Senior fellow at HHMI Janerlia Research CampusResearch Professor of biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University Harris Lab: https://www.janelia.org/lab/harris-labNeuropixels- https://www.neuropixels.org/aboutEpisode Hosts:Joe Schumacher - @JWScienceJeremy Chang - @jtchangPodcast episode produced and edited by Kevin Guy Albertini - @KGAlbertini Do you enjoy the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more episodes!https://apple.co/43gT3hThttps://sptfy.com/O7nyMax Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWebsite: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: / mpfneuroInstagram: / mpfneuroFacebook: / mpfneuro
In this episode of the MPFI Neurotransmissions Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Mark Andermann (@AndermannLab), a renowned neuroscientist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center & Harvard University, to explore the intricate neural circuits that regulate feeding behavior. Dr. Andermann shares his groundbreaking research on how the brain processes hunger and satiety signals, and what happens when these systems go awry in cases of dysfunctional eating. Episode Guest:Mark Andermann - @AndermannLabAndermann Lab: https://www.andermannlab.com/Episode Hosts:Akash Pal- @pal116aLesley Colgan - @Colgan_LesleyPodcast episode produced and edited by Kevin Guy Albertini - @KGAlbertini Do you enjoy the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more episodes!Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWebsite: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: / mpfneuroInstagram: / mpfneuroFacebook: / mpfneuro
In this episode, Prof. Dr. Bill Hansson joins hosts Lesley and Joe to discuss his leadership as former Vice President of the Max Planck Society, his work on locust olfaction, and his recent identification of an odorant that can protect swarming locusts from cannibalism.Interested in learning more about how the sense of smell is critical for behavior? Read Dr. Hannson's book full of stories of the amazing world of smell. Smelling to Survive: https://www.amazon.com/Smelling-Survive-Amazing-World-Sense-ebook/dp/B09Q8B7V4GEpisode Guest:Bill Hannson @billhanssonDepartment of Evolutionary Neuroethology: https://www.ice.mpg.de/94928/evolutionary-neuroethologyEpisode Hosts:Lesley Colgan - @Lesley ColganJoe Schumacher - @JWScienceDo you enjoy the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more episodes!Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWeb: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial: @MPFneuroTwitter: @mpfneuroInstagram: @mpfneuroFacebook: @mpfneuro
In this episode, Dr. Tim Ryan joins hosts Lesley and Joe to discuss how neurons rely on a constant source of energy to function. They discuss how the brain's energy supply is maintained and regulated and what happens when this energy supply is disrupted.Episode Guest:Timothy RyanRyan Lab: https://biochem.weill.cornell.edu/directory/primary-faculty/timothy-ryan-phdEpisode Hosts:Lesley Colgan - @Lesley ColganJoe Schumacher - @JWScienceDo you enjoy the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more episodes!Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWebsite: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: / mpfneuroInstagram: / mpfneuroFacebook: / mpfneuro
In this episode, Dr. Tony Movshon returns to the podcast to chat with hosts Jeremy and Akash about his work in understanding visual pathways and the differences between 'constructionist' and 'reductionist' approaches in neuroscience. Dr. Movshon is a university professor researching vision and visual development at NYU School of Medicine. He has made contributions to the understanding of the brain mechanisms that represent the form and motion of objects, and the way these mechanisms contribute to perceptual judgments and visually guided movement.Episode Guest:Tony Movshon - @TonyMovshonMovshon Lab: https://www.cns.nyu.edu/labs/movshonlab/Episode Hosts:Akash Pal- @pal116aJeremy Chang - @jtchang Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWebsite: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: / mpfneuroInstagram: / mpfneuroFacebook: / mpfneuro
In this episode of Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast, we meet new cohost Dr. Akash Pal, who joins Jeremy in a discussion with Associate Professor of Biology at Boston University, Dr. Jerry Chen. They discuss how the brain can make sense of our complex sensory world through the processes of perception and abstraction and how Dr. Chen's research team uses in vivo imaging of genetically encoded indicators and spatial transcriptomics to understand these processes.Episode Guest: Jerry Chen https://www.chen-lab.org/index.htmlEpisode Hosts: Jeremy Chang - @jtchang Akash Pal- @pal116a
In this episode of MPFI's Neurotransmissions Lesley and Jeremy speak with Dr. Kuan Hong Wang, Professor at the University of Rochester and Co-Director of the New Brain Aging Center, about Emotional Well-Being, the power and challenges of big science approaches, and his scientific philosophy to exploring increasingly complex neuroscience questions.Whether you're curious about the power of your own brain or fascinated by the world of scientific exploration, this episode of Neurotransmissions has something for you. Episode Guest: Kuan Hong Wanghttps://www.urmc.rochester.edu/labs/wang.aspxhttps://www.newbrainaging.org/Episode Hosts: Lesley Colgan - @Lesley ColganJeremy Chang - @jtchangMax Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWebsite: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: / mpfneuroInstagram: / mpfneuroFacebook: / mpfneuro
This episode of MPFI's Neurotransmissions Podcast dives into the fascinating world of neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to change and adapt. We're joined by Dr. Anant Jain. Anant joined Centre for High Impact Neuroscience and Translational Applications (CHINTA) in Kolkata, India in November 2023. His lab focuses on understanding the molecular signaling underlying homeostatic plasticity that gets activated to compensate for the behaviorally relevant synaptic changes. Moreover, his lab seeks to address how these homeostatic mechanisms get disrupted during neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism. He also tells us about his bold decision to relocate from the USA to India to open his research lab. We explore the challenges and rewards of pursuing scientific discovery in a new environment.Whether you're curious about the power of your own brain or fascinated by the world of scientific exploration, this episode of Neurotransmissions has something for you.
In this episode, hosts Lesley and Jeremy speak with Dr. Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, Senior Group Leader and Head of Janelia's 4D Cellular Physiology Group, about how technology has shaped her career and her vision for developing a molecular understanding of tissue physiology. Episode Notes:Please help us create content you want to hear by giving us feedback. https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcast-survey/Episode Guest:Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz - @JLS_LabEpisode Hosts:Lesley Colgan - @Colgan_LesleyJeremy Chang - @jtchang Do you enjoy the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more episodes!https://apple.co/43gT3hThttps://sptfy.com/O7nyMax Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWebsite: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: / mpfneuroInstagram: / mpfneuroFacebook: / mpfneuro
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In this episode, hosts Lesley and Joe speak with Dr. Weijian Zong about the motivation, challenges, and advancements behind the development of the MINI2P, an open-source miniaturized two-photon microscope that allows neuroscientists to visualize brain activity in freely behaving animals.Episode Notes:Help support the science, training, and outreach programs of MPFI by visiting mpfi.org/donateEpisode Guest:Weijian Zong - @WikiZongMini2P - @TheMini2PEpisode Hosts:Lesley Colgan - @Colgan_LesleyJoe Schumacher - @JWscienceDo you enjoy the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more episodes!Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWebsite: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: mpfneuroInstagram: mpfneuroFacebook: mpfneuro
In this episode, hosts Joe and Lesley chat with Dr. Debosmita Sardar about her research into the roles of astrocytes, epigenetics, and serotonylation during odor processing. Dr. Sardar is a K99 Postdoctoral Fellow at Baylor College of Medicine and a selected MPFI NeuroMEETS speaker.Episode Notes:Max Planck NeuroMEETS: https://www.mpfi.org/science/max-planck-neuromeetsEpisode Guest:Debosmita Sardar @debo_AstrocyteEpisode Hosts:Lesley Colgan - @Lesley ColganJoe Schumacher - @JWscienceDo you enjoy the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more episodes!Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWebsite: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuro
In this special 2023 Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Lesley discusses the experience of attending the SfN conference for the first time with postbaccalaureate at the National Eye Institute, Alexis Green; presenting a poster and developing connections at SfN with postdoctoral researcher at MPFI, Dr. Tim Holford; and further discuss new insights in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) research with Professor, and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez.Episode Guests:Alexis Green Tim Holford Carolyn Rodriguez @CRodriguezMDPhDhttps://med.stanford.edu/rodriguezlabDo you enjoy watching the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions PodcastWebsite: www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: www.facebook.com/MPFNeuroEpisode host:Lesley @Colgan_LesleyVisit www.mpfi.org/ for more information about the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience
In this episode, hosts Joe and Lesley chat with Dr. Rodrigo Pena about computational neuroscience and the power of this field to advance our understanding of the nervous system. Dr. Pena is an Assistant Professor in the Biological Sciences department at Florida Atlantic University. He is also one of the organizers of LASCON IX (Latin American School on Computational Neuroscience) which is now accepting applications.Do you enjoy the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more episodes!
In this episode, hosts Joe and Lesley chat with Dr. Ewoud Schmidt about his work in studying neuronal circuit development, function, and behavior and how human-specific genes shape neuronal circuits in health and disease. Dr. Schmidt is an Assistant Professor and the Principle Investigator for the Schmidt Lab at the Medical University of South Carolina. Episode Guest:Ewoud Scmidt @ereschmidtEpisode Hosts:Lesley Colgan @colgan_lesleyJoe Schumacher @JWscienceMax Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuro
In this episode, hosts Joe and Lesley sit down with Daniela Sammler, a researcher investigating neurocognitive functions related to language and music, and how they might complement each other. A number of fascinating areas are discussed including her work her working on methods for recording human brain activity during complex tasks such as playing piano while in an fMRI.Episode Guest:Daniela Sammler @DanielaSammlerEpisode Hosts:Lesley Colgan @colgan_lesleyJoe Schumacher @JWscienceDo you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuro
In this episode, hosts Joe and Lesley sit down with Nancy Padilla-Coreano, a Principal Investigator at the University of Florida, to discuss the expanding field of social behavior and her work into the brain mechanisms behind social dominance and social competence.Be sure to check the multimedia platform Stories of Women in Neuroscience co-founded by Dr. Padilla-Coreano: https://www.storiesofwin.orgEpisode Guest:Nancy Padilla-Coreano @DrNancyPadillaEpisode Hosts:Lesley Colgan @colgan_lesleyJoe Schumacher @JWscienceDo you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuro
In this special two-episode conference podcast, Joe brings you scientific highlights from the 2022 Society for Neuroscience Meeting. In Part 2 Joe discusses new technologies for comparative connectomics and transcriptomics with Dr. Justus Kebschull, cognitive decline in aging C. elegans with Dr. Rachel Arey and thalamic-cortical circuits and our responsibility for science advocacy with Dr. Ubadah Sabbagh.Episode Guests:Justus Kebschull @JustusKebschull https://www.kebschull-lab.org/Rachel Arey @AreyLab. https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/rachel-arey-17679Ubadah Sabbagh@neubadah https://ubadahsabbagh.com/Episode host:Joe @JWScienceDo you enjoy watching the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuroVisit https://www.mpfi.org for more information about the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience
In this special two-episode conference podcast, Joe brings you scientific highlights from the 2022 Society for Neuroscience Meeting. In Part 1 Joe catches up with some old friends to chat about their latest science and career journeys. He discusses network development with Dr. Gordon Smith, double spines with Dr. Won Chan Oh, and evolutionary adaptations of cavefish with Dr. Bethany Stanhope. They also discuss the excitement and challenges of starting an independent lab and advice for first-time SfN attendeesEpisode Guests:Gordon Smith https://med.umn.edu/bio/gordon-smithWon Chan Oh https://sites.google.com/view/wonchanoh/homeBethany Stanhope @BA_StanhopeDo you enjoy watching the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuroEpisode host:Joe @JWScienceVisit https://www.mpfi.org/ for more information about the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience
In this episode, Lesley has a chat with Dr. Sang Jeong Kim about his research on the neural mechanisms of pain and plasticity. Dr. Kim is the Director for the Neuroscience Research Center and a professor at the Seoul National University, College of Medicine in South Korea.Do you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuroEpisode Host:Lesley Colgan @colgan_lesley
Locomotion is a universal motor action expressed as the output of many integrated brain functions, with brainstem circuits acting as the gate between brain areas regulating innate, emotional, or motivational locomotion and executing spinal motor circuits. In this episode, Joe and Lesley have a chat with Dr. Ole Kiehn about his research on the relationships between locomotion in health and disease. Dr.Kiehn is a professor of Integrative Neuroscience at the Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.Do you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: www.neuropodcast.orgSocial Media: @MPFneuroEpisode Guest:Ole Kiehn @KiehnLabEpisode Hosts:Lesley Colgan @colgan_lesleyJoe Schumacher @JWscience
In this episode, hosts Lesley and Anant chat with Harvard University Assitant Professor, Dr. Nicholas Bellono about studying signal processing and how molecular and anatomical features in octopuses may have evolved to support their voracious foraging behavior within seafloor environments.Do you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Website: neuropodcast.orgTwitter: https://twitter.com/neuropodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/neuropodcast
Sleep is a highly conserved behavior among the animal kingdom, appearing as distant as jellyfish and elephants. It is generally believed that sleep serves a crucially important yet mysterious “core function” that is shared among all animals and that drives its evolution, but the evidence behind this hypothesis is lacking.In this episode, Lesley has a fun chat with Dr. Giorgio F. Gilestro, an Associate Professor from Imperial College in London, England who for the past 15 years has been researching sleep and its link to biology and behavior.Episode Guest:Giorgio F. Gilestro @giorgiogilestroGilestro Lab: https://lab.gilest.ro/the-labDo you enjoy watching the podcast? Like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuroPodcast Hosts:Lesley @colgan_lesleyJoe @JWScience
In this episode, hosts Joe, Lesley, and Jeremy bring you scientific highlights from the recent Sunposium23 conference. They sit down with three of the invited speakers to chat about their latest research. They discuss how the brain encodes memories in both a stable and flexible manner with Dr. Denise Cai, the complexity of brain-wide serotonin function with Dr. Ugur Dag, and how organoids and assembloids can help us understand human neurodevelopment with Dr. Sergiu Pasca.Episode GuestsDenise Cai @denisejcaiUgur Dag @SadumanAgaSergiu Pasca @Sergiu_P_PascaSunposium is a biennial neuroscience conference hosted by MPFI that brings together neuroscientists to discuss the latest insights and challenges of understanding neural circuit function. To learn more about Sunposium and to be notified about the next Sunposium conference, visit mpfi.org/sunposiumDo you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Website: www.neuropodcast.orgSocial Media: @MPFneuroHosts:Lesley @colgan_lesleyJoe @JWScienceJeremy @jtchang
In this episode, hosts Lesley and Joe chat with the Max Planck Society President-elect, Dr. Patrick Cramer. Dr. Cramer is a chemist and molecular biologist currently serving as Managing Director at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen, Germany. In June 2023, he will become the next president of the 75-year-old Max Planck Society, the number one biomedical nonprofit worldwide.Watch Patrick Cramer's full-length talk at Science Meets Music: https://youtu.be/AuFI_z_K1eoDo you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuro
In this episode, host Joe chats with Dr. Lukas Groschner, a Max Planck NeuroMEETS invited speaker, about his curiosity-driven research into the molecules and mechanisms that mediate information processing in flies. Don't miss Dr. Groschner's story of being inspired after listening to a past episode of the podcast. For more information about the NeuroMEETS seminar series, visit https://www.mpfi.org/science/max-planck-neuromeetsDo you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Website: neuropodcast.org
In this episode, hosts Joe and Jeremy catch up with Dr. Ed Boyden on the many applications of his neurotechnologies such as optogenetics and expansion microscopy, the power of combining these technologies to establish a computational model of a small organism, and Dr. Boyden's latest technology- signaling reporter islands.Do you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuro
In this episode, hosts Joe Schumacher and Anant Jain chat with award-winning research scientist, educator, and advocate Erin Calipari about a new role for dopamine in the brain, drug addiction, and steps we can take to increase diversity and equity in academia.Do you enjoy listening to the podcast? Feel free to like this episode and follow us to hear more.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuro
In this episode, hosts Jeremy and Ingo chat with Dr. Valentina Emiliani. Dr. Emiliani's lab has pioneered the use of wave-front shaping for neuroscience. In particular, they demonstrated a number of new techniques based on computer-generated holography to gain 3D optogenetic control of neural populations.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuro
In this episode, hosts Misha and Ingo chat with Dr. Stephen Lammel. Dr. Lammel’s lab at UC Berkley explores the circuitry behind neuropsychiatric diseases with a focus on the dopamine reward system in the brain.Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Website: https://www.mpfi.org/news-media/podcastSocial Media: @MPFneuroTwitter: https://twitter.com/MPFNeuroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpfneuroFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPFNeuro
Dr. Yuki Oka is an assistant professor at CalTech where his research focuses on understanding the neural and molecular basis of motivated behaviors toward homeostatic regulation. The long-term goal of our research is to understand how the brain integrates internal body state and external sensory information to maintain homeostasis in the body.
Listen to Misha, Ingo, and Ka as they ask Dr. Oka about his research.
In this episode, Jeremy and Joe talk with Dr. Hillel Adesnik, Associate Professor at the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkley. Together they explore Dr. Adesnik’s work understanding the neural basis of perception, the challenges facing this area of study, and the philosophy of how we understand the concept of perception.
In this episode, Dr. Mark Churchland talks with MPFI postdocs Jeremy Chang and Alex Gribizis about his research into the function of the motor cortex. Dr. Churchland's lab at Columbia University studies the role of neural activity that affects movement. He takes us through a brief history of this field of study, the limitations of brain-machine interfaces, and talks about where he sees his research going in the future.
In this episode, Joe and Misha talk to Dr. Mackenzie Mathis about deep learning with artificial neural networks. She takes us through her experience developing computer vision tools like DeepLabCut, as well as her research into adaptive motor control at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne (EPFL).
On this episode of Neurotransmissions, Dr Jeff Lichtman professor of Neuroscience at Harvard University and our guest from the 2nd episode of Neurotransmissions is back to visit during MPFI’s annual imaging course. We were lucky enough that Dr. Lichtman spared a bit of time to sit down with Misha and Alex to discuss recent progress that has been made in the field of connectomics. Learn about ongoing projects, technological progress and hurdles, and the growing understanding about the value of connectomics in understanding the brain.
On this career-focused episode Joe, Audrey, and Jeremy catch up with friend of the podcast Dr. David Schneider. When Dr. Schneider was last on the podcast (Episode 15), he was a postdoctoral fellow newly on the job market looking for an independent position. Now he is running his own lab as an Assistant Professor of Neural Science at New York University. Hear about the factors Dr. Schneider considered when applying for jobs, the process of interviewing, how he started his lab at NYU, and what he’s thinking about when it comes to auditory cued behaviors in the future.
As they say, “Better late than never!”. We've been digging back into our archive and found this once thought to be a lost interview with Dr. Indira Raman from 2018! Join Joe, Audrey, and Matt as they sit down with Dr. Raman, the Bill and Gayle Cook Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Northwestern University, to discuss what we know and don’t know about cerebellum. Hear also about how Dr. Raman's essays, such as ‘Living Science: Triaging Shakespeare’ (https://elifesciences.org/articles/07157), allow her to humorously articulate the uncertainty and creative pressures that go along with a career in modern science. Enjoy!
How can quantitative methods help us understand how the brain works? On this episode Joe, Jeremy, and Alex are joined by Dr. Peter Dayan the director of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tubingen, Germany. They'll discuss the different computational approaches taken to understand how the brain works, Dr. Dayan's own work using models to understand reinforcement learning and the role of the neurotransmitter dopamine in this process, and the goal of the International Brain Laboratory. Enjoy!
In this episode, Joe and Misha talk to Dr. Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, author of the new book “NeuroScience Fiction” and researcher who famously identified the Jennifer Aniston neuron. They dive into everything from Dr. Quiroga’s work with concept cells to his fascinating look at the convergence of neuroscience with futuristic sci-fi. They also explore the evolution of AI and what it means to have consciousness.
On this episode Jeremy and new guest co-host Alex Gribizis chat with Dr. W. Martin Usrey, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and the University of Davis. With Dr. Usrey we learn more about the structure of the visual system, the interactions between these different structures, and things Dr. Usrey has learned along the way about mentorship.
In this episode, Joe and Misha talk with Kaela Singleton, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Cell Biology at Emory University and co-founder and president-elect of Black in Neuro. We learn about her research into Menkes Disease, how her career in science has evolved throughout the years, and the work she is doing to help raise visibility and cultivate opportunities for black neuroscientists through the #BlackinNeuro movement.
How does the clinic influence the bench? Joe, Jeremy, and Audrey are joined by Dr. Peter Tsai Assistant Professor in the departments of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, Neuroscience, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry at UT South Western. Learn how Dr. Tsai's experience in the clinic led him down a path of investigating the surprising role of the cerebellum in autism spectrum disorder and how Dr Tsai's findings in the lab could impact the development of future treatments.
How did an ancient virus help shape the human brain? In this episode, Joe and Jeremy sit down with Dr. Jason Shepherd, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Biochemistry and Opthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Utah School of Medicine, to discuss the role of Arc (activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein) in the regulation of synaptic plasticity. Learn also how Dr. Shepherd and his group discovered a possible new role for Arc in transcellular signaling that may indicate its origin as an ancient retrovirus that integrated into the genome. If you can bear the puns, this episode packs a fascinating story of a career bridging molecular and in vivo processes and an unanticipated discovery.
Cells that fire together wire together. Hebbian mechanisms of plasticity, summarized by that simple phrase, have dominated the field of learning and memory for decades. However, they present limitations when applied to many behavioral paradigms. On this episode Jeremy, Audrey, and Andre sit down with Dr. Jeff Magee, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, The Cullen Foundation Distinguished Endowed Chair at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, and Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine. They'll discuss how Dr. Magee's work looking at dendritic processes led him and his group to discover a new plasticity paradigm, in place field learning that breaks from traditional Hebbian rules. Hear also how Dr. Magee keeps active in the lab and his advice for young investigators.
On the final episode recorded live from the Society for Neuroscience Conference 2019, Jeremy sits down with Dr. Kurt Thoroughman, Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Washing University in St. Louis, and Director of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Cognitive Neuroscience program. Learn about how NSF is structured, the role of a program director, how a grant application is evaluated, and the opportunities available for trainees.
At the 2019 Society for Neuroscience Conference in Chicago Misha catches up with an old friend of the podcast Dr. Lauren Ullrich (Ep #13), Scientific Program Manager at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Learn about the process of applying for funding from the NIH and how Dr. Ullrich's new podcast 'Building up the Nerve' is giving a peek into the life cycle of a grant.
Our series of interviews at the Society for Neuroscience Conference 2019 in Chicago keeps on rolling as Jeremy sits down with Dr. Marina Picciotto Charles B.G . Murphy Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center of Neuroscience and of Pharmacology, Deputy Chair for Basic Science Research in the Dept of Psychiatry, Deputy Director of the Kavli Institute for Neuroscience at Yale University, and Editor in Chief of the Journal of Neuroscience. They'll chat about how the Journal of Neuroscience supports the Society for Neuroscience, publishing in and training opportunities at the Journal of Neuroscience, Dr. Picciotto's approach to mentorship, and her lab's work looking at nicotine addiction. Enjoy!
The neuro-revolution is coming. In this episode Jeremy sits down with Drs. Greg Gage and Etienne Serbe in Chicago from Backyard Brains. From an exciting challenge centered around the SfN conference to programs centered around designing new experiments, learn about how Backyard Brains is bringing new opportunities to learn about neuroscience to the next generation of scientists.
Once again Neurotransmissions traveled to the annual Society for Neuroscience conference to chat with some new and old friends. In the first episode of our five-part miniseries, Misha is joined by Tavita Garrett former MPFI post-baccalaureate and current graduate student at Oregon Health & Science University to chat about postbac programs, the path to graduate school, and the joys of electrophysiology. But first, we're joined by previous guest co-host Dr. Paul Evans and current MPFI Head of Scientific training to learn more about the MPFI postbac program (formerly the PRE program) and upcoming deadlines for applications.
Our two-part series of interviews with Dr. Bert Sakmann continues as he explains to Joe and Misha how he got interested in neuroscience, his work on characterizing ion channels, the finer points of electrophysiology and the importance of synapses. If you have not had a chance yet, make sure to check out part one of our conversation with Dr. Sakmann.
How does a Max Planck Institute end up in Florida? On this special 50th episode we have the first part of a two-part series of interviews recorded in June 2016, with Dr. Bert Sakmann, Nobel Prize Recipient and the Inaugural Scientific Director of Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience. Joe and Misha sit down with Dr. Sakmann as he recounts the early days of Max Planck Florida: kiteboarding, recruiting scientists to the institute and developing a scientific program.
How does language get processed in the brain? New research is taking our understanding of how the brain processes language and speech beyond Broca and Wernicke's areas. This week Joe and Misha are joined by Dr. David Poeppel Director of the Department of Neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt and Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University to discuss the finer details of language.
In this episode, Misha and Andre are joined by Dr. Bernardo Rudy, Valentino D.B. Mazzia, MD, JD Professor of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine and Professor, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology at New York University. Learn the curious path Dr. Rudy took to obtaining two PhDs, his labs work on the types and roles of cortical interneurons and the challenges that still remain in classifying types of neurons.
How visual is the visual cortex? In this episode, Joe and Jeremy are joined by Dr. Nathalie Rochefort, Sir Henry Dale Fellow and Chancellor's Fellow at the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh to discuss why long-held views about the function of the visual cortex are being challenged today. Learn how Dr. Rochefort went from studying the history of sciences to making her own new discoveries and how new approaches are allowing her team and others to understand functions of the visual cortex beyond vision.
What approaches are researchers taking to understand which neurons talk to each other in the brain? Joe and Misha sit down with Dr. Moritz Helmstaedter, Scientific Director and Head of the Department of Connectomics at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt Germany. They'll discuss the current state of connectomics, the approaches researchers are taking, the challenges of working with the large datasets necessary to understand neuronal connections, and the work that Dr. Helmstaedter's group is doing with electron microscopy to map the connections within the brain.
We dug up another episode from our archive for you to enjoy this week. Misha, Joe, and guest co-host Dr. Helena Decker, MPFI's Head of Scientific Communications, sit down with Dr. Roberto Lent, head of the Laboratory for Neuroplasticity of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal do Rio de Janeiro. They will discuss Dr. Lent's efforts in counting the neurons of the brain, the concept of the disconnectome, and the work Dr. Lent is doing in science outreach and education.
Joe and Andre sit down with Dr. Pierre Vanderhaeghen, Group leader at VIB research institute. Learn about what makes the human brain special methods that Dr. Vanderhaeghen's group uses to investigate the development of the human brain, and how the preservation of early traits through adulthood could play a role in making the human brain adaptable.
On this episode Joe and first time co-host Jeremy Chang sit down with Dr. Gyorgy Buzsaki, Biggs Professor of Neuroscience at New York University. They explore the types of oscillatory activity that occurs within the brain and how this activity may aid in the packaging of information within the brain. They also discuss the classical empiricists viewpoint of the brain and how approaching the questions of how the brain works can be benefited by taking an inside-out viewpoint that looks at how the brain predicts and interacts with the external world and the importance of sharing data. We hope you enjoy this wide-ranging episode, and Dr. Buzsaki's open data sets can be found at www.buzsakilab.com.
On this episode, we returned to our vault and found this March 2016 discussion (our first recording ever!), where Joe, Misha, and Ben were joined by Dr. Jason Kerr, Director of the Department of Behavior and Brain Organization the Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar). In a wide-ranging conversation, they’ll discuss the adventure in neuroscience that would end up with a New Zealander living in Germany, what it is like to be a group leader and director in the Max Planck system, the importance of studying natural behaviors and dive deep into the specialization of the visual system across species.
On our final episode recorded at SfN 2017, Joe sits down with Dr. Christine Constantinople, now Assistant Professor at New York University, to discuss risk-reward learning and starting up a lab. Then Joe sits down with Dr. Matthew Lovett-Baron, postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University and soon to be Assistant Professor in the Neurobiology section at UCSD, to discuss his work using zebrafish the look at the role of neuromodulation in the regulation of escape behavior.
Our series of in the field recordings from SfN 2017 continues as Misha gets a chance to catch up again with Dr. BN Queenan (Episode 13), associate director of the UCSB Brain Initiative, to chat about the role of institutional and implicit biases in the gender inequality in academia.
Once again the podcast hit to road to meet up with new and old friends to talk all things neuroscience at the 2017 SfN meeting in Washington D.C. This week Misha sat down with Dr. Mark Burns, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Georgetown University, to discuss traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
How do you learn the appropriate response to a fear-inducing stimulus? Misha and Andre are joined on this episode by Dr. Andreas Lüthi, Group Leader at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research in Basel Switzerland to discuss the role of the amygdala in attributing emotional significance to external stimuli and the generation of appropriate responses. Learn more about how Dr. Luthi and are combining new techniques to further dissect how the local circuits within the amygdala allow appropriate responses to be learned.
On this episode, Michael is joined by former MPFI Post-Baccalaureate Research Experience (PRE) Fellow Amber Luongo and Dr. Hisashi Umemori, associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hisashi studies synaptic connections between neurons and how they established, refined and maintained in the nervous system. Learn more about Dr. Hisashi identifies molecules he calls synaptic organizers and the possible translational applications these molecules could have in treating neurological disorders.
On this episode, Joe and Misha are joined by Dr. Cris Niell, Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Oregon. Learn how Dr. Niell is looking at the effects of meditation in the brain, how he got interested in the visual system of the mouse, the work his lab has done on predatory behavior, and why he’s expanding into the looking at the visual system of the octopus. We’ll also finally answer the age-old question: is it octopuses or octopi?
On this episode we’re digging back into the vault to a Spring 2016 conversation Joe, Misha, and Ben had with Dr Carol Mason Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology, Neuroscience and Ophthalmic Science at Columbia University and former Society for Neuroscience President. Topics they’ll cover include the work Dr. Mason’s group is doing looking how the brain wires together during early development, the evolving landscape of neuroscience research over the years, and Dr. Mason’s advice for prospective graduate students.
What is it that defines us, nature or nurture? Michael and Andre sit down with Liqun Luo, Professor of Biology at Stanford University, to discuss the role of genetics and experience in the development of the brain. As a trained geneticist Dr. Luo uses both flies and mice to investigate the development of the nervous system. Learn more about how the olfactory system differs from other sensory modalities and the genetic tools Dr. Luo is developing and using to help investigate the roles genes play in the construction of neural circuits.
On this episode of Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Podcast Misha and Paul sit down with Dr. Brenda Bloodgood, assistant professor in the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of California San Diego. Hear how Dr. Bloodgood’s path from aspiring undergraduate neuroscientist to professor informs her approach to not only her lab’s research linking gene expression to neural plasticity, but also to her philosophy of teaching and the greater role scientists can play in their communities.
On this episode of Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions Dr. Paul Evans, former Postdoc in the Yasuda lab and current MPFI Academic Programs Coordinator, and Dr. Audrey Bonnan, Postdoc in the Christie lab, are joined by Dr. Claudia Bagni. Dr. Bagni is the Professor and Chair in Fundamental Neuroscience at the University of Lausanne where her group has been studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity and their dysfunction in inherited intellectual disabilities. Learn about how Dr. Bagni's research has led her beyond neuroscience into cancer research and how she has pursued opportunities to translate her research from the bench to the clinic. Enjoy!
Sometimes studying smaller, simpler problems can give us valuable insights into larger, more complex ones. On this episode of Max Planck Florida's Neurotransmissions podcast, Joe and Dan Wilson, former IMPRS student and current postdoc at Harvard, sit down with Janelia Group Leader Dr. Vivek Jayaraman to discuss his circuitous path from aerospace engineering to neuroscience. Learn how the simplest of circuits, the crab stomatogastric ganglion, inspired him to delve deeper into neural networks, and led him to study the fruit fly.
Can investigating how the neocortex is built further our understanding of the function of the brain? Join Michael and Andre as they sit down with Dr. Oscar Marin, Director and Group Leader at the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology at Kings College London to discuss how the brain is built. In a wide-ranging conversation, they explore the components that come together to build the brain, how programmed cell death may contribute to the normal development of the brain, the contribution of developmental disorders to psychiatric disorders, and adult neurogenesis.
Join Joe and Misha as they survey the neocortex with Dr. Andreas Burkhalter, Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at Washington University. As they discuss Dr. Burkhalter's path from studying vision in ants and pigeons to his current work studying rodent neocortex learn about the evolutionary development of neocortex, different theories underpinning sensory processing, the newly found modular organization of the rodent cortex.
On this podcast, Misha, Joe, and Matthias sit down with Dr. David DiGregorio, group leader of the Dynamic Neuronal Imaging Laboratory at Institut Pasteur, to discuss the cerebellum. From the cerebellum’s role in motor planning to the growing interest in its role in cognitive function, they will explore how Dr. DiGregorio’s model-based approaches are allowing his team to test hypotheses about the cerebellar circuit.
How does an aspiring poet become one of the pioneers of new model systems for studying the visual cortex? Find out as Joe and Ben sit down with Dr. Michael Stryker, Professor of Physiology at the University of California San Francisco, to chat about his journey through science and how graduate student-mentor relationships have evolved over time.
Using whole-cell recording techniques, Judith Hirsch investigates how the early visual pathway helps translate the visual world into a coherent perception. Fritz Sommer takes theoretical and computational approaches to understanding the basis of learning and perception in the brain. In our first dual guest podcast, Joe and Ben sit down with Dr. Hirsch and Dr. Sommer, two neuroscientists who work and live at the intersection of experimental and theoretical neuroscience. Together they explore how different approaches can often lead to divisions in thinking, how theoreticians and experimentalists have and can work together, and the current difficulties and hopeful future of data sharing.
Episode 25: Breaking the diffraction limit with Dr. Stefan Hell
How does one go about breaking the laws of physics? On this podcast, Joe, Misha, and Vered sit down with Dr. Stefan Hell to discuss his path to developing super-resolution light microscopy techniques that allow researchers to see details of biology at a scale never before possible. Discover how Dr. Hell was driven to tackle the fundamental limits of resolution for light micrsocopy leading to the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the different approaches taken to super-resolution microscopy, and his new program that is opening up freedom for early career researchers to pursue topics they are passionate about.
Driven by a lifelong love of music, Rich Mooney's career as a neuroscientist focuses on the circuits that integrate sensory and motor signals in the service of behavior. In a wide ranging interview, Joe, Misha, and Ben sit down with Dr. Mooney to discuss why the songbird is an unparalleled model organism for such a research focus. We also hear about how advances in research tools are leading to a new understanding of how other species integrate motor and auditory signals in the brain, and what this implies about our perception of speech at a philosophical level. Enjoy!
How neural circuits form the basis of complex natural behaviors is a fundamental question in neuroscience, and from an evolutionary perspective, these circuits enable the survival and reproduction of organisms from generation to generation. In our final live episode from Sunposium 2017, we sit down with two leading experts to discuss their research into behavioral neural mechanisms. First, we talk to Dr. Michael Long from NYU about his work studying vocal communication, and we learn how birdsong and speech can be studied in complementary ways to gain new insights into motor behaviors. We then talk to Dr. David Anderson from Caltech about his work studying the neural basis emotion. He describes how the brain is able to generate internal states that regulate behaviors such as fear and aggression, and how he is able to study these behaviors in both mice and flies to make use of diverse and complementary techniques.
To advance our understanding of the nervous system, we need to know how to ask the right questions about the structure and function of neural circuits. This is often facilitated by new techniques for recording, imaging, and manipulating neural activity. In this episode, we return to our series of interviews from MPFI’s 2017 Sunposium conference. We sit down with Dr. Ed Boyden from MIT and Dr. Viviana Gradinaru from Cal Tech (2016 Peter Gruss Young Investigator Award), two leading innovators in the field, to explore the intersection of tool development and experimental neurobiology.
"Where are we and where are we going?" Our sense of where we are in the world is one of the most fundamental cognitive elements of our day-to-day lives, and the discovery of our brain's internal system for mapping our physical location is one of the landmark achievements of modern neuroscience. In this episode we sit down Dr. Edvard Moser, one of the three recipients of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work discovering the neural computation of our brain's internal "GPS" system. We discuss the organization of this system, as well as many of the mysteries that remain unsolved in understanding the functional circuits involved in forming a neural representation of space.
Live from West Palm Beach, it's Sunposium 2017! Here is Part 1 in a series of conversations we had at MPFI's Sunposium Conference, which is a biennial scientific meeting featuring talks from many renowned names in neuroscience. Misha and Joe sat down with Dr. Thomas Südhof, recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on synaptic vesicle trafficking, to discuss the importance of scientific research in society. Enjoy!
Our series of interviews from SfN 2016 concludes with a grand finale! Two fantastic researchers share their experiences studying neural circuits regulating important behaviors. First, Joe sits down with Dr. Annegret Falkner to discuss her amazing work on aggression circuits, as well as her thoughts on the current academic job market (she has since been hired as a faculty member in the Princeton Department of Neuroscience). Next, Misha talks to Dr. William Giardino from Stanford about his work on the regulation of sleep and wakefulness, and the relevance of this research for understanding neurological and psychiatric disorders. Enjoy!
We’ve heard that an injured cerebellum can make you uncoordinated, but can it also make you mean? Listen to an awesome and engaging interview where Misha, Ben, and first time host Audrey Bonnan learn how the cerebellum interacts with the the rest of the brain from Dr. Kamran Khodakhah, professor and chair in the Department of Neuroscience at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Khodakhah also shares some solid and insightful statistics and advice for career scientists.
In this very special episode, we get to talk with emergency room physician, engineer, neuroscientist, scientific advisor, and person extraordinaire Brett Mensh. As a professional grant writing specialist, Dr. Mensh shares his insights on how to get your ideas funded and papers published by telling compelling stories. We also learn about his unique and diverse career history, and the path that brought him to be a highly successful scientific advisor. All this and more with two brand new co-hosts, Dr. He Zheng and Dr. Paul Evans!
Everything we do requires energy, so it's not surprising that our brains are wired to regulate how we acquire and use that energy for survival. In this episode, Joe is joined by Dr. Jens Bruning, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne, Germany, to discuss how the brain regulates feeding behavior and energy use in the body. Dr. Bruning also describes the surprising ways in which our evolutionary history conflicts with our current lifestyles in a way that contributes to modern day health problems. After hearing this, you won't think about food the same way again!
Whether you're navigating through a forest, hunting prey, avoiding predators, or listening to a podcast in the gym, behaviors in the world require the coordination of both sensory and motor circuits in the brain. Part 3 in our series of interviews from the 2016 SfN meeting in San Diego gets into science sensory-motor integration. Joe sat down with two great auditory experts, David Schneider and Ross Williamson, who describe their postdoctoral research studying the circuits that govern hearing and motor control. Take a listen!
The neocortex is a hallmark of mammalian brain evolution, and the underlying principles that define cortical circuits have captured the attention of neuroscientists for decades. In this episode, we sit down with Andreas Tolias from Baylor College of Medicine to discuss how his lab is unraveling both the cellular organization of the neocortex, as well as the information processing power of cortical circuits. We also welcome first time host, Michael Yetman, to the show!
For the second installment of our on-the-floor recording from SfN, we find out about some lesser-known opportunities and careers available to PhDs. Misha talks to Dr. Sofia Jurgensen, senior scientist at Sanofi Genzyme and head of the SfN Training Committee about the volunteering opportunities available through the SfN committee system. We also hear from Dr. Lauren Ullrich, Health Program Specialist at NINDS, about her experience working in science advocacy and her current position at the NIH. Finally, Misha talks to Dr. Bridget Queenan, Associate Director of the UCSB Brain Initiative, about her efforts in creating interdisciplinary collaborations for neuroscientists. Tell your friends.
In what has been hailed as the discovery of the century, Emmanuelle Charpentier and her colleagues unraveled the molecular machinery of bacterial immune systems and repurposed them into the powerful CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. Since 2012, CRISPR has taken the world by storm, transcending all branches of the biomedical and life sciences. Today, Dr. Charpentier shares the story behind this breakthrough with us, as well as the potential for CRISPR/Cas9 in therapies for diseases ranging from cancer to neurodegeneration.
The podcast hit the road to San Diego for the annual SfN meeting and met up with new and old friends to talk all things neuroscience. In this weeks episode, Joe talks with award-winning NPR correspondent Jon Hamilton about his career in science journalism, and what scientists can do to give their work a broader impact to the general public. Then we hear from Misha and fellow podcaster Anthony Lacagnina, host of the amazing Brain Matters Podcast at UT Austin. Listen while they talk about the joys and benefits of science podcasting.
Epilepsy is a complex group of disorders with a diverse set of causes. We sit down with Georgetown University's Dr. Patrick Forcelli to discuss different forms of epilepsy, as well as his research into the effects of anticonvulsant medications on brain development. We'll also hear about what the epileptic brain can tell us about neural circuits in general.
Neurons share information via synapses, but how do scientists? We talk to the distinguished Dr. Karel Svoboda from Janelia Research Campus about his breakthroughs in understanding synapses, problems with "big data", and the role of machine learning in future scientific progress. We also learn about ways in which open data sharing can benefit science. All of this and more on this special episode of Neurotransmissions!
Welcome to a special mini-episode of Neurotransmissions. After our interview with Dr. Ferster, we had and unexpectedly candid and enlightening conversation about communicating Science. Find out why sometimes the science doesn't really start until you put pen to paper.
The mammalian visual cortex performs important transformations of the information that is transmitted from the eye to the brain. We sit down with Dr. David Ferster, Professor Emeritus from Northwestern, to discuss his long career studying the cellular mechanisms of these transformations. We also find out what life after academic retirement is like, and how he's continuing to use his scientific expertise in the private sector to develop new technology for neuroscientists.
Looking inside the brains of translucent amphibians, Dr. Hollis Cline studies the development and plasticity of the visual system. Join Misha, Joe, and Andre as they get to know more about her research as well her position as the president of the Society for Neuroscience.
Women are awarded over half of all doctorate degrees in the life sciences, but account for a small fraction of high-ranking academic positions. To investigate this phenomenon, Joe and Misha explore the various barriers and experiences unique to women in science with Dr. Leslie Vosshall of The Rockefeller University, Dr. Na Ji of Janelia Research Campus, and Ellie Hozhabri at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience.
What can we learn from studying the vast complexity of wiring in the brain? In this week's episode, Professor Movshon explains why a functional perspective is lacking in a connectomics approach that limits our ability to understand what the brain is doing. We'll also hear about how a diverse set of scientific interests can make for a fruitful and enjoyable career in research.
How do neuroscientists see through layers of grey matter to produce images of cells that are deeply embedded in living brains? Dr. Na Ji from HHMI's Janelia Research Campus explains how optical tricks from astronomy can be applied to solve this problem. We cover her exciting academic career from China to California and beyond. Tune in to get the inside scoop on the next big advancements in neuroscience.
From Cornell to Bell Labs and beyond, Eric Betzig spent an entire career trying to see the unseeable. The optics of conventional microscopes face a fundamental, physical limit on their resolution. Dr. Betzig's quest to break this limit ultimately led to the development of a super-resolution microscopy technique, providing researchers a level of detail in biology and that had never been possible before. Misha, Ben and Joe sit down with him to discuss his incredible life story, and discover how a lauded physicist walked away from a promising career in science, only to return a decade later to achieve great scientific success that earned the 2014 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
Humans have 10 times more neurons in our brain than there are people on the earth, so how do these billions of cells manage to all work together? Misha, Ben, and Joe sit down with Dr. Jeff Lichtman, professor of Neuroscience at Harvard University, to talk about his work understanding the complexity of how neurons connect with one another. We discuss recent technological breakthroughs and shortcomings in traditional microscopy, and whether we can transfer our consciousness onto computers.
What is basic science, and how is it significant in the realm of brain research and the future progress of our society? Your hosts Joe, Misha, and Ben sit down with Dr. David Fitzpatrick, Scientific Director of the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and tackle those questions and more on the first episode of the Neurotransmissions podcast, tackling neuroscience stories from the lab and life - a special episode to celebrate Brain Awareness Week, 2016.