We discuss all-optical interrogation techniques and the mysterious claustrum. Paula Kaanders and Lukas Krone talk to Dr Adam Packer from the Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics about his work on all-optical interrogation techniques: a technology that enables him to read and write neural activity. Besides this, we talk about his recent interest in the claustrum, a brain region we know little about. Adam also discusses his career path and his advice to graduate students.

We discuss the brain mechanisms behind depression. Paula Kaanders and Lukas Krone talk to Prof Catherine Harmer from the Department of Psychiatry about her work on emotional processing in depression and the latest developments in understanding and treating depression. We also talk about Catherine's career path and her advice to graduate students.

We discuss the Neuroscience of Pain perception Lukas Krone and Alex von Klemperer talk to Prof Irene Tracey of the Oxford Nuffield Clinical Neurosciences Department about her pioneering work studying chronic and acute pain through neuroimaging as well as some of her more recent projects on Aneasthetic depth. We also discuss how she approaches both being a scientist and taking on executive roles such as head of department and her life outside of science.

We discuss Auditory Neuroscience in particular during vocal learning Auditory Neurobiologist Prof Richard Mooney from the Duke University joins Alex and Sam to discuss his work on the Neuroscience behind vocal learning and communication. We explore how the brain processes sounds and how this may be different during vocal learning or other movements that generate sound. We also discuss Prof Mooney's perspective on the advances in neurophysiology and how his love of music influenced his decisions to study auditory neuroscience. More information at www.cortexclub.com. Theme music is by Eves Blue

We discuss how the Brain processes vision. Holly Bridge from the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging discusses how the visual system works. We also talk about how visual processing is studied and what the brain does when sensory input from the eyes is disrupted. More information at www.cortexclub.com. Theme music is by Eves Blue.

We discuss the Science of Sleep Renowned sleep scientist prof Vladyslav Vyazovskiy from the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at Oxford University sits down with Alex and Sam to discuss the Neuroscience behind Sleep. We discuss how Sleep is studied and what its purpose might be for the Brain. More information at www.cortexclub.com. Theme music is by Eves Blue.

We talk through what listeners can expect from future episodes of CortexCast. In this introductory episode Alex, Paula and Samuel explain the purpose of this new podcast series and how it came about. We also offer a sneak peek at some of the upcoming episodes.