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How do cells move cargo with such precision? What controls vesicle trafficking, and why does this process shape everything from cellular communication to disease? And what can extracellular vesicles really reveal about health, aging, and neurodegeneration?

In this episode of Neuroscience and Beyond, Professor Randy Schekman, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, helps unpack these questions. He explains the molecular machinery behind vesicle trafficking, how these pathways were discovered through foundational cell biology, and how this research enabled breakthroughs like insulin production in yeast. Prof. Schekman also explores what extracellular vesicles carry and why interpreting their biological roles remains experimentally challenging.

The conversation then shifts to Parkinson’s disease; its complexity, why current treatments mostly manage symptoms, and why early cellular changes may begin long before diagnosis. Prof. Schekman highlights research on genetic risk, environmental factors, and emerging evidence that vigorous exercise may influence disease progression.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• How vesicle trafficking and extracellular vesicles shape cellular communication
• The cell‑biology foundations behind technologies like insulin production
• Why Parkinson’s disease is so difficult to treat and detect early
• Genetics, early warning signs, and the role of exercise in Parkinson’s research

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:08 Why Vesicle Trafficking Matters & Path to Nobel

00:10:12 Discovering Cellular Transport Mechanisms

00:16:52 How Vesicles Shape Cell Growth

00:22:18 From Cell Biology to Insulin Production

00:29:55 Technology, Science, and Deep Thinking

00:37:28 Why Extracellular Vesicles Are Important

00:43:32 Why Parkinson’s Disease Is So Devastating

00:48:23 Funding Parkinson’s Research at Scale

00:55:25 Does Parkinson’s Start Outside the Brain?

01:00:19 Can Exercise Slow Parkinson’s Progression?

01:06:40 Advice for Young Scientists

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🔗Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond

#Neuroscience, #CellBiology #ParkinsonsDisease #ExtracellularVesicles #VesicleTrafficking #Neurodegeneration #MedicalResearch #SciencePodcast #NobelPrizeLaureate

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:

Svilen Georgiev

Kristina Jevdokimenko

Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı

Laura van Agen

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Why is Alzheimer’s disease so difficult to treat and how is the brain’s immune system involved?

Professor Michael Heneka, Director of the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, joins us to discuss key topics in #neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease.

We explore how inflammation shapes the progression of #neurodegeneration, why detecting Alzheimer’s early remains a challenge, and the surprising biological world of tunneling nanotubes-tiny bridges that let cells exchange materials and signals.
Professor Heneka also breaks down emerging strategies in #prevention, #personalizedmedicine, #genetherapy, and anti-inflammatory approaches that could redefine the future of Alzheimer’s #treatment.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
 • Why Alzheimer’s is so complex and why traditional #treatments struggle to stop its progression
 • How #neuroinflammation drives the disease, reshaping the #brain long before symptoms appear
 • How early #biomarkers can reveal Alzheimer’s up to 10 years in advance, improving detection and intervention
 • The future of personalized Alzheimer’s #treatment, from #genetics to targeted #immunotherapies
 • How tunneling nanotubes and #immune pathways may transform our understanding of #neurodegeneration

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us for exciting neuroscience content.

🔗Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond

#AlzheimersResearch #Neuroscience #BrainHealth #SystemsBiomedicine #NeurosciencePodcast

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:

Svilen Georgiev

Kristina Jevdokimenko

Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı

Mels Akhmetali

Laura van Agen

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What happens in our brain when we crave revenge - and how can forgiveness set us free?

In this powerful conversation, we speak with James Kimmel Jr., a former lawyer, and currently an assistant clinical professor at the Yale School of Medicine, and author of The Science of Revenge, about the psychology and neuroscience behind revenge, addiction, and forgiveness.

Drawing from his own story of childhood bullying and near-violence, Kimmel explains how these experiences led him from a 20-year legal career into neuroscience research and the creation of the Yale Collaborative for Motive Control.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why revenge feels so satisfying - and why it’s addictive
- What happens in your brain when you crave revenge?
- Why does your self-control system shut down when anger takes over?
- The surprising difference between men and women when it comes to - empathy during acts of retaliation.
- How to turn revenge into healing through the “Courtroom of the Mind,” an evidence-based mental exercise that helps release anger safely.
- The transformative power of forgiveness and empathy

Timestamps
00:00:00 In this episode of Neuroscience and Beyond
00:00:29 Introduction and opening thoughts on revenge
00:01:30 Bullying, Anger, and the Moment That Changed Everything
00:11:00 From Lawyer to Yale Collaborative for Motive Control Studies 
00:17:20 Revenge in the courtroom & Discovering the neuroscience of revenge
00:23:40 Studying the neuroscience of revenge and addiction
00:28:40 How the brain processes revenge and addiction
00:30:00 Dopamine, craving, and the “go” vs. “stop” systems
00:33:20 Developmental neuroscience and revenge in youth
00:38:00 When does revenge become addictive?
00:40:10 Healthy vs. harmful punishment and the role of dopamine
00:44:00 Pain, pleasure, and the biology of retaliation
00:50:00 Male vs. female revenge seeking
00:56:00 The myth of “good vs. evil” and real-world violence
00:59:00 How society fails to prevent revenge-driven violence
01:04:40 The “Courtroom of the Mind”: healing through inner justice
01:13:30 How forgiveness changes the brain
01:18:20 Treating revenge like an addiction
01:22:00 Education, prevention, and hope for future generations
01:25:00 Closing reflections on forgiveness and self-healing

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🔗Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond

#NeuroscienceOfRevenge #TheScienceOfRevenge #AddictionAndTheBrain #Forgiveness #EmotionalHealing #PsychologyPodcast #Mindfulness #NeurosciencePodcast

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:
Svilen Georgiev
Kristina Jevdokimenko
Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı
Laura van Agen

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Prof. Kukushkin emphasises that the hardest part for scientists is figuring out what motivates them. He explains that the current system rewards high-profile publications controlled by a few for-profit corporations, steering research toward profit. 

Top-down structural change- from universities, governments, and leaders-is needed to restore creativity, integrity, and meaningful progress.

What’s your biggest challenge in academia? Share your thoughts in the comments! 💬

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive content and honest conversations about academic life.

#academic #challenges #academia #science #ResearchFunding #AcademicCareers #PhDLife 

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:

Svilen Georgiev

Kristina Jevdokimenko

Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı

Laura van Agen

Send us a text

Noise is more than just an irritation; it’s a global health and environmental issue. In this episode, we welcome Chris Berdik, science journalist and author of Clamor: How Noise Took Over the World and How We Can Take It Back. We explore how noise affects the body and brain, from sleep disruption and stress responses to hearing loss, dementia risk, and learning difficulties. 

We also talk about why designing better soundscapes  (in schools, workplaces, hospitals, and cities)  is essential for public health, productivity, and even wildlife survival.
This episode offers deep insights for anyone interested in health, neuroscience or urban planning, revealing why it’s time to take noise seriously and how we can build healthier soundscapes for the future.

More from Chris Berdik: https://www.chrisberdik.com/clamor

#NoisePollution #HealthAndWellness #Neuroscience #UrbanDesign #Soundscapes #HearingHealth #EnvironmentalHealth #BrainScience #PublicHealth
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us for exciting neuroscience content.

🔗Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond

Timestamps
00:00:00 In this episode of Neuroscience and Beyond
00:00:29 Introduction
00:01:00 Chris Berdik’s journey into science journalism and noise research
00:07:30 What is noise?
00:10:45 Health Effects of Noise
00:14:00 Hearing and Dementia
00:15:30 Are we adapting to noise?
0017:00  Noise sensitivity: why even “deep sleepers” are affected
00:19:01 Noise and learning: classrooms and distraction
00:20:00 The auditory midbrain and early literacy
00:22:29 Open offices: productivity, distraction distance, and noise design
00:27:20 White noise, focus, and the science of masking sound
00:29:55 Hearing damage: how loud sound injures hair cells and neurons
00:38:25 Hearing protection as the “new sunscreen”
00:40:11 Noise and nature: wildlife, whales, and shrinking sensory worlds
00:50:00 Green Spaces and Soundscapes
00:53:50 Limerick, Ireland: redefining “quiet spaces” in cities
01:01:50 Noise inequality and environmental justice
01:05:29 Sound solutions: from restaurants to hospitals
01:15:42 Key message from Clamor

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:
Svilen Georgiev
Kristina Jevdokimenko
Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı
Mels Akhmetali
Laura van Agen

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Memory is more than just a function of neurons; non-neuronal cells can “remember” too. In this episode, we welcome Prof. Nikolay Kukushkin, Clinical Associate Professor of Life Science and research fellow at the Center for Neural Science, NYU, to discuss the fascinating science of memory. We explore how neurons and other cells store information and abstract ideas, why scientists study sea slugs to uncover the mechanisms of learning and memory, and the potential implications of cellular memory for mental health, learning, and cancer treatment. We also discuss the new upcoming book by Prof. Kukushkin called “One Hand Clapping - Unraveling the Mystery of the Human Mind”.

This episode provides in-depth insights for anyone curious about neuroscience, memory, and consciousness, revealing the remarkable ways our cells contribute to how information is stored, processed, and retained.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 In this episode of Neuroscience and Beyond
00:00:29 Introduction
00:01:58 Prof. Kukushkin’s Journey: From Biochemistry to Neuroscience
00:04:30 What Is Cellular Memory?
00:07:32 How do Neuroscientists Study Memory?
00:13:29 Massed vs. Spaced Effect in Learning and Memory
00:17:15 Where Is Memory Stored?
00:20:09 Neuronal Memory vs. Non-Neuronal Memory
00:24:32 How Neurons Store Abstract Information and Ideas
00:30:39 Can Animals Experience Memory Like Humans?
00:32:41 Sea Slugs, Consciousness, and Evolutionary Perspectives
00:38:53 Can Cancer Cells Remember Chemotherapy Treatment?
00:42:36 Cellular Memory and Mental Health Research
00:48:09 Writing One Hand Clapping: Science and Storytelling
00:55:34 Motivation Behind Writing a Book
01:02:23 Theories of Consciousness
01:09:21 Do We Have the Technology to Study Consciousness?
01:12:49 Psychedelics, Brain Research, and Conscious Experience
01:15:57 Final Insights on Memory and the Human Mind

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🔗 Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond

#neuroscience  #Memory #CellularMemory #BrainScience #Learning #HumanCognition #Neurons  #SeaSlugs #MentalHealth #SciencePodcast #OneHandClapping 

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286.

Neuroscience and Beyond team:
Svilen Georgiev
Kristina Jevdokimenko
Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı
Laura van Agen
Music contributors: Steffen Pöschel (Ilanoor)

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In our Problems in Academia series, we talk with scientists about the biggest challenges in research today and how the system could better support scientists at every level.

In this episode, Raymundo Báez-Mendoza, PhD, group leader at the German Primate Centre, shares honest insights into the economics of science-from how funding models shape lab decisions to the growing imbalance between large and small research groups.

Visit our Problems in Academia series to hear how leading scientists are rethinking research culture and building a better future for science.

🔗 Link to the Playlist of Problems in Academia: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLtjKq7qE0GdKtOrU9a3U0mPzPgW67waB

#ResearchReform #AcademicCareers #ScienceFunding #BrainDrain #NeurosciencePodcast 
 #academic #challenges #academia #science #ResearchFunding #AcademicCareers #PhDLife 

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:
Svilen Georgiev
Kristina Jevdokimenko
Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı
Mels Akhmetali
Laura van Agen

Send us a text

In Episode 28 of Neuroscience and Beyond, we explore the neural basis of social behavior with Raymundo Báez-Mendoza Ph.D., #neuroscientist and group leader at the German Primate Centre. From understanding trust and cooperation to decoding fear and social distance, Báez-Mendoza’s work reveals how the #brain makes sense of our most fundamental social experiences.

Bridging research in humans and non-human primates, his lab uses game theory, structured behavioral tasks, and neural recordings to investigate the #cognitive and emotional processes that shape how we interact with others.

In this episode, we cover:

• How scientists model real-life social decisions in the lab
• The role of the amygdala in both fear and friendship
• How memory, reputation, and authority influence behavior
• What are Social Agent Identity Cells, and why do they matter?
• Insights from neural recordings during brain surgery
• and more! 

🎧 Curious how the brain navigates trust, memory, and connection? Watch the full episode on YouTube to explore how neuroscience is helping us understand social interaction at its most fundamental level.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive content and in-depth discussions on cutting-edge science!

🔗Find us on X, Instagram, BlueSky, Spotify and other platforms https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond 

🔗Link to the video: https://youtu.be/AFb4pQJC9zo

#SocialNeuroscience #GameTheory #Amygdala #PrimateResearch #Neuroeconomics #CognitiveNeuroscience #TheoryOfMind #NeurosciencePodcast #BehavouralNeuroscience

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Timestamps

00:00:00 – Introduction & Báez-Mendoza’s Research
00:04:32 – From Mexico to Harvard: Comparing Research Cultures
00:09:40 – Social Interactions & Game Theory in Humans and Monkeys
00:15:56 – Training Monkeys for Social Decision-Making Tasks
00:22:25 – Recording Brain Activity in Monkeys
00:24:57 – Brain Regions Involved in Social Interaction
00:30:14 – Fear and Friendship: Amygdala’s Dual Role
00:33:34 – Memory and Social Decision-Making
00:38:10 – Theory of Mind in Monkeys
00:44:32 – What Are Social Agent Identity Cells?
00:49:10 – Human Brain Recordings During Surgery
00:54:11 – Role of Reputation and Authority in Decision-Making
01:00:12 – Sex Differences in Social Behavior & Research Constraints

Neuroscience and Beyond team:

Svilen Georgiev

Kristina Jevdokimenko

Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı

Mels Akhmetali

Laura van Agen

Send us a text

Dr. Verena Haage joins us for a deep and honest conversation about the systemic problems in academia, beyond just publishing or funding.
We unpack the urgent need to rethink research culture, covering issues like:
-Burnout, mental health, and unrealistic career expectations
-The shortage of stable positions like staff scientists
-Why retreats often miss opportunities for genuine connection

Dr. Haage shares actionable ideas, such as creating peer spaces and a trust-based lab culture to rethink what mentorship and leadership should look like in modern science.

What's your biggest frustration with research culture? Share your thoughts in the comments!💬

🔗 Watch the full conversation on YouTube & follow us here: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond 

#AcademicCulture #MentalHealthInScience #OpenScience #LeadershipInAcademia #PostdocCrisis #Reproducibility #ResearchReform #NeurosciencePodcast

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:
Svilen Georgiev
Kristina Jevdokimenko
Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı
Mels Akhmetali

Send us a text

Did you know your brain has its own immune system? At its core are microglia - specialized cells that defend, maintain, and shape the brain throughout life. In Episode 27 of Neuroscience and Beyond, Dr. Verena Haage, guest scientist at Charité Berlin and co-founder of SciLead, joins us to learn how these once-overlooked cells are now revolutionizing our understanding of brain development, aging, and disease.

This episode unpacks how advanced tools like single-cell RNA sequencing, #transcriptomics , and #proteomics are revolutionizing microglia #research.

We discuss the critical role of microglia in #neurodegeneration, the challenges and breakthroughs in studying the human brain, and the growing relevance of the exposome in brain health.

You will also learn about the inspiring work behind SciLead, an initiative Dr. Haage co-founded to foster better leadership and research culture in science.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us for exciting neuroscience content.

🔗To find us on BlueSky, X and Instagram:https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond

Timestamps

00:00:00 In This Episode  

00:00:25 Introduction  

00:01:40 Dr. Haage’s Research on Microglia  

00:05:10 How Were Microglia Discovered?  

00:06:35 Studying Microglia in Mice  

00:07:50 Sex Differences in Microglia  

00:09:45 What Are Transcriptomics and Proteomics?  

00:10:35 How Is Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Used?  

00:17:40 What Are Microglial States?  

00:20:10 Mouse vs. Human Microglia  

00:21:50 How Are Human Microglia Studied?  

00:31:30 Do iPSC-Derived Cells Reflect Adult Microglia?  

00:33:30 Transcriptomics Costs and Lab Procedures  

00:37:30 Data Challenges in Transcriptomics Research  

00:40:50 Microglia’s Role in Neurodegeneration  

00:47:00 Can We Image Microglia in Humans?  

00:50:20 How the Exposome Affects Brain Health  

00:51:50 What’s Happening to US Research Funding?  

00:59:00 What Is SciLead?  

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:

Svilen Georgiev

Kristina Jevdokimenko

Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı

Mels Akhmetali

Laura van Agen