SYNAPSIS Podcast

Wetware Rising: From Synapses to ServersWhat if the future of computing isn’t built from silicon—but grown from living neurons? This is not science fiction. It’s neuroscience—rewiring the future of computing.In this episode, I sit down with a scientist from FinalSpark, a research lab pioneering biological computing using brain organoids as bioprocessors. Instead of transistors, these systems rely on neurons, synapses, and plasticity—the same principles that govern learning in the human brain.We explore:What wetware really means in neuroscienceHow living neural networks can process informationWhy organoids may be more energy-efficient than silicon chipsWhere the line lies between computation, intelligence, and lifeThe ethical and scientific questions behind computing with biologyTimestamps:00:00 - 04:00 Introduction to FinalSpark and Biocomputers04:00 - 06:25 The Journey from Biology to AI06:25 - 10:30 Imaging Techniques and Limitations10:30 - 11:35 Understanding Organoids11:35 - 17:15 The Challenge of Neuronal Variability17:15 - 19:25 Programming Neurons: Input and Output 19:25 - 22:55 Neural Learning22:55 - 26:35 The Future of Biocomputers26:35 - 29:30 Ethics of Biocomputing29:30 - 33:43 The Complexity of Consciousness33:43 - 40:00 Investment and Future Directions of FinalSpark

The Global Women’s Health Gap: What Science Has Been Missing

This episode is not about simplifying a single biological mechanism. It’s about exposing a global health gap — how it was created, why it persists, and who it affects. For centuries, women’s health has been treated as a smaller version of men’s health.
Medical research, diagnostic criteria, and drug development were built around the male body as the default — and then applied to women afterward. The result is a system that systematically underdiagnoses, undertreats, and misunderstands women. Using McKinsey’s 2024 report on the global women’s health gap, this episode walks through its 10 key findings, grounding each one in biology, neuroscience, and real-world clinical consequences.

Timestamps:

00:00 - 04:00 Historical Context of Women's Health

04:00 - 07:40 #1: Lifespan vs Healthspan

07:40 - 11:00 #2: Atypical Symptoms of Women

11:00 - 15:30 #3: Chronic Pain Left Unaddressed

15:30 - 19:30 #4: PMS & PMDD

19:30 - 23:20 #5: Menopause

23:20 - 27:50 #6: 75% of Women's Health Issues

27:50 - 30:00 #7: Seven Healthy Days Lost Per Year

30:00 - 33:00 #8: Women Excluded from Research

33:00 - 36:30 #9: $1 Trillion for Global Economy

36:30 - 38:00 #10 Call for System-Wide Action

Kadın sağlığı neden hâlâ ikinci planda kalıyor?Tarih boyunca tıp araştırmaları, teşhis kriterleri ve ilaç denemeleri erkek bedenini referans aldı. Kadınlar ise çoğu zaman “atipik”, “abartılı” ya da “duygusal” bulunarak geri plana itildi.McKinsey’nin 2024 raporu, kadın sağlığındaki bu küresel boşluğun yalnızca hayatları değil, ekonomiyi de etkilediğini gösteriyor: Her yıl 1 trilyon dolarlık bir fırsat göz ardı ediliyor.Bu bölümde raporun en önemli bulgularını, bilimsel açıklamalar ve toplumsal yansımalarıyla tek tek ele alıyorum:Kadınlar neden daha uzun yaşasa da daha sağlıksız yıllar geçiriyor?Neden kalp krizleri kadınlarda daha geç teşhis ediliyor?PMS, endometriozis, menopoz gibi durumlar neden hâlâ küçümseniyor?Kadınların ağrısı neden görünmez kılınıyor?Bu farkı kapatmak için sağlık sistemleri, araştırmalar, iş dünyası ve toplum ne yapabilir?Sizce artık kadın sağlığı reformu bir hak mı, lüks mü, yoksa zorunluluk mu?Orijinal rapora buradan ulaşabilirsiniz:Closing the Women’s Health Gap – McKinsey, 2024https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/closing-the-womens-health-gap-a-1-trillion-dollar-opportunity-to-improve-lives-and-economies#KadınSağlığı #WomensHealth #Femtech #McKinsey #SağlıkEşitliği #SynapsisPodcast #pcos #endometriosis #menopoz #pms #pmdd #regl #kanser #memekanseri #hpv

What if AI could predict the very building blocks of life? Meet AlphaFold, Google DeepMind’s revolutionary AI system that has cracked the protein folding problem—one of biology’s greatest challenges. AlphaFold 3 was released in 2024 and it was co-developed with Isomorphic Labs, a spinoff from DeepMind specifically focusing on using this technology in drug discovery. This episode aims to answer: What is protein folding and why does it matter?How does artificial intelligence contribute to the science behind protein folding?What is AlphaFold and how does it work?Why is AlphaFold so revolutionary (that it earned its founders a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2024)?How is AI shaping the future of medicine and beyond?With AlphaFold, what used to take years in a lab can now be done in hours—saving time, money, and potentially millions of lives. AI isn’t just changing biology—it’s redefining science itself.Subscribe for more deep dives into cutting-edge biomedical science! 💬 Let me know in the comments—what excites you most about AI in biotech?Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro: AI’s Role in Biology & Medicine2:15 - How Proteins Are Made: DNA to Function6:35 - AI in Biology: Deep Learning & Neural Networks9:50 - AlphaFold in Drug Discovery and Beyond 10:00 - Closing Thoughts: The Future of Science #AlphaFold #AI #Biotech #DeepMind #IsomorphicLabs #DrugDiscovery #ProteinFolding #Science #Podcast

Is fasting really healthy? How do caloric restriction and intermittent fasting affect our brain and body? What are the differences between Ramadan fasting and other types of fasting?

In this video, I explore the science of fasting, its effects on metabolism, its connection to the keto diet, and how prolonged fasting changes the body at a cellular level. Covering all the studies in one episode is unfortunately impossible, so feel free to ask any additional questions in the comments on YouTube or Instagram @synapsispodcast!

Some of the questions I try to answer:
✔️ What happens in the body during fasting?
✔️ Does caloric restriction really extend lifespan?
✔️ What is the relationship between fasting and ketosis?
✔️ How does fasting affect the brain?
✔️ What is the healthiest way to break a fast?

Timestamps:00:00 - 02:30 Introduction02:30 - 03:50 Metabolism: Fasting vs. Fed State03:50 - 06:00 Glucose, Insulin, and Diabetes06:00 - 07:30 Glucose Storage and Transition to Fat Burning07:30 - 10:00 Types of Fasting10:00 - 13:00 Glucose in the Brain, Brain Injuries, and Epilepsy13:00 - 16:35 Brain Health, Keto Diet & Fasting, Alzheimer's16:20 - 21:00 Cardiovascular/Metabolic/Systemic Effects21:00 - 24:00 Ideal Meals for Breaking a Fast24:00 - 26:00 Summary & Conclusion

Oruç gerçekten sağlıklı mı? Kalori kısıtlaması ve aralıklı oruç beynimiz ve bedenimiz üzerinde nasıl etkiler bırakıyor? Ramazan orucu ile diğer oruç türleri arasındaki farklar neler?Bu videoda oruç bilimini ele alıyor, metabolizma üzerindeki etkilerini, keto-diyetle bağlantısını ve uzun süreli açlığın hücresel düzeyde neler değiştirdiğini inceliyorum. Alandaki tüm çalışmaları bir bölümde ele almak maalesef mümkün değil, ekstra sorularınız olursa yorumlarda sormaktan çekinmeyin!Cevaplamaya çalıştırdığım sorulardan bazıları:✔️ Oruç sırasında vücutta neler olur?✔️ Kalori kısıtlaması gerçekten ömrü uzatıyor mu?✔️ Oruç ve ketozis arasındaki ilişki nedir?✔️ Oruç tutarken beyin nasıl etkilenir?✔️ En sağlıklı iftar öğünü nasıl olmalı?00:00 - 02:30 Giriş02:30 - 03:50 Metabolizma: Açlık ve Tokluk 03:50 - 06:00 Glukoz, Insulin, Diyabet 06:00 - 07:50 Glukoz Depolama ve Yağ Yakımına Geçiş07:50 - 09:20 Oruç türleri 09:20 -12:45 Beyinde Glukoz, Beyin Travmalari ve Epilepsi12:45 - 16:35 Beyin Sağlığı, Keto-Diyet ve Oruç, Alzheimer's16:35 - 21:55 Kardiyovasküler/Metabolik/Sistemik Etkiler 21:55 - 24:20 İdeal İftar Önerileri24:20 - 26:00 Özet ve Kapanış#Oruç #KetoDiyeti #AralıklıOruç #Metabolizma #Ramazan #SağlıklıYaşam #Bilim

Today's episode is inspired by the buzzworthy Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar. I'll break down the basics of cancer biology, research, treatments, and the inner workings of big pharma—plus why a single cure for cancer remains elusive. While this 20-minute episode can only scratch the surface, I tried to distill the key concepts to their core. 00:00 - 03:30 Recap of the Show 03:30 - 06:00 Career Journeys 06:00 - 08:30 Pharma Operations13:20 - 17:00 Genome and Mutations17:20 - 18:20 Chemotherapy 18:20 - 19:00 Radiotherapy19:00 - 20:20 Immunotherapy20:20 - 23:10 Final Thoughts

Valentine's Day Special: The Neuroscience of Love!

What happens in our brains when we fall in love, form bonds, and sustain a relationship? What molecular conversations are happening during that first date's small talk? How does our scent—something we're not even consciously aware of—reveal clues about genetic compatibility and fertility? How do birth control pills influence these evolutionary attractions?

Are the butterflies we feel in love a sign of stress or security? Why can love turn into an obsession? In this episode, we’ll answer these questions and take a little courage from Alan Watts on the adventure of falling in love. Don't miss it!
00:00 - 04:00 Introduction & Saint Valentine
04:25 - 07:10 Act 1, Scene 1: Dopamine, Stress Hormones & the Prefrontal Cortex
07:50 - 17:25 Act 1, Scene 2: Scent, Pheromones, MHC, Ovulation & Birth Control Pills
17:25  - 21:15 Act 2: Mirror Neurons, Default Mode Network & Neural Synchrony
21:15 - 21:35 Act 2, Scene 3: Leaving the Place
21:33 - 22:33 Act 2, Scene 4: Saying Goodbye
22:33 - 25:00 Act 2, Scene 5: Dreams & Butterflies
25:15 - 27:15 Act 3: Falling in Love, Serotonin & Obsessions
27:15 - 28:20 Act 4: Lasting Love
28:20 - 31:40 Alan Watts & Closing Thoughts

Sevgililer Gününe özel, bu bölümün konusu AŞK! Aşık olduğumuzda, bağ kurduğumuzda ve aşkı sürdürdüğümüzde beynimizde neler oluyor? Ilk tanışmadaki sohbet sırasında moleküler seviyede nasıl sohbetler dönüyor? Bilinçsel olarak farkında bile olmadığımız kokumuz karşı tarafa genetik uyumumuz ve doğurganlığımız hakkında neler söylüyor? Bu evrimsel cekimleri dogum kontrol hapları nasıl etkiliyor? Aşık olurken hissettiğimiz o kelebekler, stres göstergesi mi yoksa güvence mi? Ask neden saplantıya yol acar? Hem bu soruların cevaplarını, hem de Alan Watts'dan da aşık olmak icin bir cesaret almak icin bu bölümü kaçırma! 00:00 - 04:25 Giris, Aziz Valentine 04:25 - 07:50 Perde 1 Sahne 1: Dopamin, Stres Hormonlari, Prefrontal Korteks 07:50 - 17:50 Koku, Feromonlar, MHC, Yumurtlama ve Dogum Kontrol Hapları17:55 - 22:05 Perde 2: Ayna Nöronlar, Default Mode Network, Beyinsel Uyum22:10 - 22:45 Perde 2 Sahne 3: Mekandan Kalkış 22:45 - 23:45 Perde 2 Sahne 4: Vedalaşma23:45 - 26:15 Perde 2 Sahne 5: Hayaller ve Kelebekler 26:20 - 28:30 Perde 3: Aska Dusus, Serotonin, Takintilar 28:30 - 29:50 Perde 4: Kalici Ask 29:50 - 32:00 Alan Watts ve Kapanis

Synapsis explores the neurobiological mechanisms of grief in this episode. When we lose a loved one, a pet, an object, a hobby, or even a job, we are left with a pain that often feels inexplicable. Although grief is commonly associated with death, anything we love can slip away from us even without it.Why do we feel an emptiness after a loss? Why is heartbreak actually a "brain break"? What are the differences between grief and depression? What personal predispositions can shape our grieving process? Why do we mourn people we didn’t even know after natural disasters like earthquakes? What is collective grief? And what can help in the healing process?I tried to fit the answers to these questions into 30 minutes.

00:00 - 04:00 Intro04:00 - 08:00 Grief in Nature 08:00 - 09:00 Nucleus Accumbens, Dopamine, Oxytocin09:00 - 12:00 From Prairie Voles to Humans 12:00 - 16:00 Complicated Grief, Catecholamines 16:00 - 17:00 Depression vs. Grief 17:0 - 23:00 Hippocampus and Nucleus Accumbens Interactions 23:00- 27:00 Healing Techniques, Vagus Nerve, Vagal Tone 27:00 - 30:00 Collective Grief30:00 - 34:00 Closing Thoughts