Neuroscience and Beyond

Send us a textHow 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 communicationThe cell‑biology foundations behind technologies like insulin productionWhy Parkinson’s disease is so difficult to treat and detect earlyGenetics, early warning signs, and the role of exercise in Parkinson’s researchTimestamps00:00:00 Introduction00:02:08 Why Vesicle Trafficking Matters & Path to Nobel00:10:12 Discovering Cellular Transport Mechanisms00:16:52 How Vesicles Shape Cell Growth00:22:18 From Cell Biology to Insulin Production00:29:55 Technology, Science, and Deep Thinking00:37:28 Why Extracellular Vesicles Are Important00:43:32 Why Parkinson’s Disease Is So Devastating00:48:23 Funding Parkinson’s Research at Scale00:55:25 Does Parkinson’s Start Outside the Brain?01:00:19 Can Exercise Slow Parkinson’s Progression?01:06:40 Advice for Young ScientistsSubscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us for exciting neuroscience content.🔗Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond#Neuroscience, #CellBiology #ParkinsonsDisease #ExtracellularVesicles #VesicleTrafficking #Neurodegeneration #MedicalResearch #SciencePodcast #NobelPrizeLaureateSupported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286Neuroscience and Beyond team:Svilen GeorgievKristina JevdokimenkoAhsen Konaç SayıcıLaura van Agen

Send us a textWhy 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 #neurodegenerationSubscribe 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 #NeurosciencePodcastSupported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286Neuroscience and Beyond team:Svilen GeorgievKristina JevdokimenkoAhsen Konaç SayıcıMels AkhmetaliLaura van Agen

Send us a textWhat 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 empathyTimestamps00:00:00 In this episode of Neuroscience and Beyond00:00:29 Introduction and opening thoughts on revenge00:01:30 Bullying, Anger, and the Moment That Changed Everything00:11:00 From Lawyer to Yale Collaborative for Motive Control Studies 00:17:20 Revenge in the courtroom & Discovering the neuroscience of revenge00:23:40 Studying the neuroscience of revenge and addiction00:28:40 How the brain processes revenge and addiction00:30:00 Dopamine, craving, and the “go” vs. “stop” systems00:33:20 Developmental neuroscience and revenge in youth00:38:00 When does revenge become addictive?00:40:10 Healthy vs. harmful punishment and the role of dopamine00:44:00 Pain, pleasure, and the biology of retaliation00:50:00 Male vs. female revenge seeking00:56:00 The myth of “good vs. evil” and real-world violence00:59:00 How society fails to prevent revenge-driven violence01:04:40 The “Courtroom of the Mind”: healing through inner justice01:13:30 How forgiveness changes the brain01:18:20 Treating revenge like an addiction01:22:00 Education, prevention, and hope for future generations01:25:00 Closing reflections on forgiveness and self-healingSubscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us for exciting neuroscience content.🔗Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond#NeuroscienceOfRevenge #TheScienceOfRevenge #AddictionAndTheBrain #Forgiveness #EmotionalHealing #PsychologyPodcast #Mindfulness #NeurosciencePodcastSupported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286Neuroscience and Beyond team:Svilen GeorgievKristina JevdokimenkoAhsen Konaç SayıcıLaura van Agen

Send us a textProf. 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 SFB1286Neuroscience and Beyond team:Svilen GeorgievKristina JevdokimenkoAhsen Konaç SayıcıLaura van Agen

Send us a textNoise 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 #PublicHealthSubscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us for exciting neuroscience content.🔗Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyondTimestamps00:00:00 In this episode of Neuroscience and Beyond00:00:29 Introduction00:01:00 Chris Berdik’s journey into science journalism and noise research00:07:30 What is noise?00:10:45 Health Effects of Noise00:14:00 Hearing and Dementia00:15:30 Are we adapting to noise?0017:00  Noise sensitivity: why even “deep sleepers” are affected00:19:01 Noise and learning: classrooms and distraction00:20:00 The auditory midbrain and early literacy00:22:29 Open offices: productivity, distraction distance, and noise design00:27:20 White noise, focus, and the science of masking sound00:29:55 Hearing damage: how loud sound injures hair cells and neurons00:38:25 Hearing protection as the “new sunscreen”00:40:11 Noise and nature: wildlife, whales, and shrinking sensory worlds00:50:00 Green Spaces and Soundscapes00:53:50 Limerick, Ireland: redefining “quiet spaces” in cities01:01:50 Noise inequality and environmental justice01:05:29 Sound solutions: from restaurants to hospitals01:15:42 Key message from ClamorSupported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286Neuroscience and Beyond team:Svilen GeorgievKristina JevdokimenkoAhsen Konaç SayıcıMels AkhmetaliLaura van Agen