Neuroscience and Beyond
We are young researchers at the forefront of neuroscience in Göttingen, Germany, driven by a passion for discovery and communication. In our monthly conversations, we go beyond publications to discuss the real stories with leading experts: their revolutionary work, their personal paths, the struggles they've overcome, and the big questions driving the field forward.
Our mission is built on a simple, powerful idea: knowledge is the only resource that grows when shared. Through open dialogue, we aim to build a bridge between cutting-edge research and the curious minds eager to understand it.
Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences, the European Neuroscience Institute in Göttingen, the Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging" in Göttingen and SFB1286 Quantitative Synaptology in Göttingen.
This podcast reflects our personal views and is separate from our affiliated institutions.
Episodes
42 episodes
How a Nobel Prize Discovery Changed Cell Biology | Vesicles, Insulin & Parkinson’s | Randy Schekman
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 neurod...
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1:36:04
Neuroinflammation & Alzheimer’s Disease | Prof. Michael Heneka on Immune Signaling and Neurodegeneration
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 ...
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42:13
The Neuroscience of Revenge & Forgiveness | James Kimmel Jr. on Addiction, Justice, and Healing
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 Me...
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1:32:05
The Biggest Problem in Science: For-Profit Corporations Controlling Knowledge | Prof. Niko Kukushkin
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 pro...
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19:18
How Noise Impacts our Brain, Health and Nature | Chris Berdik
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 no...
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1:19:27
What If Every Cell Has a Memory? From Cells to Consciousness | Prof. Nikolay Kukushkin
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, ...
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1:17:40
Funding Models, Career Pressure, and the Future of Science | Challenges in Academia with Raymundo Báez-Mendoza, PhD #7
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 th...
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15:32
Neuroscience of Social Interactions: Friendship & Theory of Mind | Raymundo Báez-Mendoza, Ph.D.
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 ...
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1:01:53
Rethinking the Research Culture | Challenges in Academia with Dr. Haage #6
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,...
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16:06
The Brain’s Hidden Guardians: Microglia in Health and Disease | Dr. Verena Haage
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...
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1:04:54
Balancing Research, Clinical Work, and Personal Life | Challenges in Academia with Prof. Woud #5
In the latest episode of Neuroscience and Beyond, Prof. Marcella Woud (Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology and Experimental Psychopathology at the University of Göttingen) highlighted the real struggles in academia, from balancing cli...
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8:33
Cognitive Bias, Mental Health, PTSD & Anxiety | Prof. Marcella Woud
Why do some people recover from trauma, while others spiral into anxiety or depression? In Episode 26 of Neuroscience Beyond, we explore the psychological mechanics behind trauma and healing. Join us for an intriguing conversation ...
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1:09:15
Academic Pressure, Too Many PhDs, Too Few Jobs? | Challenges in Academia with Prof. Kwok #5
In our latest episode on the challenges in academia, we welcome Prof. Kwok as she dissects some of the most critical issues facing researchers today, including:Academic pressure and the instability of research careers.
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14:13
The Brain’s Dark Matter: Exploring the Extracellular Matrix | Prof. Jessica Kwok
In our 25th episode, we're highlighting a fascinating and often overlooked area of neuroscience: the extracellular matrix of the brain. We are delighted to host Dr. Jessica Kwok, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Leeds, w...
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1:05:28
Rethinking Academia: What’s Broken and How We Can Fix It | #4 with Dr. Mani
Professor Mani shares her perspective, acknowledging both the privileges of scientific research and the real challenges we face. We discuss the slow peer-review process, the high cost of open access, and the systemic resistance to change.
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18:54
How Do Babies Learn Language? | Motivation, Environment & Multilingualism | Prof. Nivedita Mani
How Do We Learn Language?Ever wonder how babies learn language? We've got answers! Join us for a fascinating chat with Prof. Nivedita Mani from Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, as we uncover the secrets of infant language acquisition....
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1:06:51
Rethinking Academia: What’s Broken and How We Can Fix It | #3 with Dr. Shaib
In our latest episode, we had the privilege of speaking with Ali from Georg-August-Universität Göttingen about the challenges academics face!Ali highlights the complexities of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, their un...
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24:27
How to study protein shapes with light | One-step Nanoscale Expansion ONE Microscopy | Dr. Ali Shaib
In this episode, we hosted Dr. Ali Shaib, Group Leader at the Institute of Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen. We explored One-step Nanoscale Expansion (ONE) microscopy – revolutionary imaging technology transforming structura...
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1:07:16
Rethinking Academia: What’s Broken and How We Can Fix It | #2 with Prof. Holtmaat
Prof. Holtmaat points out that the current academic publishing system creates a cycle where funding, research, and publications are tightly linked, making it difficult to break free from its constraints. Initiatives like bioRxiv are...
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17:10
Portable Two-Photon Microscopy for neuroscience and clinical application | Dr. Lukas Krainer
Have you ever wondered how an idea born in a university lab can transform into a life-changing invention? Meet Dr. Lukas Krainer, a physicist who completed his PhD at the prestigious ETH University in Zürich and turned his research into a thriv...
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1:09:27
#1 Rethinking Academia: What’s Broken and How We Can Fix It | Prof. Jörg Enderlein
We are excited to introduce a brand-new series of our podcast called Challenges in Academia, where we will be exploring the challenges and hurdles faced in academia.In this new set of videos, we’ll be talking to academics from a wide ran...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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15:25
Pushing the Boundaries of Advanced Microscopy Techniques | Prof. Jörg Enderlein
In Episode 21 of Neuroscience and Beyond, we had the privilege of hosting Prof. Dr. Jörg Enderlein, a renowned physicist at the Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University in Göttingen. We explored the interplay between quantum me...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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1:10:47
How is brain development influenced by protein degradation | Dr. Mateusz Ambrozkiewicz
Today, we have the pleasure of hosting Dr. Mateusz Ambrożkiewicz! He leads a lab at the Institute for Cell Biology and Neurobiology at Charité in Berlin, one of Europe’s largest university hospitals. Dr. Ambrożkiewicz’s lab studies how protein ...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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1:07:04
Ed Boyden: How to develop technologies worthy of a Nobel prize | Optogenetics & Expansion Microscopy
In this episode, we’re honoured to host Prof. Dr. Ed Boyden, a pioneering neuroscientist, inventor, entrepreneur and MIT professor who is widely known for his immense contribution to life sciences, especially to the field of neuroscience. Prof....
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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56:02
Peter Dayan: How to study the brain from a computational view | Q-Learning, Memory, Decision Making
In this episode, we have the distinct privilege of speaking with Prof. Peter Dayan, director at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Germany. Prof. Dayan is renowned for using methods from machine learning to understand brain ...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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1:23:52