Neuroscience and Beyond

We are a team of PhD students located in Göttingen, Germany, who share a passion about neuroscience and science communication. On a monthly basis we talk with experts in neuroscience and discuss their research, career path, struggles along the way and current problems in the field.

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. The content of the podcast represents our personal opinions and is separate from the institutions we are working at or collaborate with.

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Neuroscience and Beyond

The Brain’s Dark Matter: Exploring the Extracellular Matrix | Prof. Jessica Kwok

April 28, 2025 • Neuroscience and Beyond

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, whose research is reshaping our understanding of memory, brain plasticity, and post-injury recovery. In this episode, you will learn:

-What perineuronal nets (PNNs) are and their influence on brain function.

-The surprising role of the ECM in spinal cord injury recovery.

-How the ECM shapes brain development and aging.

-The reasons why some neurons possess PNNs while others do not.

-The therapeutic potential of targeting PNNs, and many more interesting topics!

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#Neuroscience #ExtracellularMatrix #SpinalCordInjury #ECM #PNN

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

Neuroscience and Beyond team:

Svilen Georgiev

Kristina Jevdokimenko

Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı

Beatriz Apgaua

Mels Akhmetali