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.
Neuroscience and Beyond
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 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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#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