Brain Matters - podcast cover

Brain Matters

Brain Matters Neurosciencebrainpodcast.com
Brain Matters the Podcast is an exciting way for anyone to learn about the fascinating world of neuroscience directly from the researchers who have dedicated their lives to uncovering the mysteries of the brain. Our mission is to make neuroscience accessible, relatable, and intriguing while still respecting the integrity of the science we love.
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

But Always See First with Dr. Roderick MacKinnon

On this episode, Anthony spoke to Dr. Roderick MacKinnon (Professor, Rockefeller University, HHMI) about ion channels, studying what fascinates you, and the importance of thinking childishly. The music on today's episode was by The Caretaker: thecaretaker.bandcamp.com

Jan 09, 201942 min

Being Romantic and Practical with Dr. Richard Tsien

On this episode, Matt spoke to Dr. Richard Tsien (Professor & Chair, New York University). Dr. Tsien has a diverse career, contributing many important findings to the field of cellular and molecular neuroscience, with a primary focus on understanding how the brain meets the demands to process information. Matt delved primarily into Dr. Tsien's path to becoming a scientist, and his advice for anyone interested in becoming a neuroscientist. The music on today's episode was by Robby. Check out ...

May 22, 201846 min

Barflies: Alcohol and Fly Genetics with Dr. Fred Wolf

On this (50th!) episode of Brain Matters, Anthony talks to Dr. Fred Wolf (Assistant Professor, UC Merced). Dr. Wolf is interested in how alcohol and other drugs of abuse change our genes when we take them. Using the fruit fly as a model organism, he is able to use powerful techniques to delve into the complex relationship between drugs, genes, and behavior. Dr. Wolf helps run his own biology podcast, RadioBio, with graduate students at UC Merced. Check it out at radiobio.net The music on today's...

Dec 26, 201752 min

Alzheimer's and C. elegans with Dr. Jon Pierce

On this episode of Brain Matters, we talked with Dr. Jon Pierce (University of Texas at Austin). Jon uses to C. elegans to study Alzheimer's, Down Syndrome, alcoholism, and more. Jon is currently raising money to fund undergraduate research and engagement in his lab. You can find more information at: https://hornraiser.utexas.edu/project/5559 This episode was brought to you by Maze Engineers. To get 10% off your quote visit: https://hornraiser.utexas.edu/project/5559 . Thanks to Bridget and Bria...

Apr 19, 201752 min

Space and Time with Dr. Mayank Mehta

On this episode of Brain Matters, Matt and Mayank Mehta (Professor, UCLA) talk about how rodents and human perceive space and time. Mayank has always been obsessed with time and merges physics and neuroscience to understand how the brain deals with these abstract concepts. This episode was brought to you by Maze Engineers. Get 10% off your quote by visiting mazeengineers.com/brainmatters and enter the offer code: brain. They have some incredible mazes and other neuroscience goodies so check them...

Mar 07, 201749 min

Becoming a Curious Scientist with Dr. André Fenton

What's the most important thing about being a scientist? According to Dr. André Fenton: Curiosity. Anthony and André talked about how André tinkered his way to researching learning and memory at NYU.

Feb 13, 201748 min

The Nature of Nature (and the brain too) with Dr. David McCormick

This week on Brain Matters, Matt and Dr. David McCormick (Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology, Yale) start off 2017 right. On this episode you’ll get a quick briefing on the early history of neuroscience, information about Frankenstein’s monster, a look at neural circuits, and perspective from the Buddhist Monks of Tibet. You’re gonna want your cochleas ready for this one. David mentioned a ton of people and books. Here’s a list in case you wanna dive in. Major Figures in the Early History ...

Jan 30, 201758 min

Engineering the Brain with Dr. Caleb Kemere

On this episode of Brain Matters, Anthony and Caleb Kemere (Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University ) talk about Caleb's path to studying real time neural engineering.

Dec 12, 20161 hr 5 min

Bonus - SfN 2016

The Brain Matters team will be at the 2016 Society for Neuroscience convention in San Diego. Come say hey! We also got some exciting news - Brain Matters is now officially award-winning and Science-approved!

Nov 13, 20166 min

Neurons, Mitochondria, and Human Evolution with Dr. Franck Polleux

On this episode of Brain Matters, Matt and Dr. Franck Polleux (Professor, Department of Neuroscience at Columbia University and the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute) cover a lot of ground. Franck talks about his work as a graduate student and the topics his lab is working on now. The Polleux lab is studying topics like neural progeneration, mitochondria in dendrites of neurons, and what makes the human brain special. This is an episode you won't want to miss.

Oct 13, 201651 min

Sensorimotor Circuits in Zebrafish with Dr. Tod Thiele

On this episode of Brain Matters, Matt and Dr. Tod Thiele (Assistant Professor, University of Toronto Scarborough) talk about a model organism we haven't featured on the podcast yet- zebrafish. In his new lab, Tod is continuing his work on neural circuits in the zebrafish using all the latest imaging and optogenetic techniques.

Aug 08, 201636 min

Enhancing Cognition with Video Games with Dr. Adam Gazzaley

On this episode of Brain Matters, Anthony talked with Adam Gazzaley (Professor, UCSF) about his work on cognition. Adam develops and designs video games that are fun to play and also have enhancing cognitive effects. Thank you for listening! We'd love it if you rated and reviewed us on iTunes. Those reviews mean more to us than you could ever imagine. We read each one and show them to strangers on the streets of Austin, Texas every time a new one appears. What would you like to hear on Brain Mat...

Jun 23, 201635 min

The Vestibular System with Dr. Dora Angelaki

On this episode of Brain Matters, Anthony talked with Dr. Dora Angelaki (Professor & Chair of the Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine) about her work in the vestibular system. Dora refers to the vestibular system as 'the sixth sense' and her passion for studying this under-appreciated sensory system is clear as talks about her research. Dora is also working on a computational understanding of Autism. She discusses her approach to understanding this complicated disorder....

May 09, 201637 min

Molecular Mechanisms of Depression with Dr. Lisa Monteggia

On this episode of Brian Matters, Anthony and Dr. Lisa Monteggia (Professor, UT Southwestern Medical Center) talked about depression and the molecular mechanisms underlying the efficacy of antidepressants. They also talked about Lisa's work on MeCP2, the gene linked to the autism spectrum disorder. Towards the end, Lisa opens up about how important mentorship is in the career of a young scientist. Ride the Tiger: A Guide Through the Bipolar Brain premiers April 13, 2016 at 10/9c. It features neu...

Apr 01, 201641 min

The Resting Brain with Dr. Gagan Wig

On this episode of Brain Matters, Matt talked with Dr. Gagan Wig (Assistant Professor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas) about his research on brain networks. Gagan studies the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging or fMRI and investigates a multitude of interesting questions about the human brain.

Mar 14, 201629 min

Stroke and Aphasia with Dr. Argye Hillis

Anthony and Dr. Argye Hillis (Professor of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University) talked about a medical perspective on neuroscience research. Argye's research focuses on understanding how language and emotional functions recover after stroke.

Feb 04, 201647 min

Sleep Circuits with Dr. Yang Dan

On This episode of Brain Matters, Anthony talked with Dr. Yang Dan (Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and Professor of Neurobiology, UC Berkeley). Yang studies the circuits in the brain that control sleep. Perk up your cochlea and jump into this great conversation. Thanks to audible for supporting our podcast. Get a free 30 day trial at audiblepodcast.com/brainmatters.

Jan 15, 201657 min

Cortical Columns with Dr. David Fitzpatrick

On this episode of Brain Matters, Matt and Dr. David Fitzpatrick (Chief Executive Officer & Scientific Director, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience) chat about the cortex. They talked about the visual system and David's research on his friend the column.

Dec 22, 201542 min

Contextualizing Fear with Dr. Michael Fanselow

On this episode of Brain Matters, Anthony interviewed Dr. Michael Fanselow (Distinguished Professor, Psychology, UCLA). They talked about Michael's contributions to our understanding of fear memories and how the context of an event can impact learning. The music featured in this episode is by Steve Beres. You can find more information about The Steve Martin Album at https://thehumannatures.bandcamp.com/album/the-steve-martin-album Anthony's interview on WBEZ Chicago's Morning Shift can be found ...

Nov 12, 201545 min

Rich Perspectives with Dr. Rick Aldrich

Dr. Rick Aldrich (Professor, University of Texas at Austin) is a man who wears many hats - biophysicist, neuroscientist, molecular biologist, structural biologist. Throughout his career, he has contributed extensively to our understanding of mechanisms of ion channel function. Matt spoke to Dr. Aldrich about his diverse interests inside and outside the lab.

Oct 27, 201556 min

Motion Perception with Dr. Alex Huk

On this episode of Brain Matters, Anthony and Dr. Alex Huk (Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Texas at Austin) talk about how our brains process vision and motion.

Sep 11, 201558 min

Translational Control in Neurons with Dr. Eric Klann

Creating new proteins is necessary for neurons to change the strength of their connections with each other. This process, known as translation, is controlled by a complex system of molecules and signlaing pathways. Anthony spoke with Dr. Eric Klann (Professor, New York University) about how understanding the minutiae of translational control in neurons can help us understand learning and memory, as well as developing potential therapeutics for cognitive disorders.

Aug 03, 201536 min

Trial and Error Learning with Dr. Yael Niv

When we make a decision, we draw from our past experiences to guide our actions, but we are also willing to modify our behavior if we fail to predict the correct outcome. Anthony spoke with Dr. Yael Niv (Associate Professor, Princeton University) about this kind of trial and error learning, and how the brain learns how to learn. Today's episode is sponsored by Audible.com. Pick up a free audiobook at audiblepodcast.com/brainmatters

Jul 10, 20151 hr 10 min

Molecular Manipulation of Mood with Dr. René Hen

On this episode of Brain Matters, Anthony and Dr. René Hen (Professor, Columbia University) talk about how mood and anxiety is regulated by serotonin and adult neurogenesis, and how Dr. Hen's molecular tools have helped us understand how emotions are processed. Today's episode is brought to you by Audible.com. For a free audiobook, go to audiblepodcast.com/brainmatters

Jun 12, 20151 hr 5 min

Pain and Placebo Effect with Dr. Tor Wager

How can we use our thoughts to regulate our emotional responses? On this episode of Brain Matters, Anthony and Dr. Tor Wager (Associate Professor, University of Colorado at Boulder) discuss how our mental states and context can influence the perception of pain.

May 26, 201545 min

Animal Models of Alzheimer's with Dr. Joanna Jankowsky

Alzheimer's disease has been a difficult disease to find treatment for. On this episode of Brain Matters, Matt and Dr. Joanna Jankowsky (Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine) talk about how to model Alzheimer's disease in mice to research the progression and treatment options for the disease.

Apr 30, 201542 min

Memory, the Cerebellum, and Axons with Dr. David Linden

Anthony and Dr. David Linden (Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) talked this week about David’s neuroscience research and how he gets inspiration in and out of lab. Anthony also asked David about his journey to becoming a successful scientist and best-selling author. This episode of Brain Matters was brought to you be Audible.com. To get a free audiobook go to audiblepodcast.com/brainmatters

Apr 10, 20151 hr 1 min

Discovering Circuits with Dr. Massimo Scanziani

On this episode of Brain Matters, Anthony talked with Dr. Massimo Scanziani (Professor, UC San Diego; HHMI Investigator) not just about his contributions to neuroscience, but about his journey as a scientist, a student, and a mentor. Massimo’s history is fascinating and motivating.

Mar 31, 20151 hr

Addiction and Glutamate Transmission with Dr. Marina Wolf

For our 25th episode, Matt and Dr. Marina Wolf (Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at the Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science) talk about Marina's work in addiction and how this is related to mechanisms in learning and memory.

Mar 09, 201546 min

Neuronal Modules in the Brain with Dr. Ben Strowbridge

On this episode of Brain Matters, Anthony talked with Dr. Ben Strowbridge (Professor of Neuroscience, Case Western Reserve University). Ben and his lab study neurons in the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb and are trying to understand how they come together to make functional modules. Don't forget to particpate in our Review Challenge! Review us, send a screenshot to brainmatters@brainpodcast.com, and we will respond with a personalized video! Thanks again, you wonderful listeners....

Feb 06, 201546 min
Hosted on Libsyn
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android