What does it take to shape a career that bridges neuroscience, national defense, and the timeless power of symbols—while navigating the upheavals life throws your way? What happens when the career you’ve spent decades building suddenly disappears? How do you rebuild your identity when what you do is no longer who you are? In this thought-provoking episode, we welcome Cristina Leira, PhD—a multilingual psychologist, educator, and researcher whose career has spanned continents, disciplines, and el...
Jul 19, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 115
What does it look like to take a neuroscience degree far beyond the lab? In this episode, we explore a career path that crosses scientific research, government regulation, and biotech entrepreneurship with Dr. Amanda Wiggins, CEO of The cGP Lab. Amanda began her career investigating neurodegeneration and cortical spreading depression. Over time, her passion for real-world impact led her into public policy—where she helped shape New Zealand’s Human Tissue Act and advised on regulations for stem c...
Jun 21, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 114
What if the key to tomorrow’s scientific and technological breakthroughs lies in today’s science fiction? In this special-format episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! , we step outside our typical interview structure to explore the power of imagination as a driving force behind scientific innovation. Our guest, Dante Therese—science fiction author, screenwriter, and creator of The Base trilogy—brings a fresh perspective on how fiction, research, and creativity intersect. Her research-in...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 113
What if clinical trials could save lives and launch your global medtech career? What happens when you combine cutting-edge medical devices, international clinical trials, and a relentless drive to create real-world impact? Meet Julio M. Clark — CEO of bioaccess® and host of the LatAm MedTech Leaders podcast — who turned a one-man regulatory operation into a pioneering contract research organization transforming healthcare across Latin America. In this episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossibl...
Jun 02, 2025•58 min•Season 2Ep. 112
What does it take to challenge the deadliest brain tumors with sound waves? How do you scale a medtech startup into a multinational clinical company? And what advice can a top neuro-oncology innovator offer to those hoping to follow a similar path? Welcome to Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! — The podcast where we explore the extraordinary journeys of those advancing the future of neuroscience and neurotechnology. I’m your host, Dr. Milena Korostenskaja. Today we’re speaking with Dr. Michael ...
May 25, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 111
How do you turn massive clinical imaging data into insights that change lives? What does it take to move from a psychology undergrad to a pioneering role in pediatric brain research? And how can coding, connectomics, and curiosity shape a meaningful clinical career in neuroscience? In this inspiring episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! , we sit down with Dr. Puck Reeders, Senior Neuroscience Research Scientist at the Brain Institute at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. From her early days ...
May 18, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 110
How does a personal passion project turn into a groundbreaking neurotech startup? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ildar Rakhmatulin to explore his remarkable journey from academia to entrepreneurship — and how a global chip shortage sparked the creation of Pi-EEG, a Raspberry Pi-based BCI device that’s transforming neuroscience education. Discover how Ildar’s open-source innovation makes brain-computer interfaces more accessible, engaging both the research community and curious learners. W...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 109
How can innovative technologies like VR and neuromodulation improve how we understand and treat PTSD? How can curiosity and leadership open doors in neuroscience and mental health? What does it take to build a meaningful career impacting millions? In this inspiring episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! , Dr. Milena Korostenskaja (Dr. K) sits down with Prof. Deborah Beidel — Trustee Chair and Pegasus Professor of Psychology and Medical Education, and Executive Director of UCF RESTORES — ...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 108
How can you take your career growth into your own hands? In this episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible!, we’re diving into a story of initiative, inspiration, and empowerment led by the students of the Neuroscience Alliance at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Faced with a desire to expand their educational and career opportunities, these incredible students didn’t wait for the right resources to come their way—they created them! The Neuroscience Alliance was founded with a missio...
Mar 22, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Season 2Ep. 107
Are you wondering how to pivot from academia to the neurotech industry without starting from scratch? Many assume that moving from a PhD to industry means leaving much of their academic experience behind, but that’s not necessarily the case. Welcome to this episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible!, where we uncover how advanced academic skills can be a powerful asset in the neurotech sector. Today, we're honored to have Dr. Mustafa S. Hamada, Chief Science and Product Officer at Mendi Inno...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 106
What if your brain could control augmented reality with just a thought? Imagine assistive devices empowering millions with ALS, stroke, or paralysis to communicate and interact like never before. Welcome to the Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! podcast featuring visionary innovator Andreas Forsland, Founder and CEO of Cognixion. A year ago, Andreas shared his entrepreneurial journey, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at Cognixion ONE—a groundbreaking brain-computer interface (BCI) headset tha...
Jan 19, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 105
How is artificial intelligence transforming healthcare, and what new career opportunities are emerging at the intersection of AI and surgery? In this episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! , Milena Korostenskaja, PhD, interviews Daniel Donoho, MD, a pioneering pediatric and adult neurosurgeon at Children’s National Hospital and George Washington University. Dr. Donoho discusses the role of AI in healthcare—what’s possible now, the challenges that remain, and how to carve out a career in ...
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 104
How can we record brain activity during natural behavior without bulky, restrictive devices? This question has challenged neuroscientists for years, but Saehyuck Oh and Janghwan Jekal from the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) have devised an innovative solution! In this episode of the BCI Award Neurocareers podcast series, we dive into the world of stealthy neural recording with their project, "Behavior to Byte: Stealthy Neural Recorder." The team has developed a fully...
Nov 29, 2024•51 min•Season 2Ep. 103
What if your brainwaves could unlock doors, sign documents, and protect your most sensitive information without ever touching a keypad or fingerprint scanner? Welcome to a mind-bending episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! hosted by me, Milena Korostenskaja, a neurocareers coach and your guide into the world of neurotech! Today, I’m delighted to interview Violeta Tulceanu, a pioneering researcher from KU Leuven, Belgium, who stands at the forefront of brainwave authentication and neurot...
Nov 22, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 102
Have you heard of temporal interference (TI) electrical stimulation, a revolutionary concept of non-invasive deep brain stimulation (DBS)? Curious about what it takes to develop cutting-edge neuromodulation techniques while pursuing a scientific career across two continents? Welcome to the Women in Neurotech series on the Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! podcast! 🚀 In this series, we shine a spotlight on extraordinary women transforming the world of neurotechnology, paving paths for future g...
Nov 16, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 101
Are you ready to boost your career in a unique way? Today’s epsode is designed for anyone curious about starting a podcast—whether you want to explore it as a passion project, enhance your career, or dive into science communication. Welcome to a milestone moment – the 100th episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! For this special occasion, Milena Korostenskaja, host of Neurocareers, is stepping into the hot seat! Instead of hosting, Dr. K will be interviewed by one of her incredible forme...
Nov 05, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 100
What’s the most significant impact you can make with your career—medicine or engineering? For Sarah Kim Wandelt, PhD, this question has a personal twist! While Sarah originally set out to become a medical doctor, her career led her to the fascinating world of neuroengineering and neurotechnologies. Meanwhile, her twin sister, who had dreamed of being an engineer, is now a medical doctor. So, how did they end up switching roles, and what insights can Sarah share with aspiring professionals in neu...
Oct 20, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 99
Have you ever wondered where you can find the right educational path to dive into the cutting-edge world of neurotechnology? Whether you're an engineer eager to explore brain-computer interfaces or a neuroscientist looking to shift specializations, the challenge of finding accessible and credible educational resources can be daunting. Enter Dr. Susan Boehnke, PhD, a passionate neuroscientist and educator who is helping to bridge the gap between emerging neurotechnologies and society. As the Dire...
Oct 13, 2024•1 hr 39 min•Season 2Ep. 98
Balance and improved mobility for all? To create that, Sheila Thelen embarked on an entrepreneurial journey that’s changing lives! 🎙 Welcome to another episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! – the podcast where we explore groundbreaking innovations in neuroscience and neurotechnology, hosted by Milena Korostenskaja, PhD, from The Institute of Neuroapproaches! Today, we’re spinning into the world of vestibular training with Sheila Thelen, a true trailblazer in this field! Sheila's revolu...
Oct 05, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 97
How can neurotechnologies help you take control of your brain and improve your mental health? This question lies at the heart of our current episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible! In this episode, we’re joined by Juan Ricardo Diaz, the Co-Founder of PigPug Health and a neurofeedback expert with 22 years of experience. Juan has helped countless individuals improve conditions like ADD, ADHD, ASD, sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression through the power of neurofeedback brain training. No...
Sep 29, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 96
Ever wonder how we can decode fast limb movements using brain-computer interfaces with slow data acquisition, like in optical imaging? This challenge has long puzzled researchers, but Seungbin Park and her team, led by Dr. Maria Dadarlat at Purdue University, have come up with a groundbreaking solution! In this episode of the BCI Award Neurocareers podcast series, we tackle the problem of low sampling rates in decoding limb movements. While traditional methods struggle with capturing fast limb t...
Sep 22, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 95
Imagine a world where the ability to speak and express thoughts and emotions is lost. How would someone navigate life in silence, cut off from the power of their own voice? This is the stark reality for individuals who suffer from near-complete paralysis, where communication becomes an overwhelming challenge. But what if there was a way to give these individuals their voice back—not just restoring speech but recreating the unique qualities of their pre-injury voice? On this episode of the BCI Aw...
Sep 07, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 94
How do you accurately and objectively diagnose hearing loss, especially in children who might struggle to communicate their challenges? This problem has long puzzled clinicians and researchers alike. Traditional methods can be time-consuming and often require the patient’s active participation—something not always possible with young children. Enter Ben Somers, PhD, MBA, and his team from KU Leuven and ExpORL. They have developed a groundbreaking brain-computer interface (BCI) that offers a real...
Aug 27, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 93
Can we restore movement in patients with spinal cord injuries while also bringing back the sensation they’ve lost? In this episode of the BCI Award Neurocareers podcast series, we dive deep into this critical question with Prof. Chad Bouton, a pioneer in neuroengineering and bioelectronic medicine. Spinal cord injuries often lead to permanent loss of movement and sensation, leaving millions worldwide with limited options for recovery. While various treatments have shown promise in restoring move...
Aug 18, 2024•39 min•Season 2Ep. 92
How can we help people with prosthetic legs walk more easily and with less effort? In this episode of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible!, we explore this question with Giacomo Valle, PhD, a leading researcher in the field of biomimetic brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and bionic legs. Dr. Valle and his colleagues at ETH Zürich have developed an innovative biomimetic BCI that uses peripheral nerve stimulation to convey naturalistic touch sensations in bionic legs. This groundbreaking work has ea...
Aug 05, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 2Ep. 91
Diagnosing Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at an early stage is a daunting challenge that often seems almost impossible. However, the pressing need for early diagnostic tools has driven remarkable individuals to seek innovative solutions. One such individual is Dr. Ahmadreza Keihani, whose personal story and profound loss led him on a mission to find early diagnostic possibilities for ALS using cutting-edge neurotechnologies. Dr. Keihani, a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Pittsbu...
Jul 22, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Season 2Ep. 90
How can we break through the barriers in communication for millions suffering from speech impairments due to ALS, stroke, and other conditions? Traditional assistive technologies, like eye trackers, are slow and cumbersome, limiting effective communication. However, ongoing research in speech neuroprosthetics shows promising results in restoring seamless communication by decoding speech directly from brain signals. Enter the groundbreaking work where Dr. Nicholas S. Card and Dr. Maitreyee Wairag...
Jul 08, 2024•2 hr•Season 2Ep. 89
How can we decode the meaning of the speech we hear or imagine? In this episode of the Neurocareers Podcast BCI Award series, we explore the groundbreaking work of Jerry Tang and a team of colleagues from Dr. Alexander Huths's Lab, a nominee for the International BCI Award. His research, published in Nature Neuroscience, introduces a non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) that can decode continuous language from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This innovative decoder can inter...
Jun 29, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 88
How do we break through existing boundaries in Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology? What barriers currently hinder the progress of BCI, and how can overcoming these challenges revolutionize the field? In this episode of the Neurocareers Podcast BCI Award series, we're diving deep into the innovative world of BCIs with Dr. Vincent Rouanne. As a nominee for the 2022 BCI Award, Vincent's work represents a significant leap forward in the field. His groundbreaking project, published in Nature S...
Jun 23, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 87
How do we address the dire shortage of neurosurgical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)? What challenges do medical professionals face when pursuing a career in critical yet underserved areas? In regions where nearly five billion people lack access to basic surgical care, the journey to becoming a neurosurgeon is fraught with obstacles, from limited resources to inadequate training facilities. Enter Dr. Atta Ul Aleem Bhatti, a neurosurgeon whose career has navigated these very chal...
Jun 15, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 86
