Synaptic
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Ep. 19: Stimulating the brain with Damien Fair
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The MacArthur Foundation “genius” discusses his return to his home state of Minnesota and why it’s important to protect the developing brain.
Season 2 of 'Synaptic' draws to a close
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Season 3 will begin next year.
Ep. 18: Timothy Ryan on his pivotal switch from studying particle physics to decoding synaptic transmission
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dissuaded from pursuing theoretical physics and deterred by the “long feedback loop” in experimental physics, the National Academy of Sciences mem...
Ep. 17: Biosensors and being fearless with Lin Tian
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tian discusses protein function and structure, and the historic city in China where she was born.
Ep. 16: Male and female brains, Proust, and Catherine Dulac
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 2021 Breakthrough Prize winner explains how reading widely shaped her worldview, and discusses the vomeronasal organ.
Ep. 15: Diagnosing autism and teaching neurodiversity with So Hyun "Sophy" Kim
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Korea University professor on her path to autism research and studying in the United States.
Ep. 14: Eve Marder, neural circuits and being heard
01 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The National Medal of Science winner explains why she built her career around the crustacean and what it was like attending high school in a Hudson Ri...
Ep. 13: Brain connectivity and letting the data speak with Emily Finn
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Dartmouth College researcher talks about her quest to understand behavior and doing neuroscience “in the woods.”
Ep. 12: The value of math and spatial learning with Loren Frank
01 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator discusses what drew him to study the brain and his current work at the University of California, San ...
Ep. 11: Setting up a frog colony and pair bonding with Lauren O'Connell
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To become a scientist, O’Connell first needed to leave the family farm.
Ep. 10: Being uncomfortable and PKMzeta with André Fenton
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The director of the Center for Neural Science shares a ghost story and talks about his collaboration with Todd Sacktor. (This podcast was updated on 2...
Ep. 9: Joseph LeDoux, the split brain and a traveling magic show
01 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The director of the Emotional Brain Institute discusses the Cajun music scene in Louisiana and how memories change with time.
Ep. 8: FORCE learning and finding an out with David Sussillo
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The senior research manager at Meta Reality Labs talks about neural networks and his time at the Milton Hershey School.
Ep. 7: Sensing touch, the immigrant life and Ardem Patapoutian
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Nobel Prize winner talks about PIEZO 1 and 2, proprioception and the viral photo of him and his son from the 2021 Nobel Prize announcement.
Ep. 6: Brian Boyd, classroom-based interventions and the importance of representation
01 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The leader of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute talks about what drew him into the autism field, and his departure from — and retu...
Ep. 5: Evdokia Anagnostou and the concept of a good life
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Holland Bloorview clinician and research director discusses how growing up on a small island shaped her career and the existential questions that ...
Ep. 4: Emotion dysregulation in autism with Carla Mazefsky
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Carla Mazefsky is the Nancy J. Minshew endowed chair in autism research and professor of psychiatry, psychology, and clinical and translational scienc...
Ep. 3: The sleep/wake cycle and autism with Ashura Buckley
01 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ashura Buckley is director of the Sleep and Neurodevelopment Core in the Office of the Clinical Director at the U.S. National Institute of Mental Heal...
Ep. 2: Social communication and developmental disorders with Connie Kasari
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Connie Kasari is distinguished professor of human development and psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is also a foundin...
Ep. 1: Diagnosing autism with Catherine Lord
01 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Catherine (Cathy) Lord is distinguished professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles. She co-developed the Autism Diagnostic O...