The Plasticity Podcast
Episodes
Natural Medicine vs. Western Science — Or Is That the Wrong Question?
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's me, that girl that you met at a bar, hoping to learn about natural health and ended up being held hostage by her after as she went on and on ...
Everyone Else Is Smarter Than Me (Apparently): A conversation about imposture syndrome
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's me, Santina, a 20-something-year-old woman who forcibly took you away from your cat parents and brought you into a tiny, cold apartment, and ...
Your Paper vs. Three Strangers on the Internet; the process of publish or perish
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, its me, Santina, that girl in your class who shows up just to work and pay 0 attention to the lecture itself. In this episode, we break down how p...
Why “Just Try Harder” Was Never the Answer: Bariatric Surgery + GLP-1 Medications
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Bariatric surgery is one of the most effective treatments we have for obesity—yet it remains one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, we brea...
Bias, BMI, and Bad Medicine: Neurobiological Struggles with Obesity
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Obesity is one of the most misunderstood—and most stigmatized—medical conditions we treat. In this episode, we dismantle the idea that body weight...
The Pick-Up Line That Launched a Literature Review: The Male Audacity
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's me, Santina... actually Sequoia now, according to some random man who compared me to a tree when he tried to pick me up at a grocery store. I...
The science of catching up: sex difference research renaissance
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's me, the girl who tried to wash her duvet in her apartment washer/dryer and ended up going to bed with 50 blankets to stay warm because it was...
Let’s Talk About Sex — The Science Version
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's me, your cousin, who was recommending gay hockey shows to the whole family on Christmas, Santina Duarte. Since we finished off last year pret...
Living With a Changing Brain: Parkinson’s Explained
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's me, Santina, your older sister in science and in this episode of The Plasticity Podcast, we explore the complex neurobiology of Parkinson’s...
I Survived My First Semester of Grad School—Here’s What I Learned
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hello, it is I - Santina Duarte - reporting live from Calgary for a change of pace. I have officially survived my first semester of grad school, every...
Your Brain on Change (and Why Home Doesn’t Fit Anymore)
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we’re talking about that strangely heavy feeling you get when you go home after a significant life change — the “everything is the sa...
Why My Cat Is Basically My Therapist: The Neurobiology of Pets
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's me, Santina Duarte, the girl in your lab who has like 800 pets and is quite literally a crazy cat lady, and this week we are talking pets. Ha...
Inside the grad school machine: Demystifying the Dr. title
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it is me your older sisters ex best friend thats also your ex best friend who now lives in a city where it rains in November, Santina Duarte. This...
Cell Dishes, Mouse Mazes & MRI Machines: A Brain Science Safari
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's me, the mother of cats, your older sister in science and the girl in your lab who is trying to learn everything and anything in a super short...
Why is it dark at 5:00 pm: why winter means we are in our sad girl eras
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hey, it's me, the 20-something-year-old girl who moved in across the hall, who spends most of her day talking to her cat, Santina. This week, I talk a...
My prefrontal cortex left the chat: what happens when love is on the brain
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hey again, it's me, Santina Duarte, reporting for duty. This week has honestly been filled with the nightmarish experience of crushing on someone now ...
Science or Sin? What happens when neuroscience looses its mind
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's me, Santina, the human who feeds and takes care of the hippo. It really is his world, and we are all so lucky to just be living in it. This w...
Go with the flow: inside the brains plumbing system
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it is once again my favourite time of the week, where we play the best game: count how many times Santina says "um" or "and so" while talking abou...
From barbies to brains: the women in STEM experience
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hello, and welcome back to the plasticity podcast where you listen to me spiral while fighting with my cat to get off the key board. This week I discu...
Talk nerdy to me: why effective communication is crucial in neuroscience
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hello! Welcome to the Neuroplasticity podcast, where I discuss how neuroscience research changed my life, all while my cat knocks things over and meow...
Life of a Neuroscience Girl
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hello! Welcome to the Neuroplasticity podcast, where I discuss how neuroscience research changed my life and brought me to Quebec of all places (cue t...