In this episode of PhD Deep Dive, host Lan Vi sits down with Diana and Marta, two neuroscientists who began their academic journey together in the same lab in Madrid—but chose very different paths after completing their PhDs.
Marta is currently pursuing her PhD in Switzerland, continuing her path in academia, while Diana made the leap into industry and now works as a Data Analyst. Together, they break down the key differences between these two worlds: from application processes, day-to-day responsibilities to how PhD-acquired skills transfer into each career.
Whether you're navigating your final year of a PhD or wrestling with your next move, this episode is packed with practical advice, personal reflections, and insider tips—including how hiring decisions are made in industry, what life looks like in academia, and why it's important not to compare your path to others.
Tune in for an honest, empowering conversation that will help you choose your next step with confidence!
In this episode, we meet Troy, a second-year PhD student at the Donders Institute in the Netherlands. We talk about his research on inhibitory bouton removal using two-photon microscopy, and what everyday life in academia looks like — the challenges, the joys, and the things in between. Troy also shares how he found his way into his PhD program, what the application and interview process was like, and offers advice for anyone thinking about pursuing a PhD.
Produced by: Greta Sandow, LanVi Nguyen, Johanna Popp, Larissa Weyler, Lisa-Sophie Wüstner
Graphics: Maria Vogel
Knowing Neurons interviews Dr. Michal Milczarek, Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol. In this episode we discuss Dr. Milczarek's upcoming talk at the British Neuroscience Association's Festival of Neuroscience, the challenges of modeling schizophrenia, and his career path as a postdoctoral researcher.
Produced by: Ashley Adamson & Teel Walters
Illustration: Maria Vogel
Knowing Neurons interviews Dr. Kirsty McMillan, Tenure-Track Fellow at the University of Liverpool. In this episode we discuss Dr. McMillan's upcoming talk at the British Neuroscience Association's Festival of Neuroscience, the importance of science communication, and her path recently establishing her independent lab.
Produced by Ashley Adamson and Teel Walters
In this episode we get to know Jana, who is currently working on her PhD in the field of biomedical engineering at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. She shares insights into her fascinating research on creating tiny hearts using human stem cells (organ-on-a-chip), which can be used for disease modeling and have the potential to reduce the need for animal testing. We also explore how her work connects to neuroscience and discuss career opportunities for PhD candidates beyond academia.
Produced by: Greta Sandow, Lisa-Sophie Wüstner, Larissa Weyler, Johanna Popp, and LanVi Nguyen
Graphics: Maria Vogel
In this episode, our guest, Huseyin, takes Greta on his academic journey—from becoming a medical doctor in Ukraine to pursuing his Master's in Neuroscience in Scotland and finally his PhD on psychedelics in the Netherlands. He shares his experiences of discovering his passion for neuroscience, the challenges of finding a suitable PhD position and securing funding. Huseyin also offers his personal insights into the academic systems in Cyprus, Ukraine, and the Netherlands.
Disclaimer: Some topics in this episode might be sensitive. While we believe it is important to share personal experiences, these stories do not reflect everyone's reality or academic systems as a whole. The views of our guests are exactly that—personal experiences. Please note that opinions shared in this podcast do not necessarily reflect or represent those of the hosts.
En este episodio, la Dra. Carla Suhr y el Dr. Rafael Romero nos comparten cómo el Proyecto de Divulgación y Traducción de Knowing Neurons ha roto barreras idiomáticas en la comunicación científica, combinando neurociencia y lingüística para hacer el conocimiento más accesible en español. Exploramos su impacto en la educación, la divulgación y la comunidad científica, un esfuerzo reconocido con el premio SfN Next Generation 2022.
Produced by: Natalia Padillo-Anthemides, Brenda Leyva, and Alba Peris
Join Larissa, Johanna, LanVi, and Lisa as they dive into the journey of doing a PhD in Europe! From tips on finding the perfect lab and navigating the application process to tackling your research and defending your dissertation, this series is packed with advice, personal stories, and practical insights for aspiring academics.
Produced by: Lisa-Sophie Wüstner, Larissa Weyler, Johanna Popp, LanVi Nguyen, and Daniel Janko
Graphics: Maria Vogel
The Chatting Neurons podcast showcases the exciting work of early-career researchers in neuroscience, offering engaging conversations that demystify complex topics. Hosted by Daniel, each episode highlights the journey and discoveries of a new guest, making cutting-edge research accessible to all. Listeners are invited to join the conversation by signing up via the link in the show notes.
Fill out the questionnaire, and we will reach out.
Participate in one of Megan's studies.
Produced by Daniel Janko
Graphics: Kaitlyn Niznik
Welcome to the fourth episode of our Science Policy mini-series. In this episode, we interview Prof. Andrea Lavazza. Prof. Lavazza is a professor of neuroethics at the University of Pavia in Italy. Among other topics, we discussed what is the field of neuroethics concerned with, how philosophy can help us with informing policy and decision-making, or ethical issues that come with using neuroimaging in the courtroom.
Welcome to the third episode of our Science Policy mini-series, where Daniel talked with Katie Cooke. Katie participated in our last year's Science Policy Paper Competition with her paper 'Gender Dysphoria: What it is and Why Does it Matter?'. We discussed what is gender-affirming health care, why is it important to allow access to it, and if there is enough scientific evidence to ban it.
Welcome to the second episode of our Science Policy mini-series, where we interview Kathleen Carmichael. Kathleen participated in last year's Science Policy Paper competition with her paper, 'Revealing Injured Minds: Harnessing Cutting-Edge Neuroimaging for Enhanced Brain Injury Claim Validity'. We discuss the different issues she touches upon in her work, such as the challenges that come with the potential use of neuroimaging measures in the courtroom. These include but are not limited to education, privacy, and accessibility.
Kathleen's social media:
Additional Science Policy Pieces by Kathleen:
The Brain in the Courtroom: Neuroscience’s Influence on the Criminal Justice System. (Essay/Opinion piece)
Science Policy Around the Web – August 22, 2023: Family of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were taken for research, settles with company that profited. (Article summary)
Science Policy Around the Web – April 28, 2023: Complaints grow over $1 billion U.S. Antarctic icebreaker design. (Article summary)
Written and produced by Daniel Janko, Rana El-Danaf, Bharti Upparu, and Knowing Neuron's Science Policy team
Music Used:
"Bleeping Demo" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7012-bleeping-demo
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
In the first episode of our Science Policy mini-series, Knowing Neurons interview Erin Morrow. Erin participated in last year's Science Policy Paper competition with her paper, 'The Truth is in Your Eyes: Regulating the Covert Use of Pupil Biofeedback'. We discuss the different issues she touches upon in her work as well as other ethical concerns related to the latest developments in the filed of brain-computer interface.
Erin's social media:
Written and produced by Daniel Janko, Rana El-Danaf, Bharti Upparu and Knowing Neuron's Science Policy team
Music Used:
"Bleeping Demo" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7012-bleeping-demo
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Knowing Neurons interviews Dr. Bradley Love, Professor of Cognitive and Decision Sciences at University College London and an inaugural Turing Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute. In this episode, we discuss his views on Marr's levels of analysis, computational modeling for studying the brain, and his interdisciplinary research into cognitive science and artificial intelligence. Learn more about Bradley's research at http://bradlove.org/.
Papers discussed:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022249616000031
Written and produced by Ebrahim Feghhi, Elizabeth Burnette, Chaoqun Yin, Danny Kusko, and Ayushe Sharma.
Music Used:
"Bleeping Demo" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7012-bleeping-demo
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Knowing Neurons interviews Dr. Sara Manning Peskin, clinical neurologist at the University of Pennsylvania and author of "A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales from the Hijacked Brain." We discuss Sara’s scienctific and medical background and writing career, as well as the science, history, and diagnostic detective work behind the fascinating set of stories and characters featured in the book itself.
Written and produced by Chaoqun Yin, Elizabeth Burnette, Ebrahim Fegghi, Danny Kusko, and Ayushe Sharma.
Music Used:
"Bleeping Demo" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7012-bleeping-demo
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
[Spanish Exclusive Episode]
Knowing Neurons entrevista al la Dra. Stephanie Correa, profesora en el departamento de biología integrativa y fisiología de UCLA. En este episodio, la Dra. Correa explica su viaje para convertirse en investigadora, el trabajo que hace en su laboratorio y los obstáculos que enfrentó como científica latina. El laboratorio de la Dra. Correa estudia cómo las hormonas reproductivas afectan la temperatura y el equilibrio energético. Obtenga más información sobre su laboratorio aquí https://sites.lifesci.ucla.edu/ibp-correalab/. Escrito y producido por Keya Vijapure.
Knowing Neurons interviews Dr. Stephanie Correa, a UCLA professor in the department of integrative biology and physiology. In this episode, Dr. Correa explains her journey to becoming a researcher, the work her lab does, and the obstacles she faced as a latina scientist. Dr. Correa's lab studies the effects of reproductive hormones on temperature and energy balance. Learn more about her lab at https://sites.lifesci.ucla.edu/ibp-correalab/. Written and produced by Keya Vijapure.
Music Used:
"Bleeping Demo" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7012-bleeping-demo
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Knowing Neurons interviews Dr. Jerzy Szaflarski, an epileptologist and epilepsy researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Jerzy has been a leader in cannabidiol (CBD) research for epilepsy, and played a major role in getting Alabama’s Medical Marijuana bill passed last year. We chat about all things cannabis and epilepsy – from how CBD works to what the future of cannabis-based treatments looks like.
Abbreviations used in the episode:
fMRI - functional magnetic resonance imaging
EEG - electroencephalography
CBD - cannabidiol
Written and produced by Ayushe Sharma, Chaoqun Yin, Danny Kusko and Elizabeth Burnette.
Music Used:
"Bleeping Demo" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7012-bleeping-demo
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Knowing Neurons interviews Dr. Karl Friston, a theoretical neuroscientist and authority on brain imaging. One of the most influential neuroscientists in history, Dr. Friston invented statistical parametric mapping (SPM), voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and dynamic causal modeling (DCM), and has been cited over 245,000 times. The free-energy principle is his major contribution to theoretical neurobiology, and serves as a unified theory for how the brain acts and perceives information.
LINKS: Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging - https://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/. Dr. Friston’s Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_J._Friston
Written and produced by Ayushe Sharma, Chaoqun Yin and Elizabeth Burnette.
Music Used:
"Bleeping Demo" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7012-bleeping-demo
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In this special Halloween episode, Knowing Neurons interviews Drs. Bradley Voytek and Timothy Verstynen, authors of Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep, about zombie neuroscience and science communication. Learn more about Bradley and Tim at voyteklab.com and cognitiveaxon.com and follow them on Twitter @bradleyvoytek and @TDVerstynen.
Written and produced by Ayushe Sharma, Chaoqun Yin and Elizabeth Burnette.
Music Used:
"Bleeping Demo" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7012-bleeping-demo
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Knowing Neurons interviews Dr. Kaitlyn Casimo, Training and Outreach Specialist at the Allen Institute. Follow Kaitlyn on twitter at @kaitlyncasimo and check out her website at kaitlyncasimo.com. Learn more about Kaitlyn’s work at the Allen Institute at alleninstitute.org/learn.
Written and produced by Chaoqun Yin and Elizabeth Burnette.
Music Used:
"Bleeping Demo" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7012-bleeping-demo
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Pamgaea" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5764-study-and-relax
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
