In this episode of the mission:brain Podcast, host Luca interviews brilliant neurosurgeon, Dr. João Paulo Almeida. Working from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, Dr. Almeida shares his journey from Brazil through Canada to the United States, the cultural differences he experienced, and the mentors who shaped his career. A pioneer in neuro-oncology and skull-base surgeries, he emphasizes the importance of the basics in neurosurgery, the increasingly collaborative nature of the field, and outlines how the Mayo Clinic's Skull-base Lab helps train future surgeons. He also touches on the future of neurosurgery – augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and patient-specific 3D printing.