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© 2024 The University of Queensland
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A Grey Matter is for anyone who has ever wondered how we think, feel, reason and move. The Queensland Brain Institute's neuroscience podcast unlocks the wonders of the brain – the complex and mysterious core of who we are. QBI, at The University of Queensland, works to understand the development, organisation and function of the brain. www.qbi.uq.edu.au
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While countless supplements and products promise to reverse aging without scientific proof, the real secret to defying age may be found in the study of epigenetics. This field of study explores how our behaviours and environment can lead to changes that influence how our genes function. Dr Anne Hahn from the Zuryn laboratory has recently discovered a mechanism in the DNA of genes that regulates how disease-causing mutations are inherited. The findings offer a promising therapeutic avenue...
Dr Matt Kenna is fascinated by the science of memory. As a researcher at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, Matt is tasked with challenging prominent theories centred around one of the biggest unknowns in the world of neuroscience. Memory is fundamental to our identity, shaping who we are. As a member of the Sah lab, Matt studies synaptic plasticity to explore how memories are formed, retrieved, and influence behavior.In this engaging conversation, Matt discusses:How memory is definedWhere memo...
Professor John McGrath, a distinguished clinician and researcher at UQ's Queensland Brain Institute, is at the forefront of global mental health research. Growing up in Brisbane, John initially pursued a career as a psychiatrist before transitioning to groundbreaking research aimed at unraveling the complexities of mental health disorders. Co-leading a major international study in collaboration with The University of Queensland and Harvard Medical School, John’s research revealed that one in ...
Mr Mehershad Wadia has written numerous scripts for short comedies screened at international film festivals like Mumbai and San Francisco, joined the writing team for the third season of The Office India and published a children’s book. Matching his passion for entertainment is Mehershad’s commitment to brain research. He is adamant there is no reason to choose between the two. At UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, Mehershad works in the Hilliard lab, studying the nervous system of c.elegans. &...
Professor Gail Robinson has developed a new diagnostic tool to assess cognitive function in post-stroke patients called The Brief Executive Language Screening Test (BELS). This brief 20-minute test, can predict how much a stroke patient will recover to function independently in their first year.In this informative podcast, Professor Robinson discusses:Stroke symptoms and causesWarning signs of a strokeThe window that the BELS test can be taken to best inform recoveryThe typical clinical pathw...
We know exercise is beneficial for our body and mind. Research has shown that neurogenesis – the production of neurons in the brain – continues throughout our lives and is key to improving cognition. At the Queensland Brain Institute, Dr Daniel Blackmore, has been captivated by this process of neurogenesis. Alongside colleagues from The University of Queensland, he completed a comprehensive study, investigating the potential of exercise in mitigating the cognitive decline associated with...
Dr Bonnie Searle is passionate about getting children to eat. In her past life as a paediatric dietitian for children with food aversions, she experienced first-hand the power of changing how we feed children. She is currently working on a special research project at the Queensland Brain Institute, called Mealtimes Matter, which suggests that there are some serious nutritional deficiencies in some childcare centres, particularly in disadvantaged areas, that is having a detrimental effect...
What do Wally Lewis AM and Nic Berry have in common? Quite a lot, it turns out. Wally started playing rugby union before switching codes to rugby league, becoming a legend of the game. Nic kicked off in rugby league before his professional career in rugby union, first as a player and now as an international match official. Both have also experienced significant head knocks in rugby and, with the benefit of hindsight, are passionate supporters of QBI’s concussion research.In this relaxed conve...
Last year, neuroengineer Dr Clarissa Whitmire joined the Queensland Brain Institute as a senior research fellow and is the Institute’s newest group leader. Originally from the United States, Clarissa arrived at UQ following a postdoctoral appointment at the Max Dellbruck Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin. In a joint appointment with UQ’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Clarissa seeks to combine her expertise in biomedical engineering with the next phase of n...
As a Research Fellow in Neuroeconomics, Dr Dragan Rangelov investigates human sensory perception, decision-making and memory. His work explores how the brain processes and stores information that leads us to make decisions in all aspects of life. He does this by using techniques designed to measure and record brain activity, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging and by identifying patterns of neural activity associated with external sensory stimuli.In ...
Robyn Hilton and Allison Scifleet may never have become firm friends had it not been for their involvement in fundraising for dementia research. Both women understand what it is like to care for a loved one with dementia. With more than 421,000 Australians living with dementia and no cure (yet), Robyn and Allison are determined to raise awareness in the community and vital funds for research. All while having as much fun as possible! In this delightful conversation, Robyn and Alli...
What inspired the creation of the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI)? And how did QBI become one of the leading neuroscience research centres in the world? On our 20th anniversary, QBI’s inaugural Director, Emeritus Professor Perry Bartlett, and its current Executive Director, Professor Pankaj Sah, take us back to 2003, an exciting and optimistic time for Australian neuroscience, when it all began. They share memories and insights into QBI's origins, what and who has shaped our research over th...
Stroke is one of Australia’s biggest killers, with more than 445,000 Australians living with its impacts. Stroke is common, is not always preventable and can happen to anyone at any age. QBI’s Dr Matilde Balbi and her team combine multiple approaches, including in vivo imaging, brain stimulation and AI-driven, individually tailored recovery paradigms, to study the brain’s recovery from stroke. Their goal is to identify and harness intrinsic neuroprotective mechanisms to improve stroke treatme...
QBI researcher Dr Nela Durisic is fascinated with how the brain coordinates electrical activity and how faulty electrical communication can lead to brain disorders like epilepsy. By observing the architecture and function of single molecules and their intricate connections, the Durisic lab aims to discover what leads to genetic epilepsy and uncover new ways to treat it. This knowledge may also advance our understanding of other brain disorders, including depression, addiction and autism. &nbs...
QBI researcher Professor Frederic Meunier is passionate about using highly innovative technology to discover how our brain cells communicate. His lab uses advanced nanoscale imaging (super-resolution microscopy) to observe single molecules in living neurons as they perform their function. In collaboration with mathematicians, the Meunier lab is analysing how small mutations can affect the nanoscale dynamics of single proteins and their function to help us understand the origins of brain disor...
Boots, beanies and all, QBI researcher Dr Adam Walker is in the fight to find a cure for motor neurone disease (MND). His team uses genetic editing techniques and rapidly advancing technology to study what’s happening at the early onset of disease. By understanding the biological processes that cause MND, they hope to design new therapies that prevent or halt its progression. In this inspiring conversation, Adam explores: How the brain initiates movement Why expensive ...
How do we make choices? And what happens in our brain when we do? Cognitive Neuroscientist Professor Jason Mattingley and his team study human brain activity and structure and how people pay attention, prioritise information and decide. With adolescence being a time of great change, the team is fascinated with how young people assess risk and develop an understanding of what’s at stake. It’s one of several studies the team conducts to understand the complex brain processes that give rise to h...
Dr Nathalie Dehorter and her team study interneurons (the neurons controlling the excitation-inhibition balance in the central nervous system) during brain development and in disorders like autism, schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. Nathalie aims to identify early changes in neuronal activity and connectivity that give rise to impairment in the adult brain. She hopes that a better understanding of these processes may, one day, lead to new therapies tailored for a person’s age and gender.&...
Professor Peter Nestor is a clinician-researcher interested in memory and cognition. As a doctor, he diagnoses people living with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. By studying patients, he hopes to enhance our understanding of the brain areas most vulnerable to neurodegeneration to improve diagnosis and therapies. In this fascinating conversation, Peter delves into:Why we don't remember every moment of our livesThe difference between episodic and semantic memoryWhat factors mak...
Exercise has many benefits for our bodies, including our brains. So, can we replicate the positive effects of exercise to boost new neurons in the adult brain? Dr Tara Walker thinks so and has dedicated her research career to discovering how. Tara was one of the first researchers recruited to QBI when it opened in 2003. She swapped plant biotechnology for neurogenesis research, and it has taken her to Germany and back to QBI (eight years later) to run her own lab. In this conversa...
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Warm thanks for producing and sharing such informative podcasts🤞 I have a question on "sleep management for night owls" that I would appreciate if you could address in an episode. I am a night owl, and as a medical student, I need to attend 8 AM classes. However, I am unsure how to adjust my sleep schedule. Could the habit of staying up late innately have negative effects on the brain? How can individuals like me protect their mental and brain health and maintain healthy sleep? Best regards.💗