Neuroscience Perspectives

On this episode of Neuroscience Perspectives, John Foxe, PhD, talks with Ania Majewska, PhD, professor of neuroscience and co-director of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center at the University of Rochester. Majewska studies microglia—immune cells in the brain—and how they interact with synapses during development, learning, and disease. Using advanced two-photon microscopy and in-vivo imaging, Majewska and her team can watch microglia and synapses interact in the living brain. Her landmark research has helped shift how we think about microglia, showing that they are not just passive responders to injury but active, dynamic participants in normal brain wiring and plasticity. Majewska also discusses her path into neuroscience, the evolution of two-photon imaging, and the importance of mentorship in scientific research. Listen and learn more about microglia, synapses, brain plasticity, neurodevelopment, and the technologies helping scientists see the brain in action. Subscribe to Neuroscience Perspectives for conversations with leading neuroscientists and researchers from the University of Rochester and beyond.

Dr. Doris Tsao shares how her pioneering research has transformed our understanding of how the brain processes visual information. Her lab helped discover that it only takes a few hundred neurons to encode any face – for reference, there are more than a few billion neurons in the brain. This conversation explores the intersection of neuroscience, math, and AI. We also discuss her academic journey—from Caltech to Harvard, and her current role at UC Berkeley. Dr. Tsao shares the importance of science communication and what it means to pursue truth in a world shaped by both neural networks and human curiosity. Join Dr. John Foxe, Director of the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at University of Rochester Medicine on Neuroscience Perspectives. #podcast #science #AI #brain #neuroscience

Revisit the fascinating conversation with best-selling author and neuroscientist Lisa Genova, PhD. Her groundbreaking novel, Still Alice, coupled powerful storytelling with the reality of Alzheimer's disease. It launched Lisa Genova into the spotlight and Hollywood, but most importantly, it deepened the public’s understanding of the neurological condition. Lisa Genova continues to bridge science and storytelling, writing books about left neglect, Huntington’s, ALS, autism, and bipolar disorder. In doing so, she inspires empathy for those affected and reshapes how these diseases are perceived beyond the lab and clinic. Dr. Genova was a headline speaker at the University of Rochester's Meliora Weekend: https://www.rochester.edu/melioraweekend/meliora-2025-announcement/#lisa #neuroscience #BrainHealth #LisaGenova 🧠Stay Connected Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@URNeuroscience X: https://x.com/URNeuroscience BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/urneuroscience.bsky.social LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/urneuroscience/ 🧠Experts in this Episode: Lisa Genova, PhD: https://www.lisagenova.com/ John Foxe, PhD: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/112360965-john-j-foxe

Anne Hart, PhD, professor and Chair of Neuroscience at Brown University, uses C elegans to study genetics, disease, and sleep. In this episode of Neuroscience Perspectives, she tells Dr. John Foxe about the bold move she made early in her career and how it paid off. She also shares the importance of using these simple animal models to ask complex questions.

Dr. Marlene Cohen, professor of Neurobiology at the University of Chicago's Neuroscience Institute, discusses how selective attention helps us pick out what is important in the world around us. Our eyes are constantly bombarded with information, which then enters the brain for processing. This highlights the intricate work of neuroscience in understanding brain function and how we perceive our environment. She is recognized for using multielectrode array recordings to show that a specific pattern of brain activity is reduced when the brain prioritizes information, and that the same mechanism is used when we learn. Today, her research investigates how neural activity gives rise to behavior, particularly in the context of visual attention, and she has also moved into translational work. #neuroscience #cognitive science #brainscience #selectiveattention #optic 🧠Stay Connected Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@URNeuroscience X: https://x.com/URNeuroscienceBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/urneuroscience.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/urneuroscience/ 🧠Experts in this Episode: Marlene Cohen, PhD: https://neurobiology.uchicago.edu/faculty/marlene-cohen John Foxe, PhD: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/112360965-john-j-foxe 🧠Labs Mentioned: Marlene Cohen Lab: http://www.cohenlab.com/ Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab: https://urmc.info/1RG