Could the nervous system be helping cancer grow? Research in #cancer #neuroscience is revealing a surprising two-way communication between neurons and cancer cells that is changing how we understand tumor growth and opening new possibilities for treatment.

In this episode of Neuroscience and Beyond, we speak with Prof. Frank Winkler about how cancer cells hijack the brain's communication networks, why #glioblastoma is one of the most challenging brain tumors to treat, and how discoveries at the intersection of neuroscience and #oncology could inspire a new generation of cancer therapies.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What cancer neuroscience is and why it matters
• How neurons communicate directly with cancer cells
• Why glioblastoma is so aggressive and therapy-resistant
• How tumors hijack neural circuits to support their growth
• The role of stress, sleep, and lifestyle in cancer research
• What the future of neuroscience-inspired cancer therapies could look like

About our guest:

Prof. Frank Winkler is Professor of Neuro-Oncology at Heidelberg University Faculty of Medicine and Managing Senior Physician in the Department of Neurology. His pioneering discoveries of direct communication between neurons and cancer cells helped establish the field of cancer neuroscience. In 2025, he was awarded the #BrainPrize for his groundbreaking contributions to the field.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Neuroscience and Beyond, leave a like, and share your thoughts in the comments.

🔗Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond

#CancerNeuroscience #Glioblastoma #BrainCancer #Neuroscience #CancerResearch #NeuroOncology #BrainScience

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:

Svilen Georgiev

Kristina Jevdokimenko

Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı

Laura van Agen

What is sleep really? Why do we overthink? And why do so many people struggle to find peace in modern life?

In this episode of Neuroscience and Beyond, I speak with Dr. Tony Fernando - psychiatrist, sleep physician, and author of Life Hacks from the Buddha.

We explore the neuroscience of sleep, including REM and non-REM sleep, circadian rhythms, insomnia, sleep anxiety, shift work, jet lag, and how stress affects sleep quality.

But this conversation goes far beyond sleep science.

Drawing from psychiatry, neuroscience, and Buddhist philosophy, Dr. Fernando shares practical insights on overthinking, mindfulness, suffering, compassion, technology, human connection, and the modern search for meaning.

We also discuss:

• Why thoughts are often unreliable
• How Technology Hijacks Attention
• Mindfulness and meditation
• The difference between needs and wants
• What dying patients taught him about life

This is a conversation about sleep, psychology, the mind, and what it means to live well in a chaotic world.

Guest: Dr. Tony Fernando

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🔗Link to our social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/neurosciencebeyond

🔗Link to the video: https://youtu.be/kKBGTew8JGs

#Sleep #Neuroscience #Psychology #Mindfulness #Buddhism #MentalHealth #Insomnia #Meditation #Podcast

Are we evaluating scientists in the wrong way?

In this episode of Neuroscience and Beyond, Prof. Dr. Tiago Outeiro discusses some of the biggest challenges facing science:

🔬 Too many researchers competing for too few positions

📉 Pressure to publish and overreliance on impact factors

🤝 The urgent need for more staff scientists and stable research careers

⚖️ Burnout, work-life balance, and changing academic culture

🚀 How AI and new technologies may reshape scientific research

“We need to work together from the top to the bottom, from the bottom to the top to try to change things.”

Prof. Dr. Tiago Fleming Outeiro is Professor of Aggregopathies and Director of the Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration at the University Medical Center Göttingen. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms behind neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and Alzheimer’s disease, with the goal of developing new therapeutic approaches.

To learn more about his research, watch our episode on Parkinson’s Disease: Early Diagnostics and the Future of Treatment: https://youtu.be/dFmhmOv75q0?si=GcQ1UsTGYSpcDnMV

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive content and honest conversations about academic life.

#Academia #Science #Research #PhD #Postdoc #Neuroscience #Parkinsons #Alzheimers #AcademicLife #Scientists #STEM #ResearchCulture #AI #Podcast #NeuroscienceAndBeyond

Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286

Neuroscience and Beyond team:

Svilen Georgiev

Kristina Jevdokimenko

Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı

Laura van Agen