Career Series: Dr Dimitrios Pinotsis – Computational Neuroscientist

Summary

In the second episode of our Career Series. Today, we are honoured to be joined by Dr. Dimitris Pinotsis, a leading expert in the field of computational neuroscience. Dr. Pinotsis holds a PhD in Computer Science and Neuroscience from the prestigious University of Cambridge and is the founder and head of the Pinotsis Lab.

Dr. Pinotsis will share invaluable insights into his career journey, and discuss the vital role mathematics plays in the study of the brain. He will elaborate on how computational modeling can provide us with a deeper understanding of brain function, and how neural networks can be simulated and analyzed through mathematical methods.

Moreover, we’ll delve into the challenges of developing precise brain models, and explore how these models can assist in comprehending neurological disorders.

So, buckle up and join us as we take a deep dive into the exciting world of computational neuroscience with the brilliant Dr. Dimitris Pinotsis!

LINKS MENTIONED

• https://www.pinotsislab.com/
• https://www.city.ac.uk/about/people/academics/dimitrios-pinotsis

Dr Daniel Brown: The Science of Thriving

Summary

Our guest on this episode is Dr Daniel Brown. Dr Brown is a senior lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Portsmouth whose research centres on the psychology of human excellence and well-being (thriving). Specifically, he focuses on understanding and facilitating thriving in humans, athlete transitions and developmental experiences, and the development and assessment of interventions used in sports and performance psychology.

After listening to this you will come to a better understanding of the strategies required to thrive in both your academic and professional endeavours. Hopefully, our special guest will provide you with an overview and understanding of foundational information about well-being, mental health prevention skills. More specifically we will be looking at tools to optimize your bodily and mental functions.

– Twitter Account:

https://twitter.com/djbrown1509?lang=en

– Dr Brown’s Discussed publications:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029222001157?via%3Dihub

Dr Nick Fallon: The Neuroscience of Chronic Pain

Summary

My guest is Dr Nick Fallon. Dr Fallon completed his PhD at the University of Liverpool. His research focuses on utilising MRI methodologies and electroencephalography to analyse brain function and structure in chronic pain patients. 

This episode will interest those curious about the neuroscience of chronic pain, its purpose and what happens in cases of its complete absence. We discuss the neurobiology of pain and fibromyalgia. We also explore the various available treatments and the future therapeutic directions for MRI methodologies in particular. 

Dr Nick Fallon’s: 

1- Academic Profile: 

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/population-health/staff/nicholas-fallon/

2- Twitter:

Tweets by nick_fallon

Dr Christopher Madan: Academia and the World Beyond

Summary

Please enjoy my episode with Dr Christopher Madan. Author of the book “Academia and the World Beyond”.

He has been a previous guest on our show where he helped us understand the Power of Emotional Memory. On this episode, we will be talking to him about his newly published book “Academia and the World Beyond”. This book is a collection of informational interviews with 22 people that have completed their PhD and then continued in either an academic position or another career path. In either case, they have been successful and have a multitude of insights to share with those who are currently finishing their PhD.

From finding your Passion and staying authentic to choosing the right mentors. So many nuggets of wisdom to be found in this book!

– Grab your own copy of the book via the link below:

https://lnkd.in/dt7JpzBw

– Link to the Recovering Academic: 

https://recoveringacademic.net/

Dr Mehdi Keramati: The Budding Relationship between AI and Neuroscience

Summary

Please enjoy my interview with Dr Mehdi Keramati (mehdi.keramati@city.ac.uk). In this episode, we highlighted the important relationship between AI and neuroscience. We heavily emphasized how AI can benefit from neuroscience, and vice-versa.

Dr Keramati has a Computational Neuroscience (PhD). He has worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, and the Max Planck Center for Computational Psychiatry at the University College of London. Currently,  he actively researches artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Techniques at the Department of Psychology at the City, University of London. 

– Takeaway Notes: 

– Both AI and Neuroscience, share the same goal of understanding the secrets of human cognition.

– The relationship between these disciplines is a two-way street. 

– AI researchers can use ideas from neuroscience to build new technology, and neuroscientists learn from the behaviour of artificial agents to better interpret biological brains.

– Learning how the brain works, which, in turn, can inspire the design and development of artificial neural networks while reaffirming the validity of previously developed algorithms.

– Link to Dr Keramati’s Academic Profile: 

https://www.city.ac.uk/about/people/academics/mehdi-keramati#publications-link

Dr Tom Beesley on : Our Attentional System & Associative Learning

Summary

Today on The Your Brain Uncovered Podcast, we have Dr Tom Beesley, psychologist, and senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Lancaster University. Here, we talked about the role of attention, intention and conscious awareness in learning. Alongside, the tools are being used to understand them in the field, and how to leverage our attentional system for goal-directed behaviour. We have so much we can learn from Dr Tom Beesley, and he is on a mission to share his knowledge to help as many people as he can in his lifetime. We hope you enjoy today’s Special Episode. 

– Don’t forget to check out his academic Profile: 

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/about-us/people/tom-beesley#publications

Rebecca Powell on: Artificial Nerve Regeneration

Summary

On this special episode, my guest is Rebecca Powell. Rebecca is a final year PhD student at the School of Pharmacy, working as a part of the Phillips lab. Her research focuses on the development of a tissue-engineered neural construct to improve the efficiency of peripheral nerve regeneration. 

Hopefully, after this episode, you will come to discover the fascinating work being done in the world of peripheral nerve engineering. In addition, you will receive tips on navigating your way through a PhD, if that is on the charts for you. 

– Rebecca’s Academic Profile: 

https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=RPOWE68

Dr Christopher Madan on: Understanding Emotional Memory

Summary

Have you ever wondered why is that you remember the name of your childhood best friend, but you struggle to recall the name of the person you just met- even if they told you it just five minutes ago? They’re both names after all. Despite this outward similarity, however, it’s clear some memories stick stronger than others. But what are the reasons behind this? 

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Christopher Madan. Dr Christopher R. Madan is an Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham. He is joining us today to help us better understand the factors that make some experiences more memorable than others-including emotion, motivation, and pre-existing semantic knowledge-and how these influences can manifest in future decisions.

– Academic Profile:

– https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/psychology/people/christopher.madanv

– Dr Madan’s Upcoming Book: 

– https://link.springer.com/book/9783030826079

-Keywords:

Emotion, Limbic System, Chemical synapse, Happiness, Emotional Memory.

Dr Katherine Dyke on: Using Brain Stimulation for Tourette’s Syndrome

Summary

It’s thought that between 200,000 and 300,000 people in the UK have Tourette’s to one degree or another. Tourette’s is a neurological condition characterised by motor and vocal “tics”; involuntary actions such as coughs, twitches, and fully articulated phrases. Now although there’s no cure for Tourette syndrome, treatments are available!

In today’s episode, we are joined by none other than Dr Katherine Dyke. Dr Katherine Dyke is an assistant professor in the faculty of science at the University of Nottingham. She focuses on using a range of techniques to understand the neurobiology of Tourette’s Syndrome and to develop novel therapies based on this understanding. Here she will be giving us more insight into the large-scale work she is carrying out using movement-related brain oscillations to suppress tics in Tourette Syndrome. 

– Dr Dyke’s Academic Profile: 

– https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/psychology/people/katherine.dyke

– Link to Charity: 

– https://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/

– Discussed Publication: 

Click to access S0960-9822(20)30558-3.pdf

Dr Janina Hoffmann on: The Neuroscience of Decision Making

Summary

We live in a world of overwhelming choice. We are called upon to make decisions, large and small, many times a day. We could better navigate the world around us by understanding the mechanisms that underlie the elements of decision-making. In today’s episode, we are looking at the Neuroscience of Decision Making. Our guest is the cognitive neuroscientist Dr Janina Hoffman. Dr Hoffman is a lecturer at the University of Bath, and her research focuses on memory-based decision-making.

–  In this episode we discuss:

. The brain mechanisms that underlie simple forms of decisions.

. The brain areas involved in decision making

. The relationship between memory and decision making

. The effects of Cognitive Load

. How to make better-informed decisions

– Dr Hoffman’s Academic Profile:

https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/persons/janina-hoffmann

– Dr Hoffman’s Research Blog:

Research

– Keywords: Psychology decision making, Modelling, Judgment, Memory, Learning.