Santiago Ramón y Cajal, awarded the 1906 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, is often called the “father of modern neuroscience.” Using only a microscope and his extraordinary artistic skills, he revealed that the brain is made up of individual neurons that communicate across tiny gaps. This discovery, known as the “neuron doctrine,” transformed how we understand the brain and laid the foundation for all of modern neuroscience. Cajal’s detailed drawings of a wide variety of neurons and neuroanatomical circuits are still admired today, both as scientific breakthroughs and works of art. Join us as we talk with an AI interpretation of Santiago Ramón y Cajal about his scientific findings, his disagreements with other neuroscientists and his advice to junior scientists.

This episode is sponsored by the Connected Minds program. Connected Minds, funded by the Canadian First Research Excellence Fund, is a 7-year collaborative program between York University and Queen’s University that focuses on interdisciplinary, ethical, and socially responsible research and technology development. The program offers funding for trainees, researchers, and artists. To learn more and get involved, visit the Connected Minds website.


Website: https://www.yorku.ca/research/connected-minds/a

Authors: Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

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Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services. 

48: Interviewing a 1906 Nobel Prize Winner

Get your critical thinking caps on! ‘Think Twice’ discusses controversial topics in the field of neuroscience with the goal of bringing more nuance and rigor to mainstream media. We’ll take you past the headlines by breaking down relevant neuroscience topics, interviewing experts in the field and overcoming misinformation/disinformation with evidence-based content. This podcast is run by a small group of graduate students at the Centre for Neuroscience Studies at Queen’s University. We hope to bring down barriers to the dissemination of scientific information, give early-career neuroscientists a voice, and foster a culture of entertaining and accessible science communication.