A Grey Matter

Queensland Brain Institute
  • 4.7 (35)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED TWICE MONTHLY

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 and what makes us human. QBI researchers, at The University of Queensland, strive to understand the development, organisation and function of the brain in health and disease. www.qbi.uq.edu.au

  1. 9 FEB

    Unveiling the nanoworld with super-resolution microscopy

    In neurodegenerative diseases, about 99% are associated with protein molecules aggregating together. In recent years, super-resolution microscopy has revolutionised how scientists view these minute molecules aggregating, along with other cellular events.  QBI’s Professor Fred Meunier advocated that The University of Queensland invest in super-resolution microscopy; this had paid dividends, revealing fascinating discoveries about the nanoworld. Professor Meunier and his lab can now observe molecules moving in space and time and are developing new techniques to better understand how our cells help us treat brain disorders and diseases. In this dynamic conversation, Professor Fred Meunier and Anusha Malapaka discuss How super-resolution microscopy worksThe different types of super-resolution microscopyWhat super-resolution microscopy allows us to seeAI’s impact on future super-resolution microscopy technologyRelated resources Unravelling the mysteries of the presynapse with super-resolution microscopy  Nanoscale spatiotemporal cluster analysis of expressed and endogenous proteins

    27 min

  2. 27 JAN

    The unsolved science of general anaesthesia

    Despite its everyday use in hospitals, scientists have yet to fully understand how general anaesthesia works. Professor Bruno van Swinderen began studying general anaesthesia using the tiny worm C.elegans in the 1990s. Now in his lab at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, Bruno and Dr Drew Cylinder are studying general anaesthesia reversal agents, which could shorten patients’ recovery time and potentially reduce the risk of post-operative complications. In this thought-provoking discussion, Bruno and Drew explore: How party drugs led to general anaesthetics The difference between local, regional, and general anaesthetics General anaesthesia’s effect on the brainImproving anaesthesia and the role of reversal agentsSleep, consciousness and anaesthesiaRelated resources Corals and fruit flies aid understanding of anaesthesia

    30 min

  3. 12 JAN

    Built different: Mitochondria’s mind-blowing power

    Mitochondria are known as the powerhouses of our cells, but research is revealing their wide role in brain health and links to rare genetic diseases that affect the brain. At UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, Professor Steven Zuryn, a leading researcher in this field, and PhD student Tessa Onraet are investigating how keeping mitochondria healthy may help brain function. By studying tiny but experimentally powerful worms, C. elegans, their discoveries may help us understand more about the ageing brain and potential treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.    In this engaging conversation, Steven and Tessa discuss: Mitochondria’s role in evolutionThe unique DNA inside mitochondriaWhy tiny worms called C.elegans are useful for studying mitochondriaHow our brain cells react to damaged mitochondriaThe future of mitochondria researchRelated papers and resources Digging deep into distinctly different DNAC. elegans as a model to study mitochondrial biology and disease

    22 min

  4. 14/12/2025

    Move your mind

    Exercise has many health benefits, including for our brains. Recent discoveries at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute offer new clues about the mechanisms that generate exercise’s positive effects. In their labs, Dr Tara Walker and Professor Jana Vukovic investigate how exercise enhances cognitive capacity from different angles. They study various mechanisms that can improve learning, memory, and neurogenesis. They are both on the cusp of clinical trials to begin translating their findings into practice.   In this captivating conversation, Tara and Jana explore: How exercise impacts the brainThe process of neurogenesisWhether we can replicate the effects of exerciseHow exercise affects the brain’s primary immune cells (microglia) Why they want to see exercise prescribed Related papers and resources  Exercise can help slow cognitive decline What the evidence tells us about exercise and healthy brain ageing Platelets can replicate the benefits of exercise in the brain UQ research reveals exercise brain boost can last for years

    24 min

  5. 01/12/2025

    Memory recall (Part 2)

    Virtual reality (VR) is changing how scientists study memory, and it involves exploring virtual mazes. At UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, cognitive neuroscience leader Professor Jason Mattingley, PhD student Richard Ronayne, and research assistant Jayce Rushton are conducting VR experiments that they hope will be adopted in clinical settings to test people’s navigational and spatial memory.   In part two of this two-part series, our guests discuss: The challenge of using VR when conducting experimentsParticipants’ reactions to trying the VR memory testBuilding a virtual maze to test memoryHow VR can be used in a clinical settingWhy VR could help people struggling with memory loss Related papers and resources  Interpreting memory

    29 min

  6. 25/11/2025

    Memory recall (Part 1)

    Virtual reality (VR) is more than just a video game tool — it’s helping advance our understanding of memory. At UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, cognitive neuroscientist Professor Jason Mattingley, PhD student Richard Ronayne, and research assistant Jayce Rushton are using VR to immerse people in a world they can explore to test their navigational and spatial memory.   In part one of this two-part series, our guests discuss: The different types of memory Why traditional memory tests may need refiningRichard’s unique journey from mining sites to neuroscience labsThe inspiration behind using VR to test memory What a VR experiment looks like for participants Related papers and resources: What is memory? Types of memory

    27 min

  7. 10/11/2025

    The fusion frontier

    Professor Massimo Hilliard and Dr Ramon Martinez-Marmol grew up far from Queensland – Massimo in Naples, Italy, and Ramon in Catalonia, Spain. Their passion for biology led them both overseas as postdoctoral researchers: Massimo to the United States, and then Ramon to Australia. In 2015, they met at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, where Ramon joined the Meunier lab before moving to the Hilliard lab in 2020 as a Research Fellow. Together, they have been extending the limits of what is known or expected about neuronal fusion.    In this fascinating conversation, Massimo and Ramon explore:  What happens when neurons fuse How viral infections, like Covid-19, can induce fusion, disrupting neural circuits The surprising role of a tiny, transparent roundworm, C.elegans, in advancing their research How the lab’s discoveries of critical molecular players, like fusogens, may one day revolutionise nerve injury repairAdvice for early-career researchers pursuing discovery science Related resources   SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral fusogens cause neuronal and glial fusion that compromises neuronal activity EFF-1-mediated regenerative axonal fusion requires components of the apoptotic pathway Fusogen-mediated neuron−neuron fusion disrupts neural circuit connectivity and alters animal behavior

    30 min

  8. 29/10/2025

    Surviving, treating, fighting stroke

    In this special World Stroke Day edition, three remarkable women open up about stroke from every angle — surviving it, treating it, and fighting it in the lab. Letishia Living was just 35 when her life changed overnight; today, she’s a powerful voice for young stroke survivors. Tennille Rowland, an occupational therapist on the frontlines of recovery, reveals the strategies behind rebuilding lives and QBI neuroscientist, Dr Matilde Balbi, takes us inside her cutting-edge research searching for new treatments to heal the brain. In this informative podcast, our three guests discuss: Surviving a stroke as a parentAdvice for stroke survivors and the importance of support networksThe challenges for young stroke survivors in the acute recovery phaseStrategies to support young stroke survivorsHow the brain recovers from strokeGamma frequency stimulation's role in stroke recovery Related papers and Resources  The brief executive language screen: sensitivity and specificity in acute to early sub-acute stroke New screening tool to help stroke survivors Stroke signs and symptoms Queensland Brain Injury Collaborative The Stroke Foundation

    34 min
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4.7
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

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 and what makes us human. QBI researchers, at The University of Queensland, strive to understand the development, organisation and function of the brain in health and disease. www.qbi.uq.edu.au

Information

  • Creator
    Queensland Brain Institute
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    92
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The University of Queensland
  • Show Website
    A Grey Matter

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