Brain CafÉ 2013
All Brain Cafés take place at the University Library (UB), Floor 1, Room 9, of the Ruhr-University Bochum at 6 pm. All lectures are held in German.
Brain CafÉ - April to June 2013
24.04.2013 Showing the Invisible – Brain Activity and Visual
Perception
PD Dr. Dirk Jancke, Optical Imaging Lab, Institut für Neuroinformatik
Are you sure that you always see what there actually is to see? We take vision for granted, because a lot of processes in the neural network of our brain happen automatically and remain unnoticed by our consciousness. Optical illusions can uncover these processes. They reveal the complex interactions between neural cells which happen in every millisecond and which create far more than only a simple copy of incoming light stimuli.
In his lecture PD Dr. Dirk Jancke will give insights into the complex processes of neuronal activities and information processing. He shows that our brain takes and has to take a lot into consideration to be able to cover the complexity of the world visually.
22.05.2013 Therapy in the 21st century: Are Brain Tumors Curable?
Prof. Dr. Uwe Schlegel, Director of the University Hospital of Neurology, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Medical Faculty
In the last 20 years various progresses in the therapy of brain tumors have been made. A lot of brain tumors can be treated with operations, radiation- and chemotherapy and a considerable prolonging of live time together with the improvement of quality of life can be achieved today. Even some malignant brain tumors are curable today. New ways of therapy like the inhibition of the tumor's vascularization, an "immunization" against components of a tumor and "targeted therapies" against certain biological features of the tumor are currently being analyzed. Especially in Germany fundamental basics of the biology of brain tumors have been discovered in recent years, which will promote new developments in therapy.
26.06.2013 Can you speed up your mind by eating fish?
Prof. Dr. Irmgard Dietzel-Meyer, Molecular Neurochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Sometimes you think: "How much could I achieve if I were faster?" If we were able to think faster, we could manage university more easily; several accidents would be prevented due to shorter reaction times. In the end the speed of our mind is determined by the electric processes which control the signal transmission in our nervous system. In the first part of the Brain-Café session on the 26th July the biophysical processes will be explained, which determine the speed of neurons responding to environmental stimuli. We are literally "energized" by sodium ions, which we ingest daily with common salt. The influence of the trace element iodine on this "current", which is ingested through seafish and afterwards embedded into thyroid hormones, and the resulting effects on the functioning of neurons and muscle cells will be discussed in the second part of the lecture.
All Brain Cafés take place at the University Library (UB), Floor 1, Room 9, of the Ruhr-University Bochum at 6 pm. All lectures are held in German.
You can download the Flyer Brain Café Apr-Jun with the exact location here.
Brain CafÉ - JANUARY to MARCH 2013
23.01.2013 General Basics of Stem Cell Research, Current Controversies and Perspectives for Neuroscience
Prof. Dr. Andreas Faissner, Cellmorphology and Molecular Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology
Research in the area of Stem cell biology has shown a dramatic increase for several years now. The importance of this scientific field is also reflected in the awarding the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine 2012 to J.B. Gurdon and S. Yamanaka – two stem cell researchers. The analysis of embryonic as well as tissue-specific stem cells concerns fundamental research and has led to rapid progress in the field. Furthermore, questions about the keeping, reproduction and application of stem cells provide numerous references to biotechnology and medical applications. But the possibilities of expansion and manipulation of stem cells also raise general questions, which extend into several fields of ethics, jurisdiction and social policy and which have been subject of controversial debate throughout Europe for years.
Download audio podcast (98 MB | 53:22 min)
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20.02.2013 Learning and forgetting in a healthy brain
Prof. Dr. Denise Manahan-Vaughan, Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine
When we learn we store what we have learned in our brain. That is to say we store this information in our neurons. How is it possible for us to be able to create so many memories, which sometimes last for a lifetime? Does forgetfulness mean that our brain is no longer healthy? This lecture will explain the physiology of memory formation.
20.03.2013 Learning under Stress: Does this work? And if so, how?
PD Dr. Lars Schwabe, Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology
Everybody knows stress. Whether in school, at university, or at the office, for many of us stress is part of everyday life. But did you know that stress can have influence on how and how much we learn and remember?
Do we become forgetful due to stress? Do we learn more or less under pressure or simply differently? How does stress influence learning and memory processes in our brain? In his lecture Dr. Lars Schwabe will answer these and further exciting questions.
Download audio podcast (68 MB | 49:16 min)
Alternative content
All Brain Cafés take place at the University Library (UB), Floor 1, Room 9, of the Ruhr-University Bochum at 6 pm. All lectures are held in German.
You can download the Flyer Brain Café Jan-Mar with the exact location here.