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Neuroscientists Talk Shop

Neuroscientists Talk Shop is the University of Texas at San Antonio's (UTSA) Neurobiology Podcast, showcasing the current research of internationally renowned guest Neuroscientists. Each episode features a moderated discussion with a cross section of UTSA Neurobiology faculty, highlighting the featured guest's research, and the state of the art in the field at hand.

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20 episodes
Avg 40 min
English

Episodes 20

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May 4 · 39 min
Episode 333 - Courtney Rouse, PhD
On April 30, 2026, we met with Dr. Courtney Rouse from the Southwest Research Institute. We discussed approaches to designing machine learning methods for neuroscience data analysis. Guest: Courtney Rouse, Senior Research Engineer, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio Participating: Erick Olivares, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Thanks to James Tepper for original music.
S18 · E332
April 27 · 36 min
Episode 332 - Vanesaa Nieto-Estévez and Parul Varma, PhDs
On April 23, 2026 I met with Drs. Vanesa Nieto Estévez and Parul Varma to talk about brain organoids made from cells derived from patients with genetic childhood epilepsy. Vanesa and Parul explained how these patient-derived tissue cultures are used to isolate the defects in brain development that underly the brain disorder, and to suggest and test potential treatments. Guests: Vanesa Nieto Estévez and Parul Varma, Assistant Professors of Research, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Thanks to James Tepper for original music
April 20 · 56 min
Episode 331 - Robert Froemke, PhD
On April 16, 2026, we met with Dr. Robert Froemke of New York University to discuss his work on parenting and co-parenting in mice. We covered a wide range of topics including his video approach to discovery in behavioral experiments and the role of oxytocin in parental behavior. Guest: Robert Froemke, Professor, Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Neuroscience at at New York University Langone Health. Participating: Alfonso Apicella, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Alice Bertero, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Jon Moler, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio
S18 · E330
April 13 · 33 min
Episode 330 - Marcelo Marucho, PhD
On April 9, 2026 I spoke with Dr. Marcelo Marucho, on the electrical properties of actin filaments and microtubules, ubiquitous components of the cytoskeleton of nearly all cells. He explained how the surface charge of these proteins creates a thin charged layer in the adjacent cytoplasm in which electrical signals may be generated and conducted. In the case of microtubules, the interaction between external and luminal surfaces can produce oscillations. We discussed some of the possible functions of these electrical signals in the brain. Guest: Marcelo Marucho, Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA
S19 · E329
April 6 · 42 min
Episode 329 - Daniel Llano, MD, PhD
On April 2, 2026 we met with Dr. Daniel Llano to discuss the organization of the largest subcortical auditory brain structure, the inferior colliculus. He told us about the three major subnuclei within the inferior colliculus, their synaptic connections with other auditory and somatosensory structures, and the problems encountered as we try to identify the cell types and local connectivity within the nucleus. Guest: Daniel A Llano, Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Participating: Marina Silveira, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Thanks to James Tepper for original music
S18 · E328
March 30 · 38 min
Episode 328 - Place Cells and Spatial Imagination
On March 26, 2026, we held our annual UTSA Neuroscience Symposium entitled "From Place Cells to Cognition", featuring 5 speakers presenting original research on the cognitive functions of hippocampal place cells. They discussed the firing patterns of place cells during exploration of cognitive maps, anticipating future movements, recall of previously visited locations, and imagining the movement of objects in the environment. After the symposium, I met with the speakers to review some of the themes that emerged throughout the day. Speakers: Francesco Savelli, Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Annabelle Singer, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Albert Lee, Associate Professor, Department of Neurology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University Jill Leutgeb, Professor, Department of Neurobiology, University of California San Diego Kamran Diba, Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music
S18 · E327
March 23 · 45 min
Episode 327 - Se-Woong Park, PhD
On March 19, 2026 we spoke with Dr. Se-Woong Park about the idea that many of the symptoms of Autism may arise from changes in brain mechanisms that allow us to predict events in the near future from those in the recent past. Topics included internal predictions of postural destabilization produced by our own movements, and prediction of the trajectories of moving objects. We discussed some experimental results testing this idea. Guest: Se-Woong Park, Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology, UTSA Participating: Hyoung-gon Lee, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music
S18 · E326
March 2 · 44 min
Episode 326 - Peter Fox, MD
On February 26, 2026 we were joined by Dr. Peter Fox to talk about quantitative brain imaging methods and how they can reveal localized changes in brain structure in brain disorders that traditionally have not been associated with specific neuropathology. Guest: Peter Fox, Director, Brain Imaging Institute and Professor of Radiology, Neurology, and Physiology at UT Health San Antonio. Participating: George Perry, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA. Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA.
S18 · E325
February 23 · 42 min
Episode 325 - Dayu Lin, PhD.
On February 19, 2026 we were visited by Dr. Dayu Lin to hear about her work on some of the cell groups that make up the hypothalamus and their function in activating innate social behaviors in mice, including parenting and protection of their young. Guest: Dayu Lin, Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Langone Medical Center, New York University Participating: Antony Burgos-Robles, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA. Aayushma Kunwar, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA. Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA. Thanks to James Tepper for original music.
S18 · E324
February 5 · 39 min
Episode 324 - Jonathan Bohmann, PhD
On February 5, 2026 we met with Dr.Jonathan Bohmann to learn about the structure and function of acetylcholinesterase, the extracellular enzyme that controls the strength and time course of neurotransmitter at cholinergic synapses. He explained how computational models of molecular structure is be used to understand the functional properties of the enzyme and to design drugs that can modify its action. Guest: Jonathan Bohmann, Scientist, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio Participating: Jenny Hsieh, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA
S18 · E323
February 2 · 35 min
Episode 323 - Fidel Santamaria, PhD
On January 30, 2026, Fidel Santamaria returned to the podcast (after 18 years) to talk about the thermodynamics of ion channel activation and deactivation, and the changes in neuronal activity that occur with changes in temperature. Guest: Fidel Santamaria, Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology. Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology. Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music
S18 · E322
Dec 13, 2025 · 40 min
Episode 322 - Matthew Goodwin, PhD
On December 8, 2025 we spoke with Dr. Matthew Goodwin about the use of wearable biosensor technology and machine learning to improve behavioral evaluation of autism, to provide real time alerts for caregivers and more effective interventions before the onset of potentially dangerous behavioral situations. Guest: Matthew Goodwin, Professor and Associate Chair of Research at the Department of Public Health and Health Sciences and the Khouri College of Computer Sciences, at Northeastern University. Participating: Leslie Neeley, Director of the Child and Adolescent Policy Research Institute, and Associate Director of the Brain Health Consortium, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music
S18 · E321
Dec 4, 2025 · 41 min
Episode 321 - Mike Beckstead, PhD
On December 4, 2025 we talked with Dr. Mike Beckstead about his work on changes in dopaminergic neuron excitability in the ventral tegmental area in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. Mike explained the molecular mechanism of the excitability change and the change in gene expression at its cause. Guest: Mike Beckstead, Professor and Hille Family Foundation Chair in Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Aging & Metabolism Research Program Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Participating: Matt Wanat, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music
S18 · E320
Nov 20, 2025 · 43 min
Episode 320 - Cristian Lasagna-Reeves, PhD
On November 20, 2025 we met with Dr. Cristian Lasagna-Reeves to talk about tau protein, its normal function, and what is known about how it aggregates to form the tangles seen in a variety of neurodegenerative brain conditions. We discussed the problem of determining whether the aggregates were causes or effects of the disease process, and whether reducing expression of tau might be an effective treatment. Guest: Cristian Lasagna-Reeves, Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine Participating: George Perry, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Hyoung-gon Lee, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music
S18 · E319
Nov 13, 2025 · 41 min
Episode 319 - Maria Diehl, PhD
On November 13, 2025, we met with Dr. Maria Diehl, to learn about her experiments on avoidance learning in rats. The conversation focused on learning in a social context, in which one animal benefits from watching another learn the task. We had to relocate this week, because of a noisy construction project in the hallway outside our usual room. Guest: Maria Diehl, Associate Professor in Psychological Science, Kansas State University. Participating: Tony Burgos-Robles, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Itamar Lerner, Department of Psychology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UTSA Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music
S18 · E318
Nov 6, 2025 · 42 min
Episode 318 - Jason O'Connor, PhD
On November 6, 2025, I spoke with Dr. Jason O'Connor about the behavioral and psychological effects of inflammation, and their similarity to depression. Jason explained how inflammation can produce those symptoms by increasing levels of kynurenine and metabolites in the brain. We discussed the possibility that depression may sometimes result from a rise in those metabolites in the absence of inflammation. Guest: Jason O'Connor, Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the UT San Antonio Long School of Medicine and the Audie Murphy VA Hospital. Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Thanks to James Tepper for original music
S17 · E317
Oct 23, 2025 · 25 min
Episode 317 - Peter Crino, MD, PhD
On October 23, 2025 we met with Dr. Peter Crino about how mutations occurring during cell division in the developing cerebral cortex can lead to localized developmental malformations of cortical structure and neurological disorders including focal epilepsy. Guest: Peter Crino, Richard and Kathryn Taylor Professor, Chair, Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine. Participating: Jenny Hsieh, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio. Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio.
S17 · E316
Oct 16, 2025 · 43 min
Episode 316 - Sarah Swinford-Jackson, PhD
On October 16, 2025 we spoke with Sara Swinford-Jackson about effects of parental drug self-administration on motivated drug taking in offspring in rodents. Sarah discussed the approach taken to remove genetic and environmental contributions to isolate the epigenetic contribution, and to identify the biological mechanism. Guest Sarah Swinford-Jackson, Assistant professor of Behavioral and Cellular Neuroscience in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University. Participating: Matt Wanat, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio. Alexey Soshnev, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio. Ashley Miller, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio. Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio. Thanks to James Tepper for original music
S17 · E315
Oct 9, 2025 · 40 min
Episode 315 - Maria Geffen, PhD
On October 9, 2025 we met with Maria Geffen to discuss the how three kinds of inhibitory neurons in the auditory cortex each contributes to individual features of auditory experience. Guest: Maria Geffen, Professor of Otorhinolaryngology, Neuroscience, and Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Participating: Alfonso Apicella, Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative and Developmental Biology, UTSA Alice Bertero, Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative and Developmental Biology, UTSA Jon-Paul Moler, Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative and Developmental Biology, UTSA Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative and Developmental Biology, UTSA Thanks to James Tepper for original music
S17 · E314
Oct 2, 2025 · 32 min
Episode 314 - Dan Lodge, PhD
On October 2, 2025 Dan Lodge returned to the podcast to talk about the physiological changes in brain circuits associated with schizophrenia. We reviewed the status of the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia and the brain circuits responsible for its negative, positive, and cognitive symptoms. Guest: Dan Lodge, Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology, Long School of Medicine, UT San Antonio Participating: Matt Wanat, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Host: Charles Wilson, Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, UT San Antonio Thanks to Jim Tepper for original music

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