“Every act of perception, is to some degree an act of creation, and every act of memory is to some degree an act of imagination.” — Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia
Gastronauts Season 9 will continue to be hybrid with at a new, more globally inclusive time of 10am EST. This season we will explore the sensory world of your connection to the viscera.
September 2023: The RNA biology of psychedelics
Andrea Gomez, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the University of California Berkeley. Andrea’s laboratory seeks to understand the mysteries of the mind at the intersection of psychedelics and plasticity. The laboratory uncovers how these trippy compounds shake up our synaptic playground by using a combination of molecular biology, functional imaging, and slice electrophysiology to understand neural plasticity in neural degeneration and the potential therapeutic use of the active components in psychedelics.
October 2023: The sense of sour
Emily Liman, Ph.D., is a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Southern California. Dr. Liman is a world-renowned sensory neurobiologist who has advanced our understanding of taste perception through her groundbreaking discoveries including that of the OTOP channel—a key player in our ability to perceive the sour taste of a juicy lemon.
November 2023: Interception meets nutrient sensing
Greg Seeing-Bae Suh, Ph.D. is a Professor at KAIST in South Korea. Dr. Suh explores the fascinating world of how brains process external stimuli and generate behavioral responses. Using the fruit fly and advanced genetic tools, his group investigates the neural substrates behind innate behaviors. They’re also delving into the identification of internal sensors for nutritional value in both fruit flies and mice, shedding light on how mammals perceive and respond to nutrients.