CROET head, Photo by Aaron Bieleck, Ed Comm Photography

Year in review: The most popular “On the Brain” posts of 2017

As we welcome in 2018, here’s a look back at the ten most popular posts of 2017. 1. A strong neuroscience program is about to get stronger—meet leaders and researchers at the...

NeuroFutures 2015: Neuroscience innovation in the Pacific Northwest

Last month, scientists and clinicians in the Pacific Northwest spent three days sharing new discoveries, igniting collaborations, and discussing the future of neuroscience research at the...

Brain Awareness Lecture recap: The Quest for Consciousness

Christof Koch, Ph.D. is chief scientific officer for the Allen Institute of Brain Science. On March 9, he spoke at the Newmark Theatre as part of our 2015 Brain Awareness Lecture Series....

Five ways to explore Brain Awareness Season

On behalf of the OHSU Brain Institute, I am proud to present our 16th Brain Awareness Season! This year’s theme is The Infinite Brain. The universe is full of unlimited connections and...

One more shot of espresso, for memory’s sake

How much do Portlanders love their coffee? A lot. According to a 2011 poll by CNBC, Portland is the third most caffeinated city in the U.S., with almost 900 coffee shops and 30 local coffee...

From laboratory to farm: a scientist’s visit to the local herb farm

As a basic scientist, most of my neuroscience training and research has focused on the underlying biological mechanisms of disease. During the past year, I have started working with a natural...

Violence in the brain? And beer …

Physicians and researchers have some pretty amazing ways of peering inside the human brain. And some of those methods — and what they might show us — have been in the news a lot lately. A...

Smarter brain ‘glue’ — glia cells take the spotlight

Many neuroscientists will tell you that nerve cells in the brain (called neurons) are the most important part of the nervous system. They are, after all, the primary cells of the nervous system,...

The neuroscience of memory, and how it matters in court

When I was 6 years old, I ran into a door frame and had to have stitches on my forehead. I remember that I was running to answer the phone. I remember thinking “oh no, I’m going to hit that door...