Mind & Matter

Dr. John Speakman is a biologist whose research focuses on energy balance, energy expenditure, genetic and environmental drivers of obesity and the energetic contribution to aging. They discuss: the history of the obesity epidemic in the US vs. China; changes in patterns of physical activity, diet, and energy expenditure in humans over time; how saturated fats vs. PUFAs affect basal metabolism; th...

Dr. Ronald Krauss is a physician and researcher at UCSF who studies the relationship between diet & cardiometabolic health. They discuss: saturated vs. unsaturated fats; carbohydrates & fat synthesis; "good" vs. "bad" cholesterol; official US dietary guidelines and how they're established; funding of research by the food industry; and more.  * Click here to download audio, watch video, or read sho...

Dr. Tobias Egner is a Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience at Duke University, where his lab studies cognition, working memory, and cognitive control & flexibility. They discuss: what cognition is and how it's studied experimentally; working memory & attention; cognitive flexibility, cognitive control & multitasking; memory, perception, and predictive coding; and more. * Click here to download a...

Dr. David Puts is a biological anthropologist at the Penn State University. His research focuses on the evolution and development of human sexuality and sex differences. We are especially interested in how sex hormones influence our sexual psychology, behavior, and anatomy—and how these traits were shaped by sexual selection. They discuss: the biological basis of sex; gametes, sex chromosomes & se...

Dr. Moses Chao is a professor at the New York University School of Medicine. His lab studies how the environment, neuronal activity, inflammation, injury and disease affect the nervous system. They discuss topics related to his new book, "Peripheral: How Your Nervous System Predicts and Protects Against Disease." Topics include: how the peripheral nervous system differs from the central nervous sy...

Mikael Palner, PhD is a neuroscientist at the University of Souther Denmark. His lab studies the neuronal circuits involved in obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety . They investigate the effects of serotonergic psychedelic and non-psychedelic drugs that increase neuronal plasticity. They discuss: psychedelics & the brain; the neuroscience of stress, anxiety & compulsive behavior; microdosing...

Dr. John Hawks is a paleoanthropologist and professor of anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They discuss: the evolution of human behavior, diet, anatomy, and culture; Neanderthals, Denisovans, Homo erectus , and other species; the latest discoveries related to  Homo naledi , which was the subject of the Netflix documentary, "Cave of Bones." * Click here to download audio, watch v...

Dr. Mario Capecchi is a professor of genetics at the University of Utah & Nobel laureate. He discussed: his latest work in neurobiology, looking at the role of microglia in anxiety & Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD); his Nobel Prize-winning work in molecular genetics; molecular biology & genetics; his childhood experiences as an orphan in Italy during World War II; immigrating to the US; his ed...

Dr. Adriene Beltz is an associated professor of psychology at the University of Michigan who studies the effects of sex hormones & hormonal contraception on human cognition and the brain. They discuss: sex hormones (androgens & estrogens); hormonal regulation of menstruation, puberty, and pregnancy; common forms of hormonal birth control & how they work; effects of sex hormones & hormonal birth co...

Nick talks to Dr. Matthew Hill, a neuroscientist at the University of Calgary whose lab studies how the endocannabinoid system and cannabis (marijuana) influence the brain & behavior. They discuss: endocannabinoid biology; endocannabinoid regulation of stress & anxiety; endocannabinoids & exercise; how marijuana & THC influence brain development; and more. * Click here to download audio, watch vid...

Nick talks to molecular physiologist Dr. Vijay Yadav, an assistant professor at Columbia University whose lab studies the molecular & cell biology of aging, nutrition, and longevity. They discuss: the cell biology of aging; how nutrients affect aging & disease; the atypical amino acid taurine & its effects on aging; taurine clinical trials & supplementation; diet, nutrition & anti-aging effects; a...

Nick talks to Gül Dölen, MD, PhD., a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University whose lab studies social behavior, synaptic plasticity, psychedelics & evolution. They discuss: What drugs like LSD, psilocybin, ketamine, MDMA, and ibogaine have in common in terms of their molecular effects in the brain; why Dr. Gül Dölen believes all of these drugs can be described as "psychedelics"; the relationshi...

Nick talks to Dr. Alan Davis, a clinical psychologist and Director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research & Education at Ohio State University. They discuss: the effectiveness of mainstream forms of psychotherapy and antidepressant medications (SSRIs) for depression; psychedelic medicine & psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy; the relevance of the subjective effects of psychedelics for their the...

Nick talks to Bryan Roth, MD, PhD, a Professor of Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Roth has been studying the molecular mechanisms of psychedelics since the 1980s. They discuss: serotonin 2A receptors in the mammalian brain; psychedelics & neuroplasticity; classic psychedelics (e.g. LSD, psilocybin, DMT) compared to drugs like ketamine & MDMA; TrkB receptors & BDNF; engineerin...

Nick talks to ethnopharmacologist Dr. Dennis McKenna, who is the brother of psychonaut Terence McKenna and author of the book, "The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss." They discuss: the lives and psychedelic adventures of Dennis & Terence McKenna; experiences with psilocybin mushrooms & DMT; Carl Jung & psychology; the medical relevance of subjective psychedelic experiences; drugs, culture & soci...

Nick talks to Daniel Karlin, MD, a board-certified physician in psychiatry, addiction medicine & clinical informatics who is the Chief Medical Officer at MindMed. They discuss: psychiatry; incentives in scientific & medical research; healthcare & mental health; psychedelics; LSD for anxiety; MDMA for autism; ibogaine derivatives for addiction; patient access & care; and more. * To access the full...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mindandmatter.substack.com Nick talks to Daniel Karlin, MD, a board-certified physician in psychiatry, addiction medicine & clinical informatics who is the Chief Medical Officer at MindMed. They discuss: psychiatry; incentives in scientific & medical research; healthcare & mental health; psychedelics; LSD for anxiety; MDMA for autism; i...

Nick talks to chemist & food scientist Dr. Selina Wang about: food quality & purity; cooking oils (avocado, olive, vegetable, etc.); fruits & vegetables; oxidation & purity of cooking oils; how to identify high quality, pure foods to purchase; and more. * Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts. * If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please r...

Nick talks to Dr. Luc van Loon, Professor of Exercise Physiology & Nutrition at Maastricht University, about topics in exercise science, health & nutrition. They discuss: macronutrients & energy; protein quality & digestibility; endurance & resistance training; plant vs. animal protein; muscle conditioning & muscle fibers; sleep & aging; muscle physiology & metabolism; and more. * Click here to do...

* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts. * If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mindandmatter.substack.com Nick talks to Dr. Iain Oswald, who has a PhD in chemistry from the University of Texas-Dallas and is principal scientist Abstrax Tech, a cannabis research and product development company. He is an expert in using cutting edge analytical chemistry techniques to study plant chemistry and has done a lot of work t...

Nick talks to board-certified toxicologist Dr. Echo Rufer. The conversation starts with a brief overview of what the science of toxicology is all about & a little bit about alcohol toxicity. They then discuss: differences between vaping and smoking; what toxins are produced through the combustion of plant material, especially tobacco & marijuana; cannabinoids like THC & CBD, as well as cannabis te...

Nick talks to Dr. Nathan Price, who is a professor at the Institute of Systems Biology and Chief Science Officer of Thorne HealthTech. They discuss topics related to his new book, "The Age of Scientific Wellness: Why the Future of Medicine is Personalized, Data-Rich, and in Your Hands." To access the full episode, become a premium subscriber: * Click here to download audio, watch video, or read sh...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit mindandmatter.substack.com Nick talks to Dr. Nathan Price, who is a professor at the Institute of Systems Biology and Chief Science Officer of Thorne HealthTech. They discuss topics related to his new book, "The Age of Scientific Wellness: Why the Future of Medicine is Personalized, Data-Rich, and in Your Hands."

Nick talks to Daniel Brady, PhD a neuroscientist who studied sensory systems in the developing brain. Dr. Brady is also the co-founder and CEO of Orita.ai, a startup using machine learning & AI to solve data problems for direct-to-consumer brands. They discuss: critical periods of learning, childhood brain development, neuroplasticity, synesthesia, language acquisition, Orita.ai, machine learning...