Following Episode 5 - Part 1, where we explored the hidden world of the hypothalamus and the “love hormone” oxytocin, this second part of Hedi’s conversation with neuroendocrinologist Gareth Leng takes us even deeper.

From the “love hormone” and maternal bonding, to why your brain is more like a quantum computer, discover the brain’s secret hormonal languages that drive your behaviour and keep you alive.

Following intro sessions that happened at schools back in February, nearly 200 8th-grade students from Escola do Alto do Lumiar (Lisboa) and Escola Dr. Azevedo Neves (Amadora) took part in a series of hands-on/minds-on experiments at both the GIMM Foundation and Champalimaud Foundation (CF) in March. 

The Champalimaud Foundation opens the applications to the 5th edition of the Fundamentals of Medicine Postgratuate Course, a unique course designed for life sciences researchers interested in exploring medical terminology, concepts, and issues, with a focus on fostering collaboration between researchers and medical doctors. 

Sian Harding, a world leader in cardiac research, joins Hedi to reveal the heart as you’ve never seen it before, as they discuss her book The Exquisite Machine: The New Science of the Heart. From how social rank, air pollution, noise, and even your mother’s pregnancy diet can shape heart health, to the heart’s mini-brain or growing hearts in the lab from skin cells, they uncover the remarkable ways this muscular organ does far more than “just” pump blood.

Following Episode 1 - Part 1, this second part of Hedi’s conversation with science writer Moheb Costandi unpacks how our sense of agency – the feeling of being in control of our actions and responsible for their outcomes – can be disrupted in conditions like Alien Hand Syndrome and Schizophrenia, manipulated on the operating table, or even altered in the lab.

Chosen from over 200 applicants across Europe and associated countries, Veiga-Fernandes was one of just 32 scientists ultimately appointed as ERC Ambassadors. The final selection aimed to balance gender, seniority, and the representation of both current ERC grant holders and different countries. The 32 ambassadors represent 21 EU Member States and four Associated Countries – Israel, Norway, Turkey, and the United Kingdom – plus Switzerland.

Every two weeks, the new podcast series Leafing Through Science brings together host Hedi Young, Champalimaud Foundation neuroscientist and science communicator, with the authors behind some of the most fascinating non-fiction books in the life sciences. From new releases to timeless classics, we explore everything from the mysteries of consciousness and free will, to broken hearts, alien hands, and minds under siege. Expect page-turning ideas, head-spinning science, and stories that might just change how you see the world – and yourself.

From groundbreaking scientific research to compassionate, patient-centered clinical care, the Foundation is committed to developing innovative solutions for complex challenges, all with the goal of improving lives and inspiring hope.

Founded in the beginning of the 21st century, it carries forward the visionary legacy of António Champalimaud, advancing science and healthcare for the greater good of humanity.

Join us in discovering how, together, we are shaping a brighter future.