Psychedelic substances like psilocybin (found in magic mushrooms), MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy), LSD (commonly known as acid), and ayahuasca have shown potential in treating conditions such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and addiction. These substances can induce profound psychological experiences that, when paired with psychotherapy — a form of talk therapy — have been proposed to lead to significant therapeutic benefits.

Host

Susana Lima, PhD, Neuroethology Lab

Venue

Seminar room

Female mammals, such as rodents, accept mating attempts only during their fertile phase, and actively reject males outside this period. While the brain areas controlling sexual receptivity are well-studied, the mechanisms behind active rejection are less so.

“Surgery can cure”, said Markus Büchler, director of the newly opened Botton-Champalimaud Pancreatic Cancer Centre, in Lisbon, during his talk. Büchler was referring to a form of pancreatic cancer surgery called the “triangle operation”, which he invented and developed.

Host

Klaas van Gisbergen, PhD, Tissue Immunity Lab

Venue

Seminar room

The reasons why one animal chooses one path over another, or behaves differently from others, can often seem enigmatic. But a team led by Claire Wyart’s group at the Paris Brain Institute (ICM), in collaboration with Michael Orger’s lab at the Champalimaud Foundation (CF), has shed light on these differences, revealing the dynamic relationship between an animal’s internal states and its surroundings.