Podcasts about london's royal institution

Our sense of reward motivates us and is essential for survival - influencing the hundreds of decisions we make every day about what feels good and what doesn't. Claudia Hammond meets Ray Dolan, Wolfram Schultz and Peter Dayan, winners of this year's Brain Prize, in front of an audience at London's Royal Institution, to discuss their ground-breaking work on how the brain recognises and processes reward. The trio's discoveries have revolutionised our understanding in how our brain's reward system can motivate us, give us the best chance in life and influence the way we learn. So when the system malfunctions, it can lead to big problems such as obesity, gambling and addiction. But as understanding of this brain system continues to be unravelled Claudia Hammond hears why this happens and what can be done to control it.

The brain has billions of neurons interconnected by trillions of synapses. It is at these synapses where memories are made. Ground-breaking research by Timothy Bliss, Graham Collingridge and Richard Morris has transformed our understanding of memory, and offered new insights into devastating effects of failing memory. This year they won the Brain Prize, the world's most valuable award in brain research. Claudia Hammond meets them in front of an audience at London's Royal Institution to discuss how memories are made.

Join us for a discussion of Jennifer Rohn's novel Experimental Heart at London's Royal Institution, including a Q&A with the author.

LSHTM Audio News - February 8th, 2008 Europe's Surge Against Cancer Source: "Responding to the Challenge of Cancer in Europe" (Slovenia's European Union Presidency Report on Cancer) 1. Michel Coleman (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) explains how cancer will become a new priority in the EU. 2. Oncologist Karol Sikora (Hammersmith Hospital, London) told the meeting at London's Royal Institution that Europe is a natural laboratory for investigating cancer with different populations and varying healthcare systems. 3. Martin McKee (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) discussed the role of the "European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies" in fulfilling the new aims. 4. Lynn Faulds Wood (European Cancer Patient Coalition) talked about her experience of having cancer discusses the priorities for patients. 5. Richard Sullivan (London School of Economics) described areas of biggest need, including neglected "orphan" areas of research.