Big Brains

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Recreating A Sense of Touch, Using Our Minds, with Nicholas Hatsopoulos

September 17, 2026

What if your thoughts could allow you to feel the texture of an object, type a message or move a robotic arm? How does the brain translate thought into physical movement, and can technology bridge the gap for paralyzed patients, whose pathways are broken?University of Chicago neuroscientist Nicholas Hatsopoulos is transforming that fundamental neuroscience into life-changing medical technology. By implanting microelectrode arrays directly into the brain, his team decodes the neural patterns t...

Why The Key to Treating Cancer May Be In Your Gut, with Thomas Gajewski

August 20, 2026

For decades, traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation have targeted tumors directly—often with severe side effects and mixed results. But what if the key to treating cancer was already inside our bodies? Prof. Thomas Gajewski, a renowned oncologist at the University of Chicago, is leading a revolution by using the body’s gut microbiome to fight cancer. His pioneering work in cancer immunotherapy focuses on why some patients with melanoma responded dramatically to immune-b...

The Little-Known Secrets To A Good Life, with Shigehiro Oishi

August 06, 2026

What makes a good life? For decades, psychologists have debated whether true fulfillment comes from happiness—a life of comfort and joy—or meaning—a life of purpose and impact. But what if there's a third way? University of Chicago psychology professor Shigehiro Oishi has spent his career studying happiness, meaning, and what truly brings people deep satisfaction. His new research suggests that some of the most fulfilled people don’t prioritize either—they live psychologically rich lives, ful...