PINT OF SCIENCE FESTIVAL
19-21 MAY 2025
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The Brain’s Bumpy Path
Curious about how our brain works? Explore how dementia, affects the brain and how a tiny microbe discovery is changing medical research. From brain health to groundbreaking treatments, see how small things shape our future!
How dementia changes who we are and what science is doing about it
Júlia Faura Llorens
PostDoc researcher
University of Antwerp, VIB
Dementia is often mistaken with memory loss, but it can also change personality, behaviour, and the way people interact with the world. One of its lesser-known forms, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), affects younger people and can alter decision, emotions, social behaviour and language in surprising ways. In this talk, we will explore what happens in the brain during dementia, how FTD differs from other types, and the latest research uncovering its mysteries. From early signs to potential treatments, we will break common myths and highlight what science is doing to tackle neurodegeneration.
From a beach in Spain to your grandma’s brain: How fundamental research advances the study of dementia
Gonzalo Leguiafauro
PhD researcher
University of Antwerp, VIB
In the early 2000s, a Spanish scientist exploring salt-loving microbes (those tiny, invisible life forms all around us) in Alicante uncovered a natural defense system bacteria use to fight off invaders. He didn’t know it then, but this tiny discovery would go on to transform biomedical research. It’s a powerful example of how curiosity-driven science can spark breakthroughs. In this talk, we’ll explore how close observation of the microscopic world leads to big advances in disease understanding and treatment—focusing on how this mindset is now driving progress in dementia research, from lab bench to patient care.
