“Let’s Talk About Women” is a podcast initiative of the International Research Training Group (IRTG) 2804 (https://irtg2804.de/)(Tübingen x Uppsala), which investigates women's mental health across the reproductive lifespan.
Here we share insights from interdisciplinary research on women's mental health by talking to experts in fields of neuroscience, psychology, biology, and medicine. Beyond that, we will shed light on ongoing doctoral projects among our PhD candidates to get a glimpse into state-of-the-art and hot-topic research.
This podcast is not only for fellow researchers inside and outside the area of women's mental health, but also for people interested in science and curious about this topic!
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com (mailto:irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com)
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 (https://twitter.com/irtg2804) or instagram: @irtg2804 (https://www.instagram.com/irtg2804/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
What happens to the female brain during midlife? In this episode, we welcome Associate Professor Genevieve Steiner-Lim, a cognitive neuroscientist and researcher in translational neuroscience, to talk about brain aging, the menopausal transition, and females long-term brain health. We explore whether male and female brains age differently, what females experience during the menopausal transition, and what qualitative research from Australia can teach us about the lived experience of menopause. We also compare perspectives on menopause research and healthcare in Australia and Germany, and discuss why females are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Finally, Genevieve takes us into her latest research, including the MenoStim Trial investigating non-invasive brain stimulation and the MenoCog Trial exploring whether creatine could support cognition, mood, and brain health during and after the menopausal transition. From understanding the female brain in midlife and aging to developing new preventive approaches — join us for this engaging discussion on the future direction of research!
If you would like to get in touch with Genevieve, you can find her & her group here: https://gensteiner.com/ (https://gensteiner.com/)
... or reach her at: G.Steiner@westernsydney.edu.au
Timestamps:
00:27: Introduction to our guest Assoc. Prof. Genevieve Steiner-Lim and her field of research
01:40: Brain aging
03:01: Do male and female brains age differently?
05:13: The menopausal transition: beyond reproductive health
10:22: Qualitative study on the lived experience of the menopausal transition in Australia
18:13: Australia vs. Germany: differences in menopausal healthcare and research
23:22: Current state of Alzheimer's disease research in females
30:12: MenoStim Trial: can non-invasive brain stimulation improve thinking, memory and mood during menopause?
35:38: MenoCog Trial: can creatine support brain health and mood in postmenopausal women with an elevated risk of dementia?
45:05: Gaps and future directions in research and clinical translation
49:16: What could the future for women's brain health look like?
52:10: Wrap up and thank you
Outline & questions: Franziska Weinmar
Sound recording & Editing: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com (mailto:irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com)
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 (https://twitter.com/irtg2804) or instagram: @irtg2804 (https://www.instagram.com/irtg2804/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
25 Jun 2026
Let's Talk About Circadian Rhythms
Light does much more than help us see - it directly influences our brain, hormones, sleep, and overall health. In this episode, we welcome PhD researcher Carolina Guidolin, who enlightens us about the world of circadian neuroscience and how light regulates our internal clock. Together we discuss why people respond differently to light exposure, how sex and hormones may shape these responses, and why understanding circadian biology may open important new perspectives for women’s health. Beyond the lab, Carolina also shares why science communication and her podcast have become an essential part of her work as a scientist.
Interested in more science communication on circadian neuroscience? Listen in to Carolina's podcast "Light O'Clock": https://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/lightoclock (https://www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/lightoclock)
If you would like to get in touch with Carolina, you can find her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinaguidolin/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinaguidolin/)
... her lab here: https://www.tscnlab.org/ (https://www.tscnlab.org/)
... or reach her at: carolina.guidolin@tuebingen.mpg.de
Timestamps:
00:26 Introduction to our guest Carolina Guidolin
02:04 What are circadian rhythms?
04:41 Relevance of circadian rhythms for mental health
06:03 Non-visual effects of light
09:05 What is melatonin and what role does it play?
13:07 Melatonin suppression and its effects on brain and body
18:06 What do we know about individual differences in melatonin suppression?
22:30 Sex differences & hormones in melatonin suppression
32:14 Introduction to Carolina’s project on how sex, the menstrual cycle, and oral contraception shape individual differences
40:46 What are potential implications for women’s mental health?
44:39 Carolina’s podcast Light O’Clock – Motivation and key takeaways from science communication
50:22 Summary
51:21 Next steps in circadian neuroscience research
55:05 How close are we to translating these findings into clinical applications?
58:23 Closing remarks
Outline & questions: Franziska Weinmar
Sound recording & Editing: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com (mailto:irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com)
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 (https://twitter.com/irtg2804) or instagram: @irtg2804 (https://www.instagram.com/irtg2804/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
28 May 2026
Let's Talk About Sex/Gender in Mental Health Research and Care
How are sex and gender differences reflected in mental health research and care - from prevalence and symptoms to diagnosis and treatment?
In this episode, Franziska talks to Andreas Fallgatter, Professor and Medical Director at the University Hospital Tübingen and spokesperson of the Tübingen site of the German Center for Mental Health (DZPG). Together, they talk about differences in prevalence and symptoms of mental health disorders between women and men, and discuss how well these differences are currently reflected in clinical practice. Prof. Fallgatter shares insights from both research and patient care, highlighting where psychiatry has made progress - and where important gaps remain. Looking ahead, Prof. Fallgatter outlines how we can better translate research into practice and what is needed to move toward more personalized and sex- and gender-sensitive approaches in psychiatry.
Join us for a conversation at the intersection of neuroscience, clinical practice, and the future of mental health care.
If you would like to get in touch with Prof. Fallgatter, you can find him here: https://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/de/das-klinikum/mitarbeiter/profil/1572 (https://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/de/das-klinikum/mitarbeiter/profil/1572)
... or reach him at: andreas.fallgatter@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Timestamps:
00:26: Introduction of our guest Prof. Dr. Andreas Fallgatter
01:53: Importance of sex/gender in mental health research & practice
03:34: Prevalence differences in mental health disorders
04:24: Examples of symptom differences in women vs. men across mental health disorders
05:42: Risks of not recognizing sex/gender differences
06:56: How the field has dealt with sex/gender differences in the past
07:45: Has understanding of sex/gender influences in mental health changed?
10:56: To what extent is sex/gender considered in diagnoses and treatment?
15:22: Overview of current projects on women’s mental health disorders
18:19: The German Center for Mental Health (DZPG): Aims and goals
21:58: Sex/gender sensitive approaches in the German Center for Mental Health
22:54: Summary & key takeaways
24:01: Research gaps and future directions in sex/gender differences in mental health
27:32: Thank you and wrap up
Outline & questions: Franziska Weinmar
Sound recording & Editing: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com (mailto:irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com)
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 (https://twitter.com/irtg2804) or instagram: @irtg2804 (https://www.instagram.com/irtg2804/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Who has been a guest on Let's Talk About Women
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Pia Schober
Dr. Liza Kaltsouni
Hanna Wierenga
Podcast Authority Score: 28 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
27
Social presence
91
YouTube
0
Engagement
30
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unknown host the show. Published by Franziska Weinmar.
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