This Week in Neuroscience

This Week in Neuroscience — TWiN — is the brain-focused entry in Vincent Racaniello's MicrobeTV podcast network. The show follows the same model that works so well for TWiV and TWiM: a small panel of hosts works through recent peer-reviewed research papers, this time focused on the nervous system. The regular team includes Racaniello alongside Vivianne Morrison and Tim Cheung. The panel format means you get multiple perspectives on each paper. The hosts discuss experimental methods, debate interpretations, and flag limitations — the kind of analysis you'd hear in a university journal club, but in a more relaxed and accessible style. Topics have included everything from memory formation and neural plasticity to the genetics of neurological disorders. Episodes typically run an hour to 90 minutes, giving plenty of room for thorough discussion. With 67 episodes and a bimonthly release schedule, TWiN is the smallest of the MicrobeTV shows covered here. The audience reflects that — 94 Apple ratings with a 4.8 star average — but the quality of the content is high. One thing to note: the conversational style means hosts sometimes talk over each other, which can be slightly jarring if you're used to tightly edited podcasts. But that's also part of the charm — it feels authentic and unscripted. If you're specifically interested in neuroscience research and want a podcast that treats you like a peer rather than a student, TWiN is one of the few options that does this consistently well.