Guy Shpak
I am a neuroscientist passionate about how common practices, and specifically martial arts practice, modify our brain and behaviour. I obtained my master’s and Ph.D. in neurophysiology, researching how the brain codes social information conveyed by the olfactory system. As a postdoctoral researcher at the Erasmus Medical Center psychiatry department in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, I investigated the neurophysiology of mental disorders. I expanded my educational experience as a senior lecturer and course coordinator at the Life-Sciences department of the Erasmus University College.
Next to my academic education, I learned Chinese medicine and Shiatsu, NLP, photography, and more. I regularly meditate, dip in ice, and cycle to keep my body and mind recharged and balanced.
The physiology of martial arts as a mental well-being intervention
Martial arts, often recognized for their physical benefits, are also known for their potential to develop and maintain mental well-being. A growing body of literature supports the idea that regular training may promote self-efficacy, emotional regulation, mental resilience, and other psychological parameters. In addition, more subjective measures of mental well-being were also found to be affected by martial arts practice, and emerging research shows that martial arts practice may modulate heart rate regulation and endocrine function.
During this talk, I will highlight the potential benefits of traditional and modern martial arts as mental well-being interventions in the context of the associated physiological adaptations relevant to mental well-being. I will focus on the cardiovascular and endocrine systems that were shown to be involved in both martial arts practice and mental well-being. I will discuss the relevant literature, current research, and future prospects.
Anna Akhmanova
Anna Akhmanova is a renowned cell biologist and professor at Utrecht University. Her research primarily focuses on the dynamics of the cytoskeleton, particularly microtubules, and their role in intracellular transport, cell division, and other key cellular processes. Microtubules are essential for maintaining cell structure, facilitating cell movement, and transporting organelles and vesicles within cells.
Akhmanova’s work has broad implications for understanding diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and pathogen transmission within cells. Her group studies how proteins like kinesin and dynein, the motor proteins responsible for intracellular transport, function and interact with microtubules. This research also examines how these proteins coordinate cellular processes such as vesicle transport and cell polarization.
Throughout her career, Akhmanova has received numerous prestigious awards, including the NWO Spinoza Prize in 2018 and multiple European research grants. Her continued contributions to cell biology have positioned her as a leading figure in the field, particularly in the study of the cytoskeleton’s biochemical properties.
Special Q&A session
We are excited to announce that on Career Day 2024, we will be hosting a special Q&A session with Anna Akhmanova. This session will delve into her inspiring life journey, the pivotal career decisions she made, and the motivations behind them. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to learn about her groundbreaking research in cytoskeletal dynamics, her contributions to cell biology, and the factors that guided her career path—from academia to world-class research.