STEIN Fireside Podcast

What does it take to build a successful career in neuroscience?
In this episode of STEIN Fireside Chats, Drs. Kai Miller and Bryan Klassen sits down with Dr. Dora Hermes (Mayo Clinic) and Dr. Michael Breakspear (University of Newcastle, Australia) for a wide-ranging conversation about the culture of neuroscience beyond the science itself.
They discuss their unconventional journeys into neuroscience, the influence of mentors, balancing family life with scientific careers, creating supportive research environments, data sharing and standardization, the growth of the Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS), leadership within the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM), and the evolving future of scientific publishing.
From mathematics and medicine to open science, mentorship, and global scientific collaboration, this conversation offers valuable insights for students, trainees, researchers, and anyone interested in how modern neuroscience advances through community.
Topics Covered
✅ Career paths into neuroscience✅ Mathematics, psychology, and medicine✅ Mentorship and lab culture✅ Family life in academic science✅ Data standardization and BIDS✅ Open science and reproducibility✅ OHBM and scientific communities✅ Scientific publishing and journal reform✅ Leadership in neuroscience

STEIN Fireside Podcast: The Shocking History of Psychosurgery: From Lobotomy to Deep Brain Stimulation, S1-Ep18
How did psychiatric neurosurgery evolve from ancient trepanation and controversial lobotomies to modern deep brain stimulation (DBS)?
In this fascinating presentation, Dr. Erik Blomstedt explores the complete history of psychosurgery, tracing its origins from prehistoric skull procedures through the rise and fall of lobotomy, the development of stereotactic neurosurgery, and today's cutting-edge DBS treatments for OCD, depression, and other psychiatric disorders.
Learn how changing medical knowledge, technological innovation, ethics, and neuroscience have shaped one of medicine's most controversial and intriguing fields.
Topics include:• Trepanation and ancient theories of mental illness • Early psychiatric brain surgery • Moniz, Freeman, and the lobotomy era • The psychosurgery debate • Stereotactic neurosurgery • Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) • OCD and depression treatments • Future directions for psychiatric neurosurgery

How do you restore movement to a child whose body has become trapped by dystonia?
In this episode of the STEIN Fireside Chat Podcast, Dr. Bryan Klassen and Dr. Kai Miller sit down with Dr. Keith Coffman, pediatric neurologist and movement disorders specialist at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Coffman shares his journey from childhood fascination with psychology and neuroscience to becoming a leading expert in pediatric dystonia, Tourette syndrome, and deep brain stimulation (DBS).
The discussion explores the science of movement disorders, the anatomy of the basal ganglia, and how advancements in neuromodulation are changing the lives of children with severe neurological conditions. Dr. Coffman also shares remarkable patient stories demonstrating how DBS can restore function, independence, and quality of life in children affected by devastating forms of dystonia.
Topics include:
✅ Pediatric dystonia and movement disorders✅ Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in children✅ Tourette syndrome and basal ganglia circuitry✅ Neuroanatomy and systems neuroscience✅ Patient selection for neuromodulation✅ Genetics and dystonia✅ The future of adaptive DBS and sensing technologies✅ Compassionate care for children and families
Whether you're a clinician, researcher, patient advocate, engineer, or simply fascinated by the brain, this episode offers a compelling look into the intersection of neuroscience, technology, and human resilience.

STEIN Fireside Podcast: Dr. Jeffery Raskin on Neuromodulation for Chronic Pain in Children, S1-Ep16
In this episode of the Stein Fireside Podcast, Dr. Jeffrey Raskin, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Northwestern University and Lurie Children's Hospital, discusses the emerging role of neuromodulation for chronic pain in pediatric patients. He explores why chronic pain in children is often under-recognized and under-treated, reviews the science of pain pathways, and explains how therapies such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS), dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, and intrathecal pain pumps are helping young patients regain function and quality of life.
  Dr. Raskin shares compelling patient stories, including children suffering from CRPS, phantom limb pain, chronic headaches, and cancer-related pain who experienced dramatic improvements through neuromodulation. He also discusses the importance of multidisciplinary care, psychological evaluation, referral pathways, patient education, and the ongoing battle with insurance approvals for pediatric pain interventions.
 The conversation highlights the growing evidence supporting pediatric neuromodulation, the need for advocacy and policy reform, and the opportunity to improve outcomes for children whose lives are disrupted by chronic pain. 

STEIN Fireside Podcast: Dr. Jeffrey Raskin on Advancing Pediatric Pain Surgery and Neuromodulation, S1-Ep15 In this episode of the STEIN Fireside Podcast,
 
Drs. Klassen and Miller sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Raskin, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and pediatric neurosurgeon at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.
 
Dr. Raskin shares his journey from Las Vegas to becoming a leader in pediatric neurosurgery, epilepsy surgery, and pediatric pain neuromodulation. The conversation explores how chronic pain affects children differently than adults, the challenges of developing evidence-based therapies for pediatric patients, and the growing role of spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, pain pumps, and other neuromodulation technologies.
 
They also discuss multidisciplinary pain care, barriers to insurance approval for pediatric therapies, the future of brain and spinal stimulation for pain management, and the emotional realities of caring for children with complex neurological conditions. Whether you're interested in pediatric neurosurgery, functional neurosurgery, epilepsy, pain medicine, or medical innovation, this episode offers a fascinating look into a rapidly evolving field. Subscribe for more conversations with leading neurosurgeons, scientists, and innovators. 

STEIN Fireside Podcast: Nick Ramsey on Brain-Computer Interfaces, ALS, and Restoring Communication, S1-Ep14
How do you give a voice back to someone who can no longer speak?
In this episode of the STEIN Fireside Podcast, Dr. Kai Miller and Bryan Klassen sits down with Dr. Nick Ramsey, pioneer of brain-computer interface (BCI) research from Utrecht University and Radboud University in the Netherlands.
Dr. Ramsey shares his journey from psychology and functional MRI to groundbreaking work with implanted brain-computer interfaces for people living with ALS, brainstem stroke, and severe paralysis. The discussion explores the evolution of BCI technology, lessons learned from epilepsy research, the challenges of decoding human intention, and the ethical responsibility of designing technologies that truly improve patients' lives.
Topics include:
The origins of modern brain-computer interfaces
Functional MRI and electrocorticography research
Building one of the first fully implanted BCIs
Restoring communication for people with locked-in syndrome
Challenges of ALS and motor cortex decoding
Neurotechnology ethics and patient-centered innovation
The future of implantable neural devices
Whether you're interested in neuroscience, neurosurgery, neurotechnology, AI, or the future of human-computer interaction, this conversation provides a rare inside look at the science and philosophy driving the next generation of brain implants.

In this episode of the STEIN Fireside Podcast, we sit down with Prof. Alim-Louis Benabid, the pioneer behind Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)—a breakthrough that transformed the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.
Prof. Benabid shares the story behind his groundbreaking discovery, the evolution of neurosurgery, and how innovation emerges at the intersection of curiosity and clinical need. From the early days of experimentation to global adoption, this conversation explores how one idea reshaped modern medicine.
We also dive into the future of brain technology, including neuroengineering, AI integration, and the next frontier in treating neurological disease.
Whether you're a clinician, researcher, or simply fascinated by medical innovation, this episode offers rare insight into one of the most important advances in neuroscience.

STEIN Fireside Podcast: S1-Ep11 
In this episode of the STEIN Fireside Podcast, Dr. Kai Miller talks with Dr. Douglas Kondziolka, Editor-in-Chief of Neurosurgery and a global leader in radiosurgery while at the AANS 2026 conference in San Antonio. He shares insights on innovation, technology, and the evolution of neurosurgical care. From his early career in Toronto to pioneering work in radiosurgery and functional neurosurgery, Dr. Kondziolka discusses how challenging medical dogma, embracing new technologies, and sharing data openly have transformed patient care.The conversation explores:• The rise of radiosurgery and how it disrupted traditional brain surgery• Why innovation requires questioning “what we think we know”• The role of teamwork, publishing, and collaboration in scientific progress• Emerging technologies like focused ultrasound, gene therapy, and brain networks• The future of medical journals, digital content, and scientific communicationThis episode is a deep dive into how modern neurosurgery is evolving and what the next generation of innovation might look like.

In this special on-location episode, the Stein Fireside team takes listeners to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) meeting in San Antonio, capturing the energy of a live “Stein evening” on the Riverwalk. Throughout the episode, leading neurosurgeons share insights into their work, innovations, and practical surgical tips.
This episode blends clinical expertise, innovation, and behind-the-scenes conversations, giving viewers a snapshot of where neurosurgery is today—and where it’s headed next.