Can We Protect Brain Health as We Age?

This public roundtable will explore a question that concerns all of us: what helps keep the brain healthy and resilient as we age? Bringing together leading researchers from neuroscience, brain stimulation, microbiome science, and global brain health, the discussion will examine how stress, daily habits, and the wider social and environmental context can influence brain health over time. It will also address what science is beginning to reveal about early signs of vulnerability, what kinds of interventions may help (from lifestyle and stress regulation to more targeted approaches) and what remains uncertain. The goal is to offer an engaging and accessible discussion on how we may better understand, protect, and strengthen brain health across the lifespan.

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With: Marcus Böhme, Raffael Kalisch, Giacomo Koch, Carla Nasca, Dídac Vidal-Piñeiro
Chair: Brian McCabe

Marcus Böhme, PhD, with over 14 years of experience in life sciences and global R&D, is recognized as a global expert in microbiota-gut-brain axis research and psychobiotics. He specializes in understanding how microbial and mammalian signalling pathways interact to influence brain function, resilience, and aging. He has authored 27 scientific publications, including in Nature Aging and Molecular Psychiatry, with over 8,000 citations. Previously, he worked as the Global Science & Technology Lead for Mental Health at Novonesis. Prior to this, he held research positions at Nestlé Research and the APC Microbiome Institute, where he investigated microbiome-mediated mechanisms of mental and cognitive health.

Raffael Kalisch, PhD, is Professor of Human Neuroimaging at the University Medical Center Mainz and Group Leader at the Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Germany. A leading figure in resilience science, he studies the biological, neural, and psychological mechanisms that help individuals maintain mental health despite stress, trauma, and adversity. His work aims to improve the prevention and treatment of stress-related disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. He is also the founding spokesperson of the International Resilience Alliance and organizer of the International Symposium on Resilience Research.

Giacomo Koch, MD, PhD, is Full Professor of Physiology at the University of Ferrara and Director of the Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Laboratory at IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation in Rome. Internationally recognized for his work on stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and related dementias, his research combines non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, neuroimaging, and EEG to develop personalized approaches to neurological disorders. He has authored more than 350 scientific publications (H-index 75) and leads numerous clinical trials in the field.

Carla Nasca, PhD, is Head of the Laboratory of Epigenetics & Systems Neuroscience and Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Physiology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Her research explores the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying stress-related disorders and resilience. Previously, she led a research group at Rockefeller University and trained with leading neuroscientists including Bruce McEwen and Eric Nestler. She has received multiple NIH, NIMH, and NARSAD grants, as well as the prestigious Blavatnik Award for Innovative and Creative Research.

Dídac Vidal-Piñeiro, PhD, is a researcher at the Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC) at the University of Oslo. His work seeks to understand why some individuals maintain cognitive health with aging while others experience decline. Combining neuroimaging, cognitive, genetic, biomarker, and environmental data, he investigates the factors that shape brain aging and resilience across the lifespan. His research spans development, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease, with a particular focus on memory decline, brain age, and the biological mechanisms that support healthy cognitive aging.