Tuesday in the Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship!

The morning began with a powerful exploration of cognitive difference and the expanding frontiers of neuroscience. Dr. Rachel Wurzman opened the day with a lecture that challenged conventional thinking on neurodivergence. Rather than framing conditions like ADHD, autism, or other non-normative neurological patterns, and movement disorders as deficits, she offered a new lens, one that highlights the richness and variability of the human mind; your identity. Her insights bridged neuroscience with education, public policy, and mental health, underscoring how acknowledging neurodivergence can lead to more inclusive systems and stronger communities. “Because the basal ganglia is involved with movement disorders, everyone tends to have a certain uniqueness when it comes to their tics and jolts.”

Following Dr. Wurzman, Dr. James Giordano returned with a presentation that pushed the boundaries of neuroscience even further. His talk on emerging neurotechnologies revealed a world in which ideas once confined to speculative fiction are quickly becoming operational realities. From brain-computer interfaces and neuromodulatory devices to neuroweapons and cognitive warfare, we examined the dual-use nature of these innovations. Technologies like DARPA’s Beetle and DragonflEYE were no longer far-off prototypes, they’re active components in both defense and healthcare systems. Dr. Giordano urged us to think not only about what these tools can do, but what they should do, and who bears the responsibility for deciding their ethical and legal use.

Following Dr. Giordano, Dr. Diane DiEuliis to discuss emerging biological technologies, biodefense, and preparedness for biothreats. She began by talking about the history of biothreats, covering World War II through the Cold War. The lecture then shifted to the bioeconomy revolution, driven by rapid advances in synthetic biology, genomics, and biotechnology, which are unlocking vast potential for innovation while also introducing new security challenges. A key focus was the dual-use dilemma, covering the split between biotechnology being used both as weapons and for peaceful reasons. Finally, the lecture addressed the growing role of artificial intelligence in both advancing biological research and increasing the risks of misuse, emphasizing the urgent need for ethical frameworks and international oversight to ensure these powerful tools are not weaponized.

Together, these sessions brought attention to the dynamic intersection of cognitive science, identity, and technology, sparking conversations that will no doubt stay with us long after the program ends.