Evelyn

The neuroscientist.

Evelyn

The communicator.

Evelyn

The social mind.

Evelyn

The traveller.

Evelyn

The colourful spirit.

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Biography

Evelyn Medawar is a neuroscientist and biologist by training with the mission to understand how we make decisions and what leads us to choose certain food items. In particular, she wants to find out how the gut communicates with the brain, to see whether what we eat really shapes who we are. The interplay between our gut microbes and our cognitive center is only about to be investigated by researchers.

Besides her several PhD studies, she is keen to envision broader topics and other fields, such as sustainability in general and in science, mindfulness and physioholistic approaches to improve well-being.

Interests

  • Neural correlates of decision-making
  • Plant-based diets
  • Mindfulness

Education

  • PhD cand. in Neurosciences, since 2017

    Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences

  • MSc Brain and Mind Sciences, 2017

    ENS / UPMC Paris

  • MSc Brain and Mind Sciences, 2016

    University College London

  • BSc Biology, 2015

    LMU München

Skills

academic writing

joyful, fast

data analysis

R, MRI processing, shell

innovative & inquisitive

own ideas, new approaches

project management

randomized controlled trials, observational studies, events, research team

sustainability

Max Planck Sustainability Network, local Green Team

supervision

graduate students, MD students, intern

Higher Education

 
 
 
 
 

PhD student

Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Dept. of Neurology

Oct 2017 – Present Leipzig, Germany

Topic of PhD:

  • Unconventional eating behaviour and its effect on brain circuits and on microbiome-gut-brain-feedback

Responsibilities include:

  • Conducting high-quality research
  • Supervising and leading a study team
  • Running multiple studies in parallel
 
 
 
 
 

Dual Master of Science, Brain and Mind Sciences

Ecole Normale Supérieure / Université Pierre et Marie Curie

Sep 2016 – Jul 2017 Paris, France

2nd master year in neurosciences

Topic of 2nd master thesis:

  • The effects of bariatric surgery on fMRI resting-state connectivity and patience for food
 
 
 
 
 

Dual Master of Science, Brain and Mind Sciences

University College London

Sep 2015 – Jul 2016 London, UK

1st master year in neurosciences

Topic of 1st master thesis:

  • The influence of soluble and insoluble amyloid-β on microglia cells in transgenic mouse models for Alzheimer’s disease
 
 
 
 
 

Bachelor of Science, Biology

Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität München

Oct 2012 – Jul 2015 Munich, Germany

main subjects: microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, neurophysiology

Topic of bachelor thesis:

  • A new method for protein-protein interaction analysis in membrane domains
 
 
 
 
 

Bilingual German A Levels

Europaschule - Cecilien-Gymnasium

Jul 2003 – Jul 2012 Düsseldorf, Germany
main subjects: English, Biology, History, Maths

Recent Posts

Interviews and articles on the topic of plant-based diets

Find an overview of articles I wrote myself or interviews I gave on my research (BBC Future, Perspective Daily, Bustle and many …
Nov 29, 2020 2 min read

Overcoming challenges to adopt a more sustainable life- and workstyle

Find an overview of articles I or I contributed to on the topics of building a sustainability network within the Max Planck …
Nov 29, 2020 1 min read

Recent Publications

Distinct effects of single plant-based vs. animal-based meals on satiety and mood revealed by real-world smartphone-embedded studies.

Adopting plant-based diets high in fiber may reduce global warming and obesity prevalence. Physiological and psychological determinants …
PDF DOI

Gut microbiota link dietary fiber intake and short-chain fatty acid metabolism with eating behaviour

The gut microbiome modulates human brain function and eating behavior through multiple factors, including short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) …
PDF DOI

Effects of bariatric surgery on functional connectivity of the reward and default mode network - a pre-registered analysis

Obesity imposes serious health risks and involves alterations in resting-state functional connectivity of brain networks involved in …
Hannah Sophie Heinrichs, Frauke Beyer, Evelyn Medawar, Kristin Prehn, Jürgen Ordemann, Agnes Flöel, A. Veronica Witte
PDF DOI

The Sustainability Argument for Open Science.

Ever-increasing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions narrow the timeframe for humanity to mitigate the climate crisis. Scientific …
Gisela H. Govaart, Simon M. Hofmann, Evelyn Medawar
PDF

Resting-state connectivity within the brain’s reward system predicts weight loss and correlates with leptin

Weight gain is often associated with the pleasure of eating food rich in calories. This idea is based on findings that people with …
PDF DOI
See all publications

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