New Frontiers in Biomedicine

Microplastics are now found in food and even in the brain. How do micro- and nanoplastics affect brain cells – and can they be broken down?

Microplastics are literally everywhere – including in everything we eat. Recent studies show that tiny plastic particles can be found in many tissues of the body, including the brain.

But what exactly happens when micro- and nanoplastics are exposed to neural tissue? How do they affect brain cells, and can they be broken down or removed? Researchers at the Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine (MDC) are presenting their latest findings on how plastic particles interact with nerve cells. Using state-of-the-art microscopy and mini-brain models, they demonstrate how these particles penetrate cells, how they behave once inside, and what consequences this may have for cell function.

Speakers:

• Paula Leupold, Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine; G
• eorg Braune, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin;
• Florian Bartsch, Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine.

The lecture series is open to everyone!

Attendance at a lecture can count towards continuing professional development; a certificate of attendance will be provided on request.

Register at ticket@planetarium.berlin

As part of Berlin Science Week 2026

IN GERMAN