Does high-impact equal high quality in scientific publishing? w/ Pekka, Rafael, Rhiannon, & Sujai

The Science Basement Podcast

This episode kicks off our TSB x HiLIFE mini-series collaboration: Experience the thrill of discovery. In this first episode of the podcast our hosts, Rhiannon & Sujai, dive into the intersection of scientific publishing and impact with two insightful guests, Pekka & Rafael. Together, they share their personal reflections on how studies evolve from small beginnings to larger, impactful projects, and how chasing high impact from the start can often lead to frustration. The conversation touches on the unpredictability of research relevance, including the role of timing or "luck" in publishing. Join us for a candid discussion on redefining success in academia and the complex relationship between quality, impact, and personal fulfillment in research. Pekka Vartiainen is an MD-PhD, resident doctor in pediatrics from University of Helsinki currently studying the risk factors and consequences of children’s infections, in Norwegian Institute for Public Health, Oslo. Rafael Moliner is a PhD researcher in Neuroscience at the University of Helsinki. Find their publications here: Psychedelics promote plasticity by directly binding to BDNF receptor TrkB | Nature Neuroscience [https://shorturl.at/RxF6M] Risk factors for severe respiratory syncytial virus infection during the first year of life: development and validation of a clinical prediction model [https://shorturl.at/Pz8CO] Your hosts for this episode are Rhiannon Newman & Sujai Banerji Editing by Kerttu Kalander Episode cover by Anubhuti Bhatnagar TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano Jingle by Havelocke: www.thisishavelocke.bandcamp.com Follow The Science Basement: Homepage: www.thesciencebasement.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ScienceBasement Instagram: @sciencebasement Twitter: @ScienceBasement Email: [e-mail]