The Emergence of Consciousness in the Newborn Brain

A smiling clinician in blue scrubs holds a medical device in a hospital room, with monitoring equipment and screens visible behind him.
Professor Topun Austin
Date 29/05/2026 at 18.00 - 29/05/2026 at 19.00 Where Lee Hall
Book

From first touch to first dreams, discover how sleep and social interaction shape a newborn’s brain and lay the foundations of human consciousness.

A smiling clinician in blue scrubs holds a medical device in a hospital room, with monitoring equipment and screens visible behind him.

Overview

From the moment they are born, babies begin an extraordinary journey — learning to sleep, feed, connect with others and make sense of the world around them. But how does this early experience shape the brain and the beginnings of consciousness?

This talk explores the powerful role of everyday experiences in helping build the brain’s networks and supporting a baby’s ability to regulate itself and engage with others, outlining how early relationships and biological rhythms work together to lay the foundations of the human mind.

 

Speaker

Professor Topun Austin is a Consultant Neonatologist and Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge, Honorary Professor of Neurophotonics at University College London, and Senior Member at Robinson College. He has a broad range of interests in neonatal neuroscience from cerebrovascular physiology to sleep, consciousness and cognition in the developing brain.

Topun is the lead for neonatal neurocritical care in Cambridge, providing brain-orientated care for preterm and sick newborn infants. He is also a visiting fellow at Nanyang Technology University in Singapore, where he is collaborating on studies investigating mother-infant neural synchrony and early infant development.

 

Details

The event is open to all and is free to attend - please book your place

 

Access

This event will take place in the Lee Hall which has step-free access and an accessible toilet.

 

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact our events team - events@wolfson.cam.ac.uk

 

Wolfson Science Society

The Science Society is a welcoming, supportive and open community of scientists and science enthusiasts. Through their events, they aim to bring people together across disciplines, listen to amazing speakers, make connections, spark discussions, and have some fun.

Please sign up to their mailing list to keep up to date with their upcoming events.

What's on

Silhouetted trees against a star-filled night sky, with a gradient of deep blue transitioning to a warm orange glow near the horizon.

Stargazing

13/05/2026 at 20.30

Let's admire the magnificence of the night sky together in a session away from work!

Close-up of a partially broken milk chocolate bar with scattered cocoa beans in the background on a light surface.

Opening the Box of Chocolates: A Tasting Introduction to Studies of Cacao and Chocolate

18/05/2026 at 18.00

From cacao pod to cocoa bar: explore the surprising science behind every flavour note in your favourite chocolate.

A smiling clinician in blue scrubs holds a medical device in a hospital room, with monitoring equipment and screens visible behind him.

The Emergence of Consciousness in the Newborn Brain

29/05/2026 at 18.00

From first touch to first dreams, discover how sleep and social interaction shape a newborn’s brain and lay the foundations of human consciousness.

A diverse group of adults sits in a seminar, attentively listening, with a woman in the foreground smiling and taking notes.

Spotlight on Wolfson Early Career Scientists

04/06/2026 at 18.00

What fresh insights and innovative research are early-career researchers at Wolfson College bringing to light across diverse disciplines?