Event on the new understanding of gender: Daphna Joel speaks in Lübeck!

Event on the new understanding of gender: Daphna Joel speaks in Lübeck!

There will be an important public lecture at the University of Lübeck next week. Neuroscientist Daphna Joel will speak under the title “Rethinking Sex, Brain, and Gender: From Binary to Mosaic” on Thursday, October 16, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in room Levi-Montalcini B1/2 in the CBBM. This event aims to critically examine the gender binarism that prevails in scientific research on gender, brain and behavior. Joel will present her “Mosaic Hypothesis,” which focuses on the diversity of brain structures and the complex interactions between gender and brain function. The professor has been conducting research at Tel Aviv University for over a decade and recently received an ERC Advanced Grant to continue her work. She is also the author of the book “Gender Mosaic: Beyond the Myth of the Male and Female Brain,” published in 2019. Further information about the event can be found here Link to the event.

The lecture is part of the Distinguished Lecturer Series of the Collaborative Research Center “Sexdiversity — Determinants, meanings and implications of sex diversity in sociocultural, medical and biological landscapes” (SFB 1665). In her lecture, Joel will also critically examine the existing differences between male and female brains. Their research has shown that many brains are mixed between genders, challenging the traditional binary view.

Scientific principles and current studies

In addition to Joel's research, there is an international study led by Dr. Sofie Valk from the Research Center Jülich, who provides new insights into gender-specific differences in the brain. This study, published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, examines the effects of sex hormones on brain microstructure and demonstrates regional differences in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus between men and women. These differences depend largely on hormonal contraception and the phase of the hormonal cycle in women. Interestingly, these differences may disappear in the short term because women's hormonal profile varies cyclically while men's remains constant. This suggests that gender differences are far more complex than previously thought.

The results of this study show that differences in microstructure, brain size and functional connections have little influence on functionality between the sexes. Although there are small gender differences in brain function, they are not as significant as is often assumed. A central finding of the study is that individual differences within a gender group are often greater than the differences between the genders themselves.

Invitation to discussion

The event at the University of Lübeck offers an excellent opportunity to further discuss the topics mentioned and to ask questions about research on gender and the brain. All interested parties are cordially invited to take part in the lecture and actively discuss the various perspectives and scientific results. To register and for further information, you can contact Sarah.Czerney(at)lin-magdeburg.de directly.

In summary, both Joel's talk and the currently published studies indicate that the prevailing view of gender and the brain as a strict binarism is outdated. These findings call for considering gender as a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by a variety of biochemical, structural and social aspects.