About Dr. Christy Kestner

Neuroscientist. Neuroimmunologist. Founder of Brain & Beyond.

I’m a neuroscientist and neuroimmunologist with over a decade of experience studying how the brain and immune system interact in health and disease.

I earned my PhD in neuroimmunology at the Medical University of South Carolina, where I studied the role of the complement system in stroke and traumatic brain injury. I went on to complete postdoctoral research in oncology, focusing on therapeutic development in pancreatic cancer.

After years in academic research, I realized something surprising: the biggest gap wasn’t in the science; it was in how we communicate it.

That’s why I created Brain & Beyond: to translate complex neuroscience into evidence-based explanations that are accurate, accessible, and genuinely useful.

My goal is simple: make complex brain science clear, accurate, and actually useful in everyday life.

What I Do

Through my platform Brain & Beyond, I translate peer-reviewed research into engaging, evidence-based content across social and digital platforms. My work focuses on:

• Myth-busting neuroscience

• Neuroimmunology

• Brain health and behavior

• Explaining primary research

• Improving scientific literacy

My Work

• PhD in Neuroimmunology (Medical University of South Carolina)

• Postdoctoral training in oncology and drug development

• 9 peer-reviewed publications

• Founder of Brain & Beyond (45,000+ people across platforms)

• Collaborations with Harvard LabXchange, MedEvidence, Built By Girls, and digital health platforms

Why I Do This

I believe everyone deserves access to science they can understand and trust.

There has never been more access to health information, or more misinformation. My mission is to bridge that gap by translating complex neuroscience and immunology into evidence-based explanations that are accurate, accessible, and grounded in the primary literature.

Science doesn’t have to be oversimplified to be understandable.

Work With Me

I partner with biotech companies, digital health platforms, academic institutions, media organizations, and healthcare brands to make complex science accurate, engaging, and accessible.

Areas of collaboration include:

• Scientific consulting

• Speaking engagements

• Science communication

• Educational content development

• AI-assisted scientific workflows and research translation

If you’re interested in working together:
👉 [Work with Me]

Follow My Work

If you’re interested in neuroscience, brain health, and evidence-based science communication, you can follow my work on Substack.