As Nature Neuroscience celebrates its 25th anniversary, we are having conversations with both established leaders in the field and those earlier in their careers to discuss how the field has evolved, and where it is heading. This month, we are talking to Ukpong Eyo (Associate Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Virginia, USA), a glial biologist interested in the role of microglia in neurodevelopment, health and disease, about science, family, and the benefits of finding your balance.