Science and society

Recent articles

After NINDS director ouster, 40 neuroscience organizations press U.S. Congress for oversight over hiring process

A letter signed by the groups asks Congress to ensure that scientific expertise remains a priority in the search for a new director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

By Angie Voyles Askham
23 January 2026 | 3 min read
Curvy lines link brain scans and a world map.

BRAIN Initiative researchers ‘dream big’ amid shifts in leadership, funding

But whether the initiative’s road map for the next decade is feasible remains an open question.

By Claudia López Lloreda
23 January 2026 | 6 min read
Two piggy banks whose slots form a plus symbol and a minus symbol.

Neuroscience, BRAIN Initiative gain budget in ‘bad’ NIH funding bill

The bill goes before the House of Representatives today and outlines increases for neuroscience-related research—including a 33 percent increase to the BRAIN Initiative—but maintains a multiyear spending approach that could limit the number of grants awarded overall.

By Angie Voyles Askham
22 January 2026 | 4 min read
Researcher Russell Poldrack's face closeup, with a scanner seen out of focus behind him.

A brief history of precision self-scanning

When a researcher solved a logistical problem by going rogue, the idea proved remarkably infectious.

By Lauren Gravitz
21 January 2026 | 13 min read
Pyramidal neurons in the mouse hippocampus.

Sensory profiles in autism, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 19 January.

By Jill Adams
20 January 2026 | 2 min read
Crowd seen from above.

Common and rare variants shape distinct genetic architecture of autism in African Americans

Certain gene variants may have greater weight in determining autism likelihood for some populations, a new study shows.

By Laura Dattaro
15 January 2026 | 5 min read
Research image of astrocytes in a mouse brain.

Alzheimer’s disease and autism; and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 12 January.

By Jill Adams
13 January 2026 | 2 min read
Illustration of an open journal featuring lines of text and small illustrations of eyes and mouths.

Profiles of neurodevelopmental conditions; and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 5 January.

By Jill Adams
6 January 2026 | 1 min read
Books.

The Transmitter’s most-read neuroscience book excerpts of 2025

Books by Nachum Ulanovsky, Nicole Rust, and Andrew Iwaniuk and Georg Striedter made the list of some of the year's most engaging neuroscience titles.

By The Transmitter
24 December 2025 | 2 min read
Nachum Ulanovsky sits against a black background with one bat in his hands and another with its wings spread above his head.

Neuroscience’s leaders, legacies and rising stars of 2025

Here are seven stories from the past year about some of the field’s most engaging figures.

By The Transmitter
24 December 2025 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Marmoset brain slices.

Prenatal viral injections prime primate brain for study

The approach makes it possible to deploy tools such as CRISPR and optogenetics across the monkey brain before birth.

By Angie Voyles Askham
22 January 2026 | 5 min read
Portrait of Ubadah Sebbagh against a collage background of shapes, test tubes and a building.

Frameshift: At a biotech firm, Ubadah Sabbagh embraces the expansive world outside academia

As chief of staff at Arcadia, Ubadah Sabbagh gets to do science while also pushing the boundaries of how science gets done.

By Katie Moisse
20 January 2026 | 7 min read
A hand moves a square within a set of squares in a consistent gradient, while a hand of lines representing computation passes through.

How to collaborate with AI

To make the best use of LLMs in research, turn your scientific question into a set of concrete, checkable proposals, wire up an automatic scoring loop, and let the AI iterate.

By Kenneth Harris
19 January 2026 | 6 min read

privacy consent banner

Privacy Preference

We use cookies to provide you with the best online experience. By clicking “Accept All,” you help us understand how our site is used and enhance its performance. You can change your choice at any time. To learn more, please visit our Privacy Policy.