2014: Year in review

Recent articles

Notable papers of 2014

It’s no easy feat to whittle down the list of the most influential autism papers to a mere 10. So please consider this but a taste of the burgeoning field, presented in chronological order and based on suggestions from many researchers.

By Amedeo Tumolillo
22 December 2014 | 3 min read
Illustration by Susan Brown

Art on the spectrum

Nestled between galleries in Manhattan’s art district is a studio like no other. It brims with the energy of 40 artists, all of whom have autism.

By Katie Moisse
22 December 2014 | 3 min read

Quotes of the year 2014

Here's a selection of our quotes, both pithy and funny, from news and opinion articles published in 2014.

By Katie Moisse
22 December 2014 | 1 min read

Lessons from other fields

2014 has been a big year for autism research, with a long list of notable papers and advances. Still, there’s plenty for autism researchers to learn from the successes — and struggles — of their colleagues in other fields.

By Katie Moisse
22 December 2014 | 4 min read

Tomorrow’s tools

For 2014, rather than compile the ‘top tools and techniques’ — a list certain to include CRISPR and other technical tricks detailed in our weekly Toolboxes — we asked researchers to dream up the next big tool in autism research. Their wishes range from protein sequencers to scanners that can capture brain activity during daily activities.

By Katie Moisse
22 December 2014 | 6 min read
An illustration of painted faces lined up like a yearbook

Hot topics in 2014

From diagnosing autism on YouTube to a drug made from broccoli, 2014 was no stranger to controversy. But within some of these unusual studies lie important kernels for autism research.

By Jessica Wright
22 December 2014 | 4 min read

Unsung heroes of autism research

When big research findings hit the press, it’s usually just the lead investigators who get the kudos. But they know their work stands on the shoulders of many, many individuals whose crucial roles go mostly unappreciated.

By Katie Moisse
22 December 2014 | 1 min read

Editors’ picks: Our favorite stories from 2014

This year was full of big headlines in autism research. But the biggest stories aren’t necessarily the best — here are some gems you may have missed over the year.

By Amedeo Tumolillo
22 December 2014 | 3 min read

Big changes ahead in 2015

2014 was a remarkable year for autism research, and behind the scenes at SFARI.org, too, there were seismic shifts. Here's how these changes will unfold over the coming year.

By Apoorva Mandavilli
22 December 2014 | 3 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of four brain scans with green areas indicating Parasagittal dura volume.

Okur-Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome; excess CSF; autistic girls

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 21 October.

By Jill Adams
22 October 2024 | 2 min read
A collage illustration of a woman’s face fragmented by a mosaic of X chromosomes, lines and shapes.

Brains, biases and amyloid beta: Why the female brain deserves a closer look in Alzheimer’s research

New results suggest the disease progresses differently in women, but we need more basic science to unpack the mechanisms involved.

By Rachel Buckley
22 October 2024 | 7 min read
Illustration of two neon-toned sets of concentric circles overlapping, with bright spots where they intersect.

Are brains and AI converging?—an excerpt from ‘ChatGPT and the Future of AI: The Deep Language Revolution’

In his new book, to be published next week, computational neuroscience pioneer Terrence Sejnowski tackles debates about AI’s capacity to mirror cognitive processes.

By Terrence Sejnowski
21 October 2024 | 12 min read