Brendan Borrell is a freelance journalist based in Los Angeles, California. His stories have appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Outside, National Geographic and many other publications. He is the author of “The First Shots: The Epic Rivalries and Heroic Science Behind the Race to the Coronavirus Vaccine,” and he has a Ph.D. in integrative biology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Brendan Borrell
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Incredible shrinking grant deadlines at the BRAIN Initiative
“A month is crazy,” says one former recipient, referring to a new funding opportunity’s timeline.
Incredible shrinking grant deadlines at the BRAIN Initiative
By
Brendan Borrell
17 September 2026 | 4 min read
Still no proof for facilitated spelling methods
A systematic review into whether the “rapid prompting method” or “spelling to communicate” can help autistic people express themselves comes up empty yet again.
Still no proof for facilitated spelling methods
By
Brendan Borrell
21 May 2026 | 6 min read
Exclusive: Who is Richard Frye, the neurologist who researches and advocates for leucovorin as an autism treatment?
Frye has led two placebo-controlled trials of the folate supplement in autistic people; the first was suspended by regulators, and the other has yet to be published.
Alzheimer’s scientist forced to retract paper during his own replication effort
Gary Dunbar, a neuroscientist at Central Michigan University, was attempting to redo the 2020 paper after a collaborator admitted to using flawed data in the original work.
Alzheimer’s scientist forced to retract paper during his own replication effort
By
Brendan Borrell
18 July 2025 | 4 min read
Former Columbia University psychiatrist committed research misconduct, says federal watchdog
Bret Rutherford, whose research was halted following a suicide in a clinical trial, falsely reported participant eligibility, according to the U.S. Office of Research Integrity.
Former Columbia University psychiatrist committed research misconduct, says federal watchdog
By
Brendan Borrell, Ellie Kincaid
8 October 2024 | 3 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Number of autism-linked genes more than triples in new analyses
In addition to a new preprint that expands the list of genes tied to the condition, two related analyses reveal how variants in those genes contribute to genetic susceptibility.
Number of autism-linked genes more than triples in new analyses
In addition to a new preprint that expands the list of genes tied to the condition, two related analyses reveal how variants in those genes contribute to genetic susceptibility.
By
Holly Barker
8 October 2026 | 6 min read
How does a control theorist explain cognition?
Maxim Raginsky draws on control theory, engineering and philosophy to explore what makes biological brains intelligent, what artificial intelligence is missing, and what principles underlie biological autonomy.
How does a control theorist explain cognition?
Maxim Raginsky draws on control theory, engineering and philosophy to explore what makes biological brains intelligent, what artificial intelligence is missing, and what principles underlie biological autonomy.
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Paul Middlebrooks
7 October 2026 | 1 min read
Holographic mesoscope reads, writes from different cortical regions simultaneously
The tool could help reveal how information transmission between areas relates to perception, cognition and behavior.
Holographic mesoscope reads, writes from different cortical regions simultaneously
The tool could help reveal how information transmission between areas relates to perception, cognition and behavior.
By
Simon Makin
7 October 2026 | 0 min watch