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
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
FDA describes ‘objectionable conditions’ at New York State Psychiatric Institute
The facility’s institutional review board failed to report a 2021 incident and “serious and ongoing noncompliance” by a principal investigator, according to a letter released by the federal agency this week.
FDA describes ‘objectionable conditions’ at New York State Psychiatric Institute
By
Brendan Borrell
2 April 2024 | 6 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Study questions DSM-5’s combining of autism traits
Sensory traits and restricted and repetitive behaviors are best understood as distinct but related characteristics, the new work suggests.
Study questions DSM-5’s combining of autism traits
Sensory traits and restricted and repetitive behaviors are best understood as distinct but related characteristics, the new work suggests.
By
Lauren Schenkman
23 July 2026 | 5 min read
After the ‘Thank you’ slide: When lived trauma enters trauma neuroscience
Trauma researchers need professional norms that allow brief, humane acknowledgment when acute trauma directly affects a scientific community.
After the ‘Thank you’ slide: When lived trauma enters trauma neuroscience
Trauma researchers need professional norms that allow brief, humane acknowledgment when acute trauma directly affects a scientific community.
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Ziv Ben-Zion
22 July 2026 | 7 min read
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Keerthana Iyer, Arish Mudra Rakshasa-Loots, Ana Silva, Violetta Zujovic
21 July 2026
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Redefining underrepresentation in global neuroscience
Shifting the focus of equity initiatives from identity categories to structural barriers can reveal overlooked challenges and increase support and participation worldwide.
Redefining underrepresentation in global neuroscience
Shifting the focus of equity initiatives from identity categories to structural barriers can reveal overlooked challenges and increase support and participation worldwide.
By
Keerthana Iyer, Arish Mudra Rakshasa-Loots, Ana Silva, Violetta Zujovic
21 July 2026 | 5 min read