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
‘Push-pull’ recipe for neural wiring used in multiple brain regions
A versatile pair of proteins steers neurons toward their targets and helps establish the brain’s sensory maps, new studies suggest.
‘Push-pull’ recipe for neural wiring used in multiple brain regions
A versatile pair of proteins steers neurons toward their targets and helps establish the brain’s sensory maps, new studies suggest.
By
Holly Barker
5 June 2026 | 5 min read
Reward-learning algorithm hardwired into dopamine circuit
The finding bolsters the canonical model of reward prediction error, which has come under scrutiny in recent years.
Reward-learning algorithm hardwired into dopamine circuit
The finding bolsters the canonical model of reward prediction error, which has come under scrutiny in recent years.
By
Natalia Mesa
5 June 2026 | 5 min read
Exclusive: Brain and spinal cord institute halts research, citing funding problems
The Burke Neurological Institute, which calls itself “the only research institute in the U.S. dedicated to finding treatments to repair the brain and spinal cord,” ceased research operations on 22 May.
Exclusive: Brain and spinal cord institute halts research, citing funding problems
The Burke Neurological Institute, which calls itself “the only research institute in the U.S. dedicated to finding treatments to repair the brain and spinal cord,” ceased research operations on 22 May.
By
Lauren Schenkman
4 June 2026 | 5 min read