Brian Lee is associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
![Portrait of Brian Lee](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Lee_Brian_9306-cropped.jpg)
Brian Lee
Associate professor
Drexel University
From this contributor
Journal club: Does lithium in drinking water contribute to autism?
A study published in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that autism is more common among people born in areas with high levels of lithium in drinking water, but it is too soon to say whether prenatal lithium exposure is truly a concern.
![A row of magazines against the wall with many adhesive notes stuck between their pages.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/844-journal-club-lithium-groundwater-autism-cc.jpg)
Journal club: Does lithium in drinking water contribute to autism?
Autism heritability: It probably does not mean what you think it means
The question of autism's heritability is compelling for researchers and laypeople alike, but many people in both groups misunderstand its definition.
![Young man in textured space, environmental factors and genes swarm in and around him](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/20200107-Hertibility844.jpg)
Autism heritability: It probably does not mean what you think it means
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New connectomes fly beyond the brain
Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.
![Research image of neurons in the fly’s ventral nerve cord.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/lede-motormodules-1200-1024x692.webp)
New connectomes fly beyond the brain
Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.
Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman
A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.
![Illustration of researchers talking to laypeople amidst strands of DNA.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1200_Charman-1024x687.webp)
Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman
A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.
Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing
The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/paincircuit-1200-1024x692.webp)
Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing
The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.