Deborah Rudacille earned an M.A. in science writing from Johns Hopkins University in 1998. She worked as a research writer at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and as senior science writer at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Rudacille is the author of three books: The Scalpel and the Butterfly (2000), The Riddle of Gender (2004) and Roots of Steel (2010). She joined SFARI.org’s team as news editor in 2010.
Deborah Rudacille
Former News Editor
SFARI.org
From this contributor
The twenty-something free fall
Young adults with autism face many new expectations and challenges — with none of the support that is available during high school.
New clinical guidelines address gender dysphoria in autism
New recommendations urge clinicians to screen teenagers for autism when they seek treatment at gender clinics, and evaluate those with autism for gender concerns.
New clinical guidelines address gender dysphoria in autism
By
Deborah Rudacille
7 November 2016 | 5 min read
Living between genders
‘Trans’ people with autism express a gender at odds with societal expectations, or reject the male-female divide entirely. Many are breaking new ground on how identity is defined — and what it means to also have autism.
Nobel goals
On the occasion of Thomas Südhof winning the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, SFARI.org’s former news editor recalls their first meeting.
Autism rates higher among adults with low birth weight
Autism prevalence is five times higher in young adults born weighing 2,000 grams or less compared with controls, according to a study published 17 October in Pediatrics.
Autism rates higher among adults with low birth weight
By
Deborah Rudacille
31 October 2011 | 6 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Oligodendrocytes need mechanical cues to myelinate axons correctly
Without the mechanosensor TMEM63A, the cells cannot deposit the appropriate amount of insulation, according to a new study.
Oligodendrocytes need mechanical cues to myelinate axons correctly
Without the mechanosensor TMEM63A, the cells cannot deposit the appropriate amount of insulation, according to a new study.
By
Calli McMurray
11 February 2026 | 5 min read
Modern AI is simply no match for the complexity likely required for harboring consciousness, says Jaan Aru
He argues that our brain’s computations are of a completely different nature than any artificial intelligence because they take place across many spatial and temporal scales and are inextricably entwined with biological materials.
Modern AI is simply no match for the complexity likely required for harboring consciousness, says Jaan Aru
He argues that our brain’s computations are of a completely different nature than any artificial intelligence because they take place across many spatial and temporal scales and are inextricably entwined with biological materials.
By
Paul Middlebrooks
11 February 2026 | 1 min read
Interneurons’ role in epilepsy, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 9 February.
Interneurons’ role in epilepsy, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 9 February.
By
Jill Adams
10 February 2026 | 1 min read