Donna Werling

Assistant professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Donna Werling is assistant professor of genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her work focuses on the etiology of neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism, and investigates how sexually dimorphic biology contributes to sex-differential prevalence in autism.

Explore more from The Transmitter

Child sitting on a trampoline.

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
Illustration of man holding a microphone facing an audience.

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.

By Ziv Ben-Zion
22 July 2026 | 7 min read
Illustration of scientist facing a fractured landscape.

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.