Elizabeth Preston is a science writer and editor in the Boston area. She has written for The Atlantic, Wired, Jezebel and the Boston Globe, among other publications. Her blog, Inkfish, is published by Discover.
Elizabeth Preston
From this contributor
Test paints quick picture of intelligence in autism
A picture-based test is a fast and flexible way to assess intelligence in large studies of people with autism.
Test paints quick picture of intelligence in autism
By
Elizabeth Preston
24 March 2017 | 3 min read
New atlases chart early brain growth in monkeys
A collection of brain scans from monkeys aged 2 weeks to 12 months reveals how their brain structures and nerve tracts develop over time.
New atlases chart early brain growth in monkeys
By
Elizabeth Preston
3 March 2017 | 2 min read
Work in progress: An inside look at autism’s job boom
Splashy corporate initiatives aim to hire people with autism, but finding and keeping work is still a struggle for those on the spectrum. Can virtual avatars and for-profit startups help?
Work in progress: An inside look at autism’s job boom
By
Elizabeth Preston
20 July 2016 | 16 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Supported by a $40 million NIH grant, Yale brain shuttle technology raises questions
Yale University claims its STEP platform might be able to deliver gene-editing tools into the brain via multiple routes. Researchers are eager to see more.
Supported by a $40 million NIH grant, Yale brain shuttle technology raises questions
Yale University claims its STEP platform might be able to deliver gene-editing tools into the brain via multiple routes. Researchers are eager to see more.
By
Natalia Mesa
3 June 2026 | 11 min read
Allen Institute sets sights on treatments for five brain diseases
The Brain Health Accelerator program aims to harness single-cell transcriptomics and cell-type-specific genetic tools to develop treatments for Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases, Lewy body dementia and ALS.
Allen Institute sets sights on treatments for five brain diseases
The Brain Health Accelerator program aims to harness single-cell transcriptomics and cell-type-specific genetic tools to develop treatments for Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases, Lewy body dementia and ALS.
By
Calli McMurray
2 June 2026 | 5 min read
Learning why spiny mice play well with others
Aubrey Kelly studies the gregarious mammal to explore how the brain controls complex social behaviors “akin to friendship.”
Learning why spiny mice play well with others
Aubrey Kelly studies the gregarious mammal to explore how the brain controls complex social behaviors “akin to friendship.”
By
Hannah Thomasy
2 June 2026 | 5 min read