Emma Yasinski is a freelance writer covering biology, neuroscience and medicine. Her stories have appeared in The Scientist, Discover Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, Kaiser Health News and other publications. Yasinski has an M.Sc. in science and medical journalism from Boston University and a B.S. in neuroscience from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.
Emma Yasinski
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Parental care may sculpt brain development in prairie voles
Voles reared primarily by their fathers show altered synapse density.
Parental care may sculpt brain development in prairie voles
By
Emma Yasinski
1 September 2023 | 3 min read
Social-pragmatic difficulties common with autism, other diagnoses
A standard questionnaire can help identify social (pragmatic) communication disorder more readily in school-age children.
Social-pragmatic difficulties common with autism, other diagnoses
By
Emma Yasinski
4 October 2022 | 4 min read
Fragile X neurons develop atypically in chimeric mice
After a brain transplant of reprogrammed human cells, the animals can for the first time recapitulate some neuronal changes seen in people with fragile X syndrome.
Fragile X neurons develop atypically in chimeric mice
By
Emma Yasinski
29 September 2022 | 4 min read
Inflexible thinking in adolescence linked to emotional, behavioral issues in adulthood
Treating cognitive inflexibility — for example, by practicing problem-solving — might help ease anxiety and depression in autistic people.
Inflexible thinking in adolescence linked to emotional, behavioral issues in adulthood
By
Emma Yasinski
22 October 2021 | 3 min read
Mutations linked to autism may be detectable in men’s sperm
An advanced DNA-sequencing technique has identified gene-damaging mutations, some with ties to autism, in about 1 in 15 men.
Mutations linked to autism may be detectable in men’s sperm
By
Emma Yasinski
16 September 2021 | 5 min read
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Finding the Rett syndrome gene and ways to fix it
Kevin Mitchell talks with Huda Zoghbi about her work identifying the MECP2 gene, its role in the brain and therapies to address its dysfunction.
Finding the Rett syndrome gene and ways to fix it
Kevin Mitchell talks with Huda Zoghbi about her work identifying the MECP2 gene, its role in the brain and therapies to address its dysfunction.
By
Kevin Mitchell
21 September 2026 | 4 min read
Measuring plastic in the brain: Improving, but incomplete
Meanwhile, researchers are publishing papers without “sufficient quality control,” says analytical chemist Dušan Materić.
Measuring plastic in the brain: Improving, but incomplete
Meanwhile, researchers are publishing papers without “sufficient quality control,” says analytical chemist Dušan Materić.
By
Amber Dance
18 September 2026 | 9 min read
Incredible shrinking grant deadlines at the BRAIN Initiative
“A month is crazy,” says one former recipient, referring to a new funding opportunity’s timeline.
Incredible shrinking grant deadlines at the BRAIN Initiative
“A month is crazy,” says one former recipient, referring to a new funding opportunity’s timeline.
By
Brendan Borrell
17 September 2026 | 4 min read