Holly Barker is a freelance writer specializing in biology, medicine and psychology. She has a Ph.D. in clinical neuroscience from King’s College London in the United Kingdom and a B.Sc. degree in biochemistry from the University of Manchester. She has previously written for Discover and BioNews. She is based in London.
Holly Barker
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Expanding set of viral tools targets almost any brain cell type
Harmless viruses that encase short noncoding DNA elements called enhancers enable cell-type-specific gene delivery across the central nervous system in rodents and primates.
Expanding set of viral tools targets almost any brain cell type
By
Holly Barker
19 November 2024 | 2 min watch
START method assembles brain’s wiring diagram by cell type
The new technique mapped the interactions of about 50 kinds of inhibitory neurons in the mouse visual cortex in finer detail than previous approaches.
START method assembles brain’s wiring diagram by cell type
By
Holly Barker
31 October 2024 | 5 min read
Untangling biological threads from autism’s phenotypic patchwork reveals four core subtypes
People belonging to the same subtype share genetic variants, behaviors and often co-occurring diagnoses, according to a new preprint.
Untangling biological threads from autism’s phenotypic patchwork reveals four core subtypes
By
Holly Barker
3 October 2024 | 5 min read
Neurons’ spikes may convey their whereabouts
The time lag between spurts of activity holds anatomical information, according to a preprint.
Neurons’ spikes may convey their whereabouts
By
Holly Barker
23 August 2024 | 4 min read
New ‘decoder’ tool translates functional neuroimaging terms across labs
The compendium of brain-parcellation atlases makes it possible to compare large-scale network data, which often involves different and overlapping network names.
New ‘decoder’ tool translates functional neuroimaging terms across labs
By
Holly Barker
23 July 2024 | 4 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Imagining the ultimate systems neuroscience paper
A growing body of papers on systems neuroscience and on giant simulations of neural circuits involves data beyond the point that anyone can reasonably understand end to end. Looking ahead, “paper-bots” could solve that problem.
Imagining the ultimate systems neuroscience paper
A growing body of papers on systems neuroscience and on giant simulations of neural circuits involves data beyond the point that anyone can reasonably understand end to end. Looking ahead, “paper-bots” could solve that problem.
By
Mark Humphries
2 December 2024 | 8 min read
This paper changed my life: ‘Histone demethylation mediated by the nuclear amine oxidase homolog LSD1,’ from the Shi Lab
This paper defined key rules of epigenomic regulation and shaped how I study chromatin plasticity as a mechanism for experience-dependent changes in the brain.
This paper changed my life: ‘Histone demethylation mediated by the nuclear amine oxidase homolog LSD1,’ from the Shi Lab
This paper defined key rules of epigenomic regulation and shaped how I study chromatin plasticity as a mechanism for experience-dependent changes in the brain.
By
Anne E. West
27 November 2024 | 5 min read
What’s next for brain-directed gene therapy after death in Neurogene trial
The incident highlights that viral vectors can trigger deadly immune responses even when delivered directly to the nervous system.
What’s next for brain-directed gene therapy after death in Neurogene trial
The incident highlights that viral vectors can trigger deadly immune responses even when delivered directly to the nervous system.
By
Calli McMurray
26 November 2024 | 6 min read