Isabel Ruehl is a former editorial intern at Spectrum. She recently graduated from Columbia Journalism School and, before that, earned an M.Phil. in Health, Medicine and Society from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom.

Isabel Ruehl
Former news intern
Spectrum
From this contributor
‘Science working as it should’: Autism blood signature study earns open post-publication review
Shortly after the study’s publication, experts critiqued it on PubPeer and other online platforms.

‘Science working as it should’: Autism blood signature study earns open post-publication review
Whole-genome trove ties new genes, variants to autism
A massive update to the MSSNG dataset gives qualified researchers ready access to explore autism’s genetic architecture on a cloud-based platform.

Whole-genome trove ties new genes, variants to autism
Autism incidence in England varies by ethnicity, class, location
High rates of autism are linked to lower socioeconomic status and minority ethnic groups, according to the largest-ever autism incidence study.

Autism incidence in England varies by ethnicity, class, location
‘Assembloids’ lay bare autism-linked genes that hamper neuron development
The model enables the study of autism-linked genes at the earliest stages of neural development.

‘Assembloids’ lay bare autism-linked genes that hamper neuron development
Lab-grown ‘embryoids’ offer new window into gene-trait relationships
The developmental models have advantages over natural embryos and other synthetic models, such as organoids, but present technical and ethical challenges.

Lab-grown ‘embryoids’ offer new window into gene-trait relationships
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Autism-linked copy number variants always boost autism likelihood
By contrast, varied doses of the same genes decrease or increase the odds of five other conditions, with distinct biological consequences, two new preprints show.

Autism-linked copy number variants always boost autism likelihood
By contrast, varied doses of the same genes decrease or increase the odds of five other conditions, with distinct biological consequences, two new preprints show.
Everything everywhere all at once: Decision-making signals engage entire brain
The findings, gleaned from the most comprehensive map yet of brain activity during decision-making in mice, show that the process is even more distributed than previously thought.

Everything everywhere all at once: Decision-making signals engage entire brain
The findings, gleaned from the most comprehensive map yet of brain activity during decision-making in mice, show that the process is even more distributed than previously thought.
Astrocyte networks span large swaths of brain
The networks are plastic, connect brain regions that aren’t connected by neurons and may enable long-distance communication between astrocytes, a new preprint shows.
Astrocyte networks span large swaths of brain
The networks are plastic, connect brain regions that aren’t connected by neurons and may enable long-distance communication between astrocytes, a new preprint shows.