Lauren Gravitz is a freelance writer and editor in Hershey, Pennsylvania, who covers health, medicine, science and the environment. Her stories have appeared in Nature, Aeon, The Economist, Technology Review, O, The Oprah Magazine and Discover, among others.
Lauren Gravitz
Freelance Writer
From this contributor
A brief history of precision self-scanning
When a researcher solved a logistical problem by going rogue, the idea proved remarkably infectious.
A brief history of precision self-scanning
By
Lauren Gravitz
21 January 2026 | 13 min read
At the intersection of autism and trauma
Autism and post-traumatic stress disorder share many traits, but the connection between them was largely overlooked until now.
Autism’s drug problem
Many people on the spectrum take multiple medications — which can lead to serious side effects and may not even be effective.
Lack of DNA modification creates hotspots for mutations
The absence of a chemical alteration called methylation on some stretches of DNA makes them especially prone to mutations, according to a paper published in PLoS Genetics in May.
Lack of DNA modification creates hotspots for mutations
By
Lauren Gravitz
28 June 2012 | 4 min read
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NIH scraps policy that classified basic research in people as clinical trials
The policy aimed to increase the transparency of research in humans but created “a bureaucratic nightmare” for basic neuroscientists.
NIH scraps policy that classified basic research in people as clinical trials
The policy aimed to increase the transparency of research in humans but created “a bureaucratic nightmare” for basic neuroscientists.
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Calli McMurray
3 February 2026 | 5 min read
Cell atlas cracks open ‘black box’ of mammalian spinal cord development
The atlas details the genetics, birth dates and gene-expression signatures of roughly 150 neuron subtypes in the dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord.
Cell atlas cracks open ‘black box’ of mammalian spinal cord development
The atlas details the genetics, birth dates and gene-expression signatures of roughly 150 neuron subtypes in the dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord.
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Natalia Mesa
3 February 2026 | 5 min read
Pangenomic approaches to the genetics of autism, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 2 February.
Pangenomic approaches to the genetics of autism, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 2 February.
By
Jill Adams
3 February 2026 | 2 min read