Nora Bradford is a lecturer in the Critical Writing Program at the University of Pennsylvania. She completed a Ph.D. in cognitive science at the University of California, Irvine and a B.S. in neuroscience, psychology and philosophy at the University of Chicago. Bradford has previously written freelance articles for Spectrum.
Nora Bradford
Lecturer, Critical Writing Program
University of Pennsylvania
From this contributor
‘Friction-maxxing’ in school: Students should read primary literature, not AI summaries
Trainees need to learn how to identify a neuroscience paper’s major takeaways and integrate them into their understanding. This skill doesn’t come from outsourcing the work to large language models.
‘Friction-maxxing’ in school: Students should read primary literature, not AI summaries
By
Nora Bradford
26 March 2026 | 5 min read
Epigenome edits unmute MECP2 in Rett-like neurons
The approach removes methyl tags from the gene and shields it from other silencing factors without changing the gene itself, raising hopes for a new treatment.
Epigenome edits unmute MECP2 in Rett-like neurons
By
Nora Bradford
16 February 2023 | 5 min read
Common and rare autism-linked variants share functional effects
Within the 16p region of the genome, the two types of variants similarly decrease neuronal gene expression — an effect that may reflect their spatial relationship.
Common and rare autism-linked variants share functional effects
By
Nora Bradford
1 December 2022 | 4 min read
Auditory cortex may develop early in autism
A well-studied brain response to sound appears earlier than usual in young children with autism.
Auditory cortex may develop early in autism
By
Nora Bradford
16 September 2022 | 3 min read
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Taking a closer look at astrocytes and autism
These glial cells are increasingly linked to neurodevelopmental conditions and the regulation of social behaviors and anxiety.
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Neuro’s ark: Sounding out the evolution of hearing with geckos
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Catherine Carr explains her discovery that geckos retain a vibration-sensing pathway previously thought to be lost when animals moved onto land.
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Helena Kudiabor
1 April 2026 | 5 min read