Sandra Jones is pro vice-chancellor of engagement at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Australia. As an academic, she has researched autistic adolescent development, public understanding and acceptance of autism, and autistic people’s lived experiences of inclusion and exclusion. As an autistic woman and the mother of two adult autistic sons, she is a passionate advocate for the inclusion of autistic people in all aspects of society.

Sandra Jones
Pro vice-chancellor of engagement, Australian Catholic University
From this contributor
How the loss of Asperger syndrome has lasting repercussions
Some people who have lost the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome say they feel a loss of identity and worry about a loss of services.

How the loss of Asperger syndrome has lasting repercussions
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Null and Noteworthy: Neurons tracking sequences don’t fire in order
Instead, neurons encode the position of sequential items in working memory based on when they fire during ongoing brain wave oscillations—a finding that challenges a long-standing theory.

Null and Noteworthy: Neurons tracking sequences don’t fire in order
Instead, neurons encode the position of sequential items in working memory based on when they fire during ongoing brain wave oscillations—a finding that challenges a long-standing theory.
How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.

How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.
Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior
Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.

Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior
Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.