Sarah DeWeerdt is a Seattle-based freelance science writer specializing in biology, medicine and the environment. Her work has appeared in publications including Nature, Newsweek, Conservation and Nautilus. She has been a regular contributor to The Transmitter since 2010, writing conference reports, news and Deep Dive articles.
Sarah DeWeerdt
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Climate neuroscience needs ‘integration’ and ‘guided’ research
Five years after a groundbreaking paper, can a young field move beyond piecemeal studies?
Climate neuroscience needs ‘integration’ and ‘guided’ research
By
Sarah DeWeerdt
21 August 2026 | 7 min read
Novel assembloid illuminates serotonin changes linked to 22q11.2 deletion
The combination of a serotonin-producing organoid with an organoid based on the developing cerebral cortex offers a new way to investigate neuromodulation.
Novel assembloid illuminates serotonin changes linked to 22q11.2 deletion
By
Sarah DeWeerdt
30 April 2026 | 0 min watch
Ramping up cortical activity in early life sparks autism-like behaviors in mice
The findings add fuel to the long-running debate over how an imbalance in excitatory and inhibitory signaling contributes to the autism.
Ramping up cortical activity in early life sparks autism-like behaviors in mice
By
Sarah DeWeerdt
30 October 2025 | 6 min read
Neurons fuel lung tumors that have spread to brain
Functional synapses between brain cells and cancer cells are key to the metastatic growth, according to new findings from two independent teams.
Neurons fuel lung tumors that have spread to brain
By
Sarah DeWeerdt
6 October 2025 | 6 min read
Assembloids illuminate circuit-level changes linked to autism, neurodevelopment
These complex combinations of organoids afford a closer look at how gene alterations affect certain brain networks.
Assembloids illuminate circuit-level changes linked to autism, neurodevelopment
By
Sarah DeWeerdt
19 December 2024 | 0 min watch
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Dutch primate center awaits October animal research debate
Science is forging ahead at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre in the Netherlands, following a reversal of last year’s mandate to phase out primate studies. But researchers aren’t sure how long the reprieve will last.
Dutch primate center awaits October animal research debate
Science is forging ahead at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre in the Netherlands, following a reversal of last year’s mandate to phase out primate studies. But researchers aren’t sure how long the reprieve will last.
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Lauren Schenkman
2 September 2026 | 5 min read
When we sleep, our brain is filled with spontaneous neural activity. What is it doing?
Daniel Levenstein explains how internally generated brain activity during sleep shapes our cognition, and why NeuroAI is such a powerful approach to understanding the brain.
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Daniel Levenstein explains how internally generated brain activity during sleep shapes our cognition, and why NeuroAI is such a powerful approach to understanding the brain.
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2 September 2026 | 96 min listen
Unconfounding genetic and environmental factors, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 31 August.
Unconfounding genetic and environmental factors, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 31 August.
By
Jill Adams
1 September 2026 | 2 min read