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Recent articles

Illustrated collage of a monkey profile, a gloved hand holding a vaccine syringe touching an outline of the United States with two primates sitting near it, a strand of DNA, and flags of the United States and China in the background.

U.S. national primate research centers face an uncertain future

The facilities were meant to last 100 years. Four decades shy of that mark, amid flatlined funds and mounting political pressure, their directors are trying to find a path forward.

By Calli McMurray
9 October 2026 | 12 min read
Reflections of primates in lab equipment (bottom left: Rhesus macaque, top left: Pig-tailed macaque, bottom right: Crab-eating macaque. top right: Marmoset

What if nonhuman primate research goes away?

As the U.S. government takes steps to stop using nonhuman primates in research, The Transmitter investigates what that shift could mean for neuroscience.

By The Transmitter
9 October 2026 | 2 min read
Illustration of rolling dice.

Grant review needs reform. How about we add an element of chance?

A process that uses a lottery system saves time, reduces strategic resubmission and accepts that, above a quality threshold, luck has always played a part in science funding.

By Adrien Peyrache
25 September 2026 | 6 min read
Calendar with deadline.

Incredible shrinking grant deadlines at the BRAIN Initiative

“A month is crazy,” says one former recipient, referring to a new funding opportunity’s timeline.

By Brendan Borrell
17 September 2026 | 4 min read

Sylvia Fogel, reshaping U.S. autism research strategy

In a wide-ranging and provocative interview, the chair of the federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee shares her views on vaccines, regression, neuroimmune conditions and more.

By Brady Huggett
17 September 2026 | 2 min read
Monkeys at Dutch primate center.

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.

By Lauren Schenkman
2 September 2026 | 5 min read
Speech bubbles progress from light- to dark- colored.

Amid funding uncertainty, neuroscientists report a mix of cynicism, persistence

Two years into one of the most tumultuous tenures in U.S. federal funding, researchers outline how they are coping with ongoing changes and reflect on the impact these changes are having on the system more broadly.

By Emily Singer
28 August 2026 | 5 min read
Illustration of the globe with two scientists each standing on the poles.

How FALAN is building a thriving neuroscience community in Latin America

As the Federation of Latin American and Caribbean Neuroscience Societies Congress kicks off next week, its president shares how the organization aims to foster collaborations and provide high-quality training for young neuroscientists in the region.

By Francesco Mattia Rossi
28 August 2026 | 6 min read
Illustration of the globe with two scientists each standing on the poles.

Cómo FALAN está construyendo una comunidad próspera de neurociencia en América Latina

Con el inicio del Congreso de la Federación de Sociedades de Neurociencias de América Latina y el Caribe próxima semana, su presidente comparte cómo la organización busca fomentar colaboraciones y brindar capacitación de alta calidad para jóvenes neurocientíficos en la región.

By Francesco Mattia Rossi
28 August 2026 | 8 min read
Illustration of the globe with two scientists each standing on the poles.

Como a FALAN está construindo uma comunidade de neurociência forte na América Latina

Com o início do Congresso da Federação das Sociedades de Neurociência da América Latina e do Caribe na próxima semana, o presidente da federação fala sobre como a entidade pretende promover colaborações e oferecer capacitação de alta qualidade a jovens neurocientistas da região.

By Francesco Mattia Rossi
28 August 2026 | 7 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Illustration of primate hands interacting with objects of cognitive tests.

The neuroscience questions that need nonhuman primates

The Transmitter asked 17 neuroscientists what questions might remain unanswered if support for nonhuman primate research continues to decline.

By Alissa de Chassey
9 October 2026 | 10 min read
Stock illustration of strands of DNA with mutations.

Number of autism-linked genes more than triples in new analyses

In addition to a new preprint that expands the list of genes tied to the condition, two related analyses reveal how variants in those genes contribute to genetic susceptibility.

By Holly Barker
8 October 2026 | 6 min read

How does a control theorist explain cognition?

Maxim Raginsky draws on control theory, engineering and philosophy to explore what makes biological brains intelligent, what artificial intelligence is missing, and what principles underlie biological autonomy.

By Paul Middlebrooks
7 October 2026 | 1 min read