ASHG 2018

Recent articles

Microscopic view of spermatozoa

Some autism mutations go undetected, new study suggests

Some mutations that contribute to autism and arise spontaneously may be mistaken for inherited mutations.

By Jessica Wright
5 December 2018 | 5 min read

Massive sequencing project identifies new genetic syndromes

The largest-ever set of sequences from people with developmental delay has revealed 43 new genetic diagnoses.

By Jessica Wright
23 October 2018 | 3 min read
Brain cells under magnification glow red, purple and blue.

Mini-brains may pin down key genes in large mutations

Clusters of brain cells — so-called 'mini-brains' grown in the lab — may help researchers understand how large stretches of duplicated or deleted DNA affect the brain.

By Jessica Wright
22 October 2018 | 3 min read
A digital drawing shows two groups of people forming large arrows, see from above.

Mutation types tied to autism converge on shared set of genes

Genes linked to autism in sequencing studies tend be located in long stretches of DNA that are duplicated or missing in some people with developmental conditions.

By Jessica Wright
18 October 2018 | 3 min read
A boy toddler learns to walk with an adult holding his hands.

Some ‘autism genes’ show stronger ties to related conditions

The largest autism sequencing study to date implicates 99 genes in the condition — but nearly half have a tighter link to intellectual disability or developmental delay.

By Jessica Wright
17 October 2018 | 3 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Pixelated human brain scans showing the distribution of mitochondria.

Mitochondrial ‘landscape’ shifts across human brain

Evolutionarily newer regions sport mitochondria with a higher capacity for energy production than older regions, according to the first detailed map of the organelles in a tissue slice, adding to mounting evidence that the brain features a metabolic gradient.

By Claudia López Lloreda
25 April 2025 | 6 min read
A clinician holds a clipboard while someone else sits on a couch.

Expediting clinical trials for profound autism: Q&A with Matthew State

Aligning Research to Impact Autism, a new initiative funded by the Sergey Brin Family Foundation, wants to bring basic science discoveries to the clinic faster.

By Lauren Schenkman
24 April 2025 | 8 min read
Illustration of astrocytes in a petri dish.

This paper changed my life: Shane Liddelow on two papers that upended astrocyte research

A game-changing cell culture method developed in Ben Barres’ lab completely transformed the way we study astrocytes and helped me build a career studying their reactive substates.

By Shane Liddelow
23 April 2025 | 6 min read