Clinical trials

Recent articles

Photograph of a syringe.

What’s next for brain-directed gene therapy after death in Neurogene trial

The incident highlights that viral vectors can trigger deadly immune responses even when delivered directly to the nervous system.

By Calli McMurray
26 November 2024 | 6 min read
Bret Rutherford.

Former Columbia University psychiatrist committed research misconduct, says federal watchdog

Bret Rutherford, whose research was halted following a suicide in a clinical trial, falsely reported participant eligibility, according to the U.S. Office of Research Integrity.

By Brendan Borrell, Ellie Kincaid
8 October 2024 | 3 min read
Illustration of researchers talking to laypeople amidst strands of DNA.

Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman

A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.

By Cathleen O’Grady
25 July 2024 | 8 min read
A hand holds a stack of speech bubbles.

Leveraging the power of community to strengthen clinical trials for rare genetic syndromes

Families can become not only participants but champions of these research efforts.

By Shafali Spurling Jeste
11 July 2024 | 7 min read
Image of a red rectangle against a gray background.

FDA describes ‘objectionable conditions’ at New York State Psychiatric Institute

The facility’s institutional review board failed to report a 2021 incident and “serious and ongoing noncompliance” by a principal investigator, according to a letter released by the federal agency this week.

By Brendan Borrell
2 April 2024 | 6 min listen
Composite of images of fruit flies taking flight.

Seen and heard: The Transmitter’s top multimedia stories in 2023

Our audio, video and photo highlights from the past year help to transport readers into scientists’ lives and research, and the lives of their study participants.

By The Transmitter
29 December 2023 | 3 min read
Three groups of people meet and mix at a crossroads.

Year in Review: Spectrum’s best in 2023

Here are five must-reads from our coverage of autism research over the past 12 months.

28 December 2023 | 4 min read
Still from research video displaying wiring map of a fruit fly's brain.

Standout neuroscience news in 2023

Did you miss any of our favorite stories from the past year? Revisit them here.

By The Transmitter
27 December 2023 | 4 min read

Unmasking Alzheimer’s disease

People with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease describe why they enrolled in clinical trials through the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN), in a new book of portrait photography.

By Rebecca Horne
13 November 2023 | 2 min read
Illustration of a sheet of red and white pills, with the red pills arranged in the form of a question mark.

New template streamlines sharing clinical trial results

This month’s Going on Trial newsletter explores a new tool for communicating with clinical trial participants and their families, among other drug development news.

By Calli McMurray
31 October 2023 | 7 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Colorful illustration of a latticework of proteins.

Cracking the code of the extracellular matrix

Despite evidence for a role in plasticity and other crucial functions, many neuroscientists still view these proteins as “brain goop.” The field needs technical advances and a shift in scientific thinking to move beyond this outdated perspective.

By Anna Victoria Molofsky
17 January 2025 | 5 min read
A repeated DNA strand extends farther from the left side of the image with each iteration.

Huntington’s disease gene variants past a certain size poison select cells

The findings—providing “the next step in the whole pathway”—help explain the disease’s late onset and offer hope that it has an extended therapeutic window.

By Angie Voyles Askham
16 January 2025 | 6 min read
Research image highlighting different brain regions.

X marks the spot in search for autism variants

Genetic variants on the X chromosome, including those in the gene DDX53, contribute to autism’s gender imbalance, two new studies suggest.

By Holly Barker
16 January 2025 | 6 min read