Cathleen O’Grady is a freelance science journalist based in Scotland. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, Hakai, National Geographic and Science, among others. She covers behavioral and life sciences, research integrity and science policy.
Cathleen O’Grady
Contributing writer
From this contributor
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.
Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman
By
Cathleen O’Grady
25 July 2024 | 8 min read
Spectrum 10K consultation report delayed
The U.K.-based genetics study launched the consultation more than a year ago in response to fierce criticism from autistic self-advocates.
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How developing neurons simplify their search for a synaptic mate
Streamlining the problem from 3D to 1D eases the expedition—a strategy the study investigators deployed to rewire an olfactory circuit in flies.
How developing neurons simplify their search for a synaptic mate
Streamlining the problem from 3D to 1D eases the expedition—a strategy the study investigators deployed to rewire an olfactory circuit in flies.
By
Calli McMurray
6 June 2025 | 6 min read
NIH autism database announcement raises concerns among researchers
The U.S. National Institutes of Health announced a plan to pour $50 million into data science projects intended to investigate the condition’s causes, but the initiative’s short timeline and other atypicalities have prompted questions.
NIH autism database announcement raises concerns among researchers
The U.S. National Institutes of Health announced a plan to pour $50 million into data science projects intended to investigate the condition’s causes, but the initiative’s short timeline and other atypicalities have prompted questions.
By
Angie Voyles Askham
5 June 2025 | 5 min read
Large study links autism to Parkinson’s disease
Autistic adults appear to be prone to an early-onset form of Parkinson’s, according to a long-term study that tracked 2.2 million people in Sweden.
Large study links autism to Parkinson’s disease
Autistic adults appear to be prone to an early-onset form of Parkinson’s, according to a long-term study that tracked 2.2 million people in Sweden.
By
Charles Q. Choi
5 June 2025 | 4 min read