Holly Barker is a freelance writer specializing in biology, medicine and psychology. She has a Ph.D. in clinical neuroscience from King’s College London in the United Kingdom and a B.Sc. degree in biochemistry from the University of Manchester. She has previously written for Discover and BioNews. She is based in London.
Holly Barker
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Expanding set of viral tools targets almost any brain cell type
Harmless viruses that encase short noncoding DNA elements called enhancers enable cell-type-specific gene delivery across the central nervous system in rodents and primates.
Expanding set of viral tools targets almost any brain cell type
By
Holly Barker
19 November 2024 | 2 min watch
START method assembles brain’s wiring diagram by cell type
The new technique mapped the interactions of about 50 kinds of inhibitory neurons in the mouse visual cortex in finer detail than previous approaches.
START method assembles brain’s wiring diagram by cell type
By
Holly Barker
31 October 2024 | 5 min read
Untangling biological threads from autism’s phenotypic patchwork reveals four core subtypes
People belonging to the same subtype share genetic variants, behaviors and often co-occurring diagnoses, according to a new preprint.
Untangling biological threads from autism’s phenotypic patchwork reveals four core subtypes
By
Holly Barker
3 October 2024 | 5 min read
Neurons’ spikes may convey their whereabouts
The time lag between spurts of activity holds anatomical information, according to a preprint.
Neurons’ spikes may convey their whereabouts
By
Holly Barker
23 August 2024 | 4 min read
New ‘decoder’ tool translates functional neuroimaging terms across labs
The compendium of brain-parcellation atlases makes it possible to compare large-scale network data, which often involves different and overlapping network names.
New ‘decoder’ tool translates functional neuroimaging terms across labs
By
Holly Barker
23 July 2024 | 4 min read
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Neuroscientists reeling from past cuts advocate for more BRAIN Initiative funding
The director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health calls BRAIN a “high priority” but acknowledges that difficult decisions lie ahead if federal budgets remain flat.
Neuroscientists reeling from past cuts advocate for more BRAIN Initiative funding
The director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health calls BRAIN a “high priority” but acknowledges that difficult decisions lie ahead if federal budgets remain flat.
By
Angie Voyles Askham
22 November 2024 | 5 min read
‘Huge influx’ of neuroscientists migrates to Bluesky
Daily neuroscience-related posts on the social-media platform this week have increased more than 400 percent, on average, compared with October.
‘Huge influx’ of neuroscientists migrates to Bluesky
Daily neuroscience-related posts on the social-media platform this week have increased more than 400 percent, on average, compared with October.
By
Calli McMurray
21 November 2024 | 5 min read
Autism prevalence increasing in children, adults, according to electronic medical records
The uptick from 2011 to 2022 in the United States underscores a need for more services and research, the investigators say.
Autism prevalence increasing in children, adults, according to electronic medical records
The uptick from 2011 to 2022 in the United States underscores a need for more services and research, the investigators say.
By
Shaena Montanari
21 November 2024 | 2 min read