Ingfei Chen is a writer and editor in Northern California who likes telling stories about medicine, science and the environment. Her articles have published in The New York Times, Science, KQED Mindshift, Scientific American and Smithsonian, among others.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/headshot-170.jpg)
Ingfei Chen
Freelance writer
From this contributor
What baby siblings can teach us about autism
Studies of infants at risk for autism have not yielded a test to predict who will eventually be diagnosed. But they have transformed our understanding of the condition.
The gene hunters
Criss-crossing the globe on a quest for unusual DNA, researchers have discovered a rare mutation that promises insights into both epilepsy and autism — and points to a treatment.
Wide awake: Why children with autism struggle with sleep
Half of children who have autism have trouble falling or staying asleep, which may make their symptoms worse. Scientists are just beginning to explore what goes wrong in the midnight hour.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/20151013DeepDiveSleep-844.jpg)
Wide awake: Why children with autism struggle with sleep
Explore more from The Transmitter
Brain ‘chimeroids’ reveal person-to-person differences rooted in genetics
These fusions created from multiple donors’ organoids may help scale up comparative brain research.
![Research image of a chimeroid.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Chimeroid-Lede-1200-1024x692.webp)
Brain ‘chimeroids’ reveal person-to-person differences rooted in genetics
These fusions created from multiple donors’ organoids may help scale up comparative brain research.
Postdoc’s grad-school sleuthing raises questions about bee waggle-dance data
A journal has flagged two papers with expressions of concern, which note a co-author acknowledged errors.
![Picture of bees in flight.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Navigation-bee.1200-1024x692.webp)
Postdoc’s grad-school sleuthing raises questions about bee waggle-dance data
A journal has flagged two papers with expressions of concern, which note a co-author acknowledged errors.
Understanding fragile X syndrome
Just in time for Fragile X Awareness Month, The Transmitter rounds up notable coverage.
![A research image of X chromosomes with Fragile X syndrome](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1200_FragileX-1024x683.webp)
Understanding fragile X syndrome
Just in time for Fragile X Awareness Month, The Transmitter rounds up notable coverage.