Our goal for The Transmitter is ambitious but clear. We aspire to become an essential resource for neuroscientists at all career stages, and to help them stay current and build connections.

Ivan Oransky is editor-in-chief of The Transmitter, having previously served in editorial leadership roles at outlets including MedscapeReuters Health and Scientific American. He is a distinguished journalist-in-residence at New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, where he teaches medical journalism, and co-founder of Retraction Watch, which reports on scientific retractions.

Education

  • M.D., New York University
  • B.A. in biology, Harvard University

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Dose, scan, repeat: Tracking the neurological effects of oral contraceptives

We know little about how the brain responds to oral contraceptives, despite their widespread use. I am committed to changing that: I scanned my brain 75 times over the course of a year and plan to make my data openly available.

By Carina Heller
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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 The field needs technical advances and a shift in scientific thinking to move beyond this outdated perspective.

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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