Kristin Sainani is associate teaching professor of epidemiology and population health at Stanford University in California.
Kristin Sainani
Teaching professor
Stanford University
From this contributor
Journal Club: Meta-analysis oversells popular autism screen
The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) accurately flags autistic toddlers, a new systematic review and meta-analysis suggests, contrary to past evidence that the tool’s validity varies depending on a child’s age and traits. Experts weigh in on the discrepancy.
Journal Club: Meta-analysis oversells popular autism screen
By
Spectrum
14 March 2023 | 5 min read
Flawed methods undermine study on undiagnosed autism and suicide
The researchers attempted to retroactively identify signs of autism in people who died by suicide, but their analysis is not convincing.
Flawed methods undermine study on undiagnosed autism and suicide
By
Kristin Sainani
28 February 2022 | 3 min read
Study links screen time to autism, but problems abound
The paper relied on parent-reported data and adjusted for few potentially confounding variables.
Study links screen time to autism, but problems abound
By
Kristin Sainani
1 February 2022 | 4 min read
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Fruit flies use memory to track odors
When flies encounter a tasty smell, they stroll in and out of the odor plume—a process that depends on encoding a memory of the angle needed to travel back to the plume, according to a new study.
Fruit flies use memory to track odors
When flies encounter a tasty smell, they stroll in and out of the odor plume—a process that depends on encoding a memory of the angle needed to travel back to the plume, according to a new study.
By
Calli McMurray
8 September 2026 | 2 min watch
New methods to contextualize autism-linked genes, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 7 September.
New methods to contextualize autism-linked genes, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 7 September.
By
Jill Adams
8 September 2026 | 2 min read
Dimensionality—neuroscience’s red herring?
Placing too much emphasis on a specific interpretation of dimensionality, or treating it as an end-all quantification of some aspect of neural computation, may hinder progress in understanding the brain.
Dimensionality—neuroscience’s red herring?
Placing too much emphasis on a specific interpretation of dimensionality, or treating it as an end-all quantification of some aspect of neural computation, may hinder progress in understanding the brain.
By
Matthew Perich
7 September 2026 | 8 min read