Funding and policy

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Stories about research grants, funding models and the business of science

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Scientists push back against stricter European Research Council grant application rules

In an open letter, scientists call the ERC’s suggestion to block grant reapplications for an additional year “at odds with scientific excellence.”

By Lauren Schenkman
29 April 2026 | 5 min read
NINDS building.

What neuroscientists want from a new NINDS director

The search is underway for the next director of the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, who will face a range of challenges, neuroscientists say, but will also have an “immense opportunity to do good things.”

By Helena Kudiabor
15 April 2026 | 4 min read
Drawing of a brain.

Letter asks Congress for nearly $500 million to sustain BRAIN Initiative

The one-time boost would help counter the planned end this year to one of the program’s long-standing funding streams, which will result in a $195 million drop in funding for fiscal year 2027.

By Angie Voyles Askham
31 March 2026 | 3 min read
Assembloids in a petri dish.

Funding for animal research alternatives reaches ‘inflection point’

The United States and Europe are dedicating hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to advance novel alternative methods, but not all neuroscientists see this as a positive step.

By Claudia López Lloreda
26 March 2026 | 4 min read
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New autism committee positions itself as science-backed alternative to government group

The Independent Autism Coordinating Committee plans to meet at the same time as the U.S. federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee later this month—and offer its own research agenda.

By Angie Voyles Askham
5 March 2026 | 5 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

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Learning why spiny mice play well with others

Aubrey Kelly studies the gregarious mammal to explore how the brain controls complex social behaviors “akin to friendship.”

By Hannah Thomasy
2 June 2026 | 5 min read
Research image of human thalamus.

Autism-linked genes expressed in thalamus make an impact, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 1 June.

By Jill Adams
2 June 2026 | 2 min read
Illustration of differing lines of data.

Eighteen teams analyzed the same neurophysiology dataset—and got wildly different answers

The “Brainhack” hackathon revealed that disagreement in neuroscience runs deeper than most researchers suspect—even in electrophysiology, a field that prides itself on hard data.

By Gaëlle Chapuis, Mattia Chini
1 June 2026 | 7 min read