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Emerging tools and techniques that may advance autism research.

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March 2021
Collage illustration: Modern white lab mice look across an abyss to a cohort of historical illustrations of animals.

New statistical method may spare lab animals

by  /  18 March 2021

An online tool could help researchers limit the number of animals needed to power their studies.

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mouse brain neurons highlighted pink and green.

New technique tunes in to molecular chatter in neurons

by  /  11 March 2021

Researchers have devised a way to use fluorescent sensors to detect many different signaling molecules in a cell at once.

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A lone Rhesus macaque looks into the camera

New macaque reference genome fills sequence gaps

by  /  4 March 2021

Researchers have created the most complete macaque reference genome to date and used it to catalog genetic variation among hundreds of monkeys.

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February 2021
Child with clinician, making eye contact

Algorithm ‘sees’ when people’s eyes meet

by  /  25 February 2021

A new machine-learning tool detects eye contact during recorded face-to-face interactions as accurately as expert observers can.

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Mouse brains show different brain regions lighting up

Ultrasound probe reveals brain circuit activity in living mice

by  /  18 February 2021

A new high-resolution imaging device tracks brain activity in awake mice, enabling researchers to map neural circuits across the entire brain.

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cells in a mouse brain show the mutations in green.

Molecular switch marks mosaic mutations in mice

by  /  11 February 2021

A new tool enables researchers to create mosaic mutations in only some cells and then accurately identify which cells are affected.

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white mouse looking at something out of frame

New tool captures dynamic changes in decision-making

by  /  4 February 2021

A new open-source software package makes it possible to model changes in human and animal behavior over the course of an experiment.

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January 2021

Method may improve safety of gene therapies targeting the brain

by  /  28 January 2021

A new approach for delivering gene therapy to the brain reduces nerve damage in primates and could help make gene therapies for conditions related to autism safer.

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In cortical-striatal assembloids, striatal neurons (magenta) derived from individuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome fire more frequently than neurons from controls.

Brain ‘assembloids’ capture circuit flaws in syndrome tied to autism

by  /  21 January 2021

Merging 3D clusters of neurons that mimic different brain regions models the atypical electrical activity seen in an autism-related condition.

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human and mouse cells.

Atlas pair profiles fetal gene expression, regulation in single cells

by  /  7 January 2021

A pair of new atlases that profile millions of cells across 15 organs offer an unparalleled look at gene activity during fetal development.

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