Katie Carey, who has illustrated several Spectrum articles, reveals her creative process and her strategies for pushing past mental blocks.

Michael Gandal, who studies the genetics of brain conditions, offers unusual advice on team building: Lock everyone up in a room together.

How researchers design autism prevalence studies has a significant impact on the results, says Eric Fombonne.

Mu Yang spends her days watching mice and her evenings building muscle.

Mouse-model researcher Nicola Grissom snacks on chocolate-covered espresso beans and pops bubble wrap to stay focused.

Genes linked to autism are critical to the development of star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes, suggesting a key role for the cells in the condition.

Sally Ozonoff is looking for early signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in videos of hundreds of younger siblings of children with autism.

Autism researchers need no longer worry that their basic research will become entangled in the red tape associated with clinical trials.

Scanning the brains of a single individual over months to years may illuminate daily fluctuations in activity relevant to conditions such as autism, says Russell Poldrack.

Asking people with autism and their families about the challenges they face could help researchers test treatments for the condition.