What’s this about?
Welcome to The Infected Neuron, a publication newsletter I created to decode the infectious origins of neurodegenerative diseases.
I’ve been a blogger and researcher for 5 years now, publishing over 350 blog articles and 12 first-author academic papers. I mainly write about infectious diseases on my Medium blog. My academic publications involve pioneering work on Long COVID and neuroscience, which have earned me a spot in Stanford’s and Elsevier’s list of the world’s top 1% of most-cited scientists.
After all those years, I’ve finally decided to focus on a critical yet underexplored niche: the role of infectious agents in neurodegeneration.
In fact, my first-ever blog article in 2020 was about the emerging role of herpesviruses in Alzheimer’s disease. But my focus shifted to Covid-19 and vaccines shortly after. Now that things are more stable, I’ve returned to my original passion and launched The Infected Neuron in November 2024.
More about me here: https://shinjieyong.medium.com/about
Why subscribe?
Please consider supporting me through paid subscriptions. My older posts from Medium are free to read, and they set the tone for The Infected Neuron. But most of the newer posts will be put behind a paywall.
I dedicate a lot of time to each article, investing deeply in research and critical thinking to craft worthwhile articles. With my mom retired and my fiancée living in the UK, I have many bills to cover, hence the paywall. Thankfully, my main income from freelancing/ghostwriting for biotech and healthcare companies is enough. I also happen to be a national athlete, representing Malaysia (my home country) in powerlifting.
Between these commitments, I must admit I don’t have the luxury to prioritize The Infected Neuron, at least not now. Of course, it’s my dream to make a full living from this Substack, which I find highly meaningful. And your subscription brings me one step closer to my goal.
It’s just $2.9/month
To make a realistic goal, I’ll post 1-2 in-depth articles monthly to justify a monthly subscription of $5/month or $35/year (just $2.9/month).
Since Substack doesn’t allow pricing below $5/month, I’ve made the annual option more affordable at just $2.90/month. A group subscription of at least two individuals gives you a lifetime discount of 50% (i.e., $1.45/month).
You can also support me by buying me a coffee here (https://ko-fi.com/sjyong), and you can reach out to me for a complimentary subscription in return. Your support in any form is greatly appreciated.
For any feedback or criticism, just directly message me through the Substack portal or email me at shinjieyong@gmail.com.
