Amanda Heidt

Amanda Heidt

Amanda is a freelance science writer living in the Bay Area. Midway through her master’s degree in marine science, she realized how few scientists felt comfortable engaging with the public about their work. She challenged herself to share her research and ultimately went on to complete a second master’s in science communication at University of California, Santa Cruz. As The Scientist’s intern, she writes content for both print and online. Read more of her work at www.amandaheidt.com.

Articles by Amanda Heidt
Robert Simoni, Cellular Membrane Biochemist, Dies at 81
Robert Simoni, Cellular Membrane Biochemist, Dies at 81
Amanda Heidt | Sep 25, 2020
Simoni spent more than four decades at Stanford University as a teacher, researcher, and administrator in the university’s biology department.
Brain Circuitry for Fear and Anxiety Is the Same on fMRI
Brain Circuitry for Fear and Anxiety Is the Same on fMRI
Amanda Heidt | Sep 21, 2020
A study in people fails to detect differences in the brain’s response to fear or anxiety, long thought to be controlled by different neural circuits.
Tom Norris, Marine Mammal Acoustician, Dies at 55
Tom Norris, Marine Mammal Acoustician, Dies at 55
Amanda Heidt | Sep 18, 2020
Norris, who founded the research firm Bio-Waves, furthered the study of marine mammals using passive acoustic monitoring technology he designed himself.
University of Michigan Grad Students Strike over COVID-19 Policy
University of Michigan Grad Students Strike over COVID-19 Policy
Amanda Heidt | Sep 16, 2020
Student workers have cited a lack of transparency and a failure to implement rapid and widespread testing among their many concerns regarding the school’s response to the pandemic.
College Athletes Experienced Heart Damage After COVID-19: Study
College Athletes Experienced Heart Damage After COVID-19: Study
Amanda Heidt | Sep 14, 2020
Images of the players’ hearts showed signs of inflammation consistent with myocarditis, a rare but potentially fatal condition.
Scientists Voice Concerns over Russian COVID-19 Vaccine Study
Scientists Voice Concerns over Russian COVID-19 Vaccine Study
Amanda Heidt | Sep 11, 2020
Almost 40 scientists have signed an open letter, citing odd patterns in the data and a lack of transparency after authors withheld the full data.
Immunotherapy Combo Reduces Solid Tumors in Mice
Immunotherapy Combo Reduces Solid Tumors in Mice
Amanda Heidt | Sep 9, 2020
When tumor cells are infected with an oncolytic virus carrying a modified CD19 gene, they become targets for CAR T cells engineered to recognize this molecular marker.
COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Pauses After Adverse Reaction
COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Pauses After Adverse Reaction
Amanda Heidt | Sep 9, 2020
The hold will likely delay trial results, and scientists say the pause is proof that safety protocols in clinical trials are working as they should.
Roger Unger, Endocrinologist and Authority on Diabetes, Dies
Roger Unger, Endocrinologist and Authority on Diabetes, Dies
Amanda Heidt | Sep 4, 2020
The University of Texas Southwestern scientist studied the roles of glucagon and insulin in regulating blood glucose, leading to several successful treatments.
COVID-19 Antibodies Last for at Least Four Months After Recovery
COVID-19 Antibodies Last for at Least Four Months After Recovery
Amanda Heidt | Sep 2, 2020
The results from a study in Iceland can’t say if a recovered patient’s antibodies can protect them from subsequent reinfection.