black and white image of young man in sunglasses with trees in background

Dan Robitzski

Dan joined the team at The Scientist in 2021. Ironically, Dan’s undergraduate degree and brief career in neuroscience inspired him to write about research rather than conduct it, culminating in him earning a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University in 2017. Dan’s work has appeared in CRISPR Medicine News, Undark, Popular Science, IEEE Spectrum, and elsewhere, and he spent several years as a senior reporter at Futurism. Read more of his work at danrobitzski.com.

Articles by Dan Robitzski
Two adult bottlenose dolphins and one calf swim close to a sandy seafloor that’s dotted with coral.
Study Suggests Dolphins Use Coral Mucus as Medicine
Dan Robitzski | May 19, 2022
Researchers observe that dolphins in a pod in the Red Sea regularly rub against certain corals and sponges, perhaps to sooth their skin by prompting the invertebrates to release mucus that contains antimicrobial compounds.
A clinician (off screen) wearing blue gloves presses a diapered infant’s heel against a paper card to collect blood samples.
Did Researchers Really Uncover the Cause of SIDS?
Dan Robitzski | May 18, 2022
An interesting but preliminary biomarker study’s reception illustrates the challenges of conducting and communicating nuanced research in the era of social media.
salmonella bacteria 3d illustration
Salmonella Injection Helps the Mouse Immune System Kill Tumors
Dan Robitzski | May 16, 2022
Nanoparticle-coated bacteria can capture tumor antigens and deliver them to immune cells, triggering a response that improved survival rates in mice.
Illustration showing how following radiation therapy, which triggers the release of cancer-specific antigens, researchers injected Salmonella typhimurium bacteria covered in positively charged nano- particles near tumors in mice.
Infographic: Salmonella Shuttle Tumor Antigens to Immune Cells
Dan Robitzski | May 16, 2022
Nanoparticle-coated bacteria carry cancer-derived proteins to dendritic cells, enabling the immune system to launch a response in a mouse model.
A colorized transmission electron microscope image of an oligodendrocyte (blue) surrounded by cells that it coated in myelin (red outlines).
Brain Fluid from Youngsters Gives Old Mice a Memory Boost
Dan Robitzski | May 11, 2022
A growth factor found in the cerebrospinal fluid of young mice triggered the proliferation of myelin-making cells when injected into the brains of older mice.
Metal shelves densely packed with preserved tissue specimens of various sizes, all suspended in glass containers.
Evolution of 1918 Flu Virus Traced from Century-Old Samples
Dan Robitzski | May 10, 2022
The work reveals that the pandemic flu was likely the direct predecessor of the seasonal H1N1 flu that circulated for decades.
A pink and blue illustration of the central nervous system, visible through a translucent outline of a human head and shoulders, zooms in to show an illustration of interconnected neurons
Specific Brain Cells Linked to Parkinson’s Disease
Dan Robitzski | May 6, 2022
Research identifies 10 types of dopamine-making neurons, one of which seems to die off during the disease.
A white mouse huddles with some of her nine-day-old pups.
In Vivo Gene Therapy Cures Infertility in Mice
Dan Robitzski | May 2, 2022
Mice rendered infertile through ovary cell–targeting mutations gave birth to seemingly normal offspring through natural mating after a virus-based gene therapy was injected into their ovaries.
A Northern Bahamian Rock Iguana cranes its neck to eat a grape that’s speared on the end of a stick.
Grape-Doling Tourists Gave Endangered Iguanas High Blood Sugar
Dan Robitzski | Apr 21, 2022
Research finds that a high-sugar diet supplied by tourists is giving Bahamian rock iguanas the lizard equivalent of high blood sugar.
A landscape showing a forest that’s been cleared to make room for a farm.
Climate Change and Agriculture Together Halve Insect Populations
Dan Robitzski | Apr 21, 2022
Insect populations and species diversity are drastically reduced in areas affected by both climate change and agriculture-related habitat destruction, according to a new study.