Deanna MacNeil, PhD headshot

Deanna MacNeil, PhD

Associate Science Editor at The Scientist

Education

McGill University

Doctor of Philosophy, Cellular Biology

Wilfrid Laurier University

Bachelor of Science, Biology and Chemistry

Accreditation

SEO Certified

HubSpot Academy

Instructional Design Certificate

The Association for Talent Development

Areas of Expertise

Articles by Deanna MacNeil, PhD

3D rendered uterus with cell-free DNA fragments in the background

Detecting the Cell-Free DNA Fragmentome of Ovarian Cancer

Dusky slug (Arion subfuscus) sitting on a torch lily flower

Finding Bio-inspiration in Slug-Made Hydrogels

Cross-section of striated skeletal muscle under the microscope

Carving Out a Niche for Muscle Stem Cells with 3D Culture 

Chickens on a farm.

A Wastewater Surveillance Program Sounds the Alarm on Avian Influenza

An African killifish 

How Cells Know Where to Grow After Injury

A sperm and oocyte with a DNA double helix in the background

How Sperm Regulate Offspring Health

Small Model Organisms as Versatile Research Tools

Small Model Organisms as Versatile Research Tools

Fluorescent microscopy image of two adult&nbsp;<em >C. elegans</em> and several offspring.

Automating In Vivo Screens and Challenging Dogma 

Concept illustration of the placenta

Shifting Parturition Perspectives in Perinatology Research

Close-up painting of hands drawing the DNA helix.

Measuring Mutagenesis with Precision Genome Editing

Fluorescence microscopy imaging of astrocytes in culture, stained red

Friends and Foes: Astrocytes as Disease Targets

3D rendered RNA strand

MEGA CRISPR: Engineering Better Immunotherapies with RNA Editing

Image of a man in a laboratory looking frustrated with his failed experiment.
February 2026

A Stubborn Gene, a Failed Experiment, and a New Path

When experiments refuse to cooperate, you try again and again. For Rafael Najmanovich, the setbacks ultimately pushed him in a new direction.

View this Issue
Human-Relevant In Vitro Models Enable Predictive Drug Discovery

Advancing Drug Discovery with Complex Human In Vitro Models

Stemcell Technologies
Redefining Immunology Through Advanced Technologies

Redefining Immunology Through Advanced Technologies

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance in AAV Manufacturing with Analytical Ultracentrifugation

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance in AAV Manufacturing with Analytical Ultracentrifugation

Beckman Coulter logo
Conceptual multicolored vector image of cancer research, depicting various biomedical approaches to cancer therapy

Maximizing Cancer Research Model Systems

bioxcell

Products

Sino Biological Logo

Sino Biological Pioneers Life Sciences Innovation with High-Quality Bioreagents on Inside Business Today with Bill and Guiliana Rancic

Sino Biological Logo

Sino Biological Expands Research Reagent Portfolio to Support Global Nipah Virus Vaccine and Diagnostic Development

Beckman Coulter

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences Partners with Automata to Accelerate AI-Ready Laboratory Automation

Refeyn logo

Refeyn named in the Sunday Times 100 Tech list of the UK’s fastest-growing technology companies