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Natalia Mesa, PhD

As she was completing her graduate thesis on the neuroscience of vision, Natalia found that she loved to talk to other people about how science impacts them. This passion led Natalia to take up writing and science communication, and she has contributed to outlets including Scientific American and the Broad Institute. Natalia completed her PhD in neuroscience at the University of Washington and graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences. She was previously an intern at The Scientist, and currently freelances from her home in Seattle. 

Articles by Natalia Mesa, PhD

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What Can ChatGPT-like Language Models Tell Us About the Brain?

landscape of frozen river

Worms Frozen for 46,000 Years are the Oldest Known Living Animals

Close-up of women’s hands using lancet on finger.

A Noninvasive Glucose Monitor for Managing Diabetes

Patient with skin blisters being swabbed by gloved hand

Delivering Gene Therapies in Utero 

Mouse running on wheel

An Exercise-induced Liver Enzyme Boosts Metabolism

Cheese wheels with moldy rinds on a wooden plank

Deleting a Gene Quells a Pesky Cheese-Destroying Fungus

Tasmanian devil wrapped in blanket

Tasmanian Devils Face Threats from Rapidly Evolving Facial Cancers 

Istiophorus spp

Fishermen and Hobbyists Provide Scientists with Invaluable Data

fMRI scan of two brains

New Brain Network Connecting Mind and Body Discovered

Bear paw dusted in snow

Hibernating Bears Provide Clue to Preventing Serious Clots in Humans

Histological stain of in blue, red, and green of tumor

Self-Charging Battery Battles Tumors in Mice

electron micrograph of grey cancer cell, with two red T cells stuck to the side

Translation of “Jumping Genes” Creates Cancer Therapy Targets

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2023 Brain Prize Awarded for Research on Synaptic Plasticity

T regulatory cell in red sandwiching an antigen presenting cell in blue

Gut Bacteria Help T Cells Heal Muscle: Study

Fluorescent images of red cells showing high and low levels of infection in green

Parasite Drove Natural Selection in Amazonian Indigenous Groups

May digest 2025 cover
May 2025, Issue 1

Study Confirms Safety of Genetically Modified T Cells

A long-term study of nearly 800 patients demonstrated a strong safety profile for T cells engineered with viral vectors.

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TaqMan Probe & Assays: Unveil What's Possible Together

Meet Aunty and Tackle Protein Stability Questions in Research and Development

Meet Aunty and Tackle Protein Stability Questions in Research and Development

Detecting Residual Cell Line-Derived DNA with Droplet Digital PCR

Detecting Residual Cell Line-Derived DNA with Droplet Digital PCR

How technology makes PCR instruments easier to use.

Making Real-Time PCR More Straightforward

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