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Rebecca Roberts,PhD

Rebecca Roberts, PhD

Rebecca Roberts is a science writer and communicator. She earned her PhD in molecular biology from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia and completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Lund University in Sweden. Her writing focuses on gene editing technology, cell and gene therapies, and the regulatory space.

Articles by Rebecca Roberts, PhD
Short strands of RNA floating on a blue background
Gene Silencing with RNA Interference
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Nov 11, 2024 | 5 min read
Gene knockdown using RNAi enables gene function studies, with applications from pest control to biotherapeutics.
A greyscale micrograph of a Ly6G+ macrophage, showing a kidney-shaped nucleus and many elongated cell-surface protrusions 
Disappearing Act: Novel Population of Transient Macrophages Repair Lungs After Illness
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Oct 9, 2024 | 4 min read
Initially mistaken for neutrophils, a population of atypical macrophages appears in the lungs after severe viral infection, orchestrates tissue repair, and then vanishes. 
A micrograph shows grey sickle-shaped nanovials containing single, fluorescent green mesenchymal stem cells. Some of the cells have secreted high levels of magenta-colored extracellular vesicles.
Tiny Test Tubes Sort Stem Cells for Improved Therapy
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Aug 29, 2024 | 4 min read
Mesenchymal stem cells with high levels of extracellular vesicle secretion promote vascular regeneration and improve heart function in mice.
Conceptual image of multiomics: Biological samples such as fish and apples are surrounded by scientific instruments like flasks, test tubes, and a microscope, with strands of DNA and different chemical molecules
Multiomics Enables Integrated Biological Analysis 
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Aug 19, 2024 | 6 min read
Scientists use multiomics to explore the biological continuum from gene to phenotype, identifying complex molecular mechanisms and pathways.
A clear SDS-PAGE gel that contains multiple colored bands. 
Western Blot Protocol, Troubleshooting, and Applications
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Jul 3, 2024 | 7 min read
Western blotting allows scientists to identify specific proteins in complex biological samples and determine relative abundance of a protein target.
A scientist cultures organoids in a multi-well plate filled with red cell culture media
Understanding the 3D Cell Culture Revolution
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Apr 17, 2024 | 6 min read
3D cell culture techniques closely mimic in vivo conditions, generating more accurate data for disease modeling and drug toxicity testing.
Microscopic Bowls Uncover the Secrets of Protein Secretions
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Jan 30, 2024 | 4 min read
Researchers developed a “test tube” so tiny that it can hold a single cell. These vials enabled them to connect protein secretion levels with surface markers and transcriptome data from the same cell. 
<h1 >Precision Medicine: A New Era in Cancer Therapy</h1>
Precision Medicine: A New Era in Cancer Therapy
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Dec 15, 2023 | 6 min read
Precision medicine helps clinicians tailor individual treatments, addressing genetic mutations, tumor microenvironment variations, and therapeutic resistance.
A New mRNA Malaria Vaccine 
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Nov 30, 2023 | 3 min read
By targeting resident memory T cells in the liver, a novel mRNA malaria vaccine prevented infection, even in those with prior exposure.
Epigenetic Changes Drive Cancer 
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Nov 28, 2023 | 3 min read
An analysis of almost 700 different tumors revealed that DNA methylation drives tumorigenesis just like genetic mutations do. 
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