Shelby Bradford, PhD

Shelby Bradford, PhD

Assistant editor at The Scientist

Shelby is an Associate Editor at The Scientist. She earned her PhD in immunology and microbial pathogenesis from West Virginia University, where she studied neonatal responses to vaccination. She completed an AAAS Mass Media Fellowship at StateImpact Pennsylvania, and her writing has also appeared in Massive Science. Shelby participated in the 2023 flagship ComSciCon and volunteered with science outreach programs and Carnegie Science Center during graduate school. 

Articles by Shelby Bradford, PhD

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NIH Scientists Issue ‘Bethesda Declaration’ to Protest Research Politicization

3D illustration of a green virus with lighter and darker green receptors in focus on the right of the image. Three more viruses are out of focus on the left.

Preparing for Disease X in a Changing World

Illustration shows Hanne Ahola, a cell biologist at the University of Helsinki, looking in horror at the liquid waste flask that she just dumped her cells into. She is wearing a lab coat, gloves, and has blond hair.

A Moment of Distraction Caused Cellular Destruction

3D illustration of dark blue tumors surrounded by light blue organ tissue. Dark blue monoclonal antibodies with gold tips are descending down from the right to attach onto the tumors.

A Bacterial Signaling Molecule Lends Tumors Drug Resistance

Illustration showing Ushma Neill talking about student housing in a board meeting (left), updating summer programs and courses (middle), and sharing advice to a mentee (right).

An Accidental Career Path into Academic Administration

Illustration of three light orange targets aligned in a row. On the left, seven gray dots are grouped in the upper right quadrant. In the middle, six gray dots are spread around the target. On the right, five gray dots are grouped in the center of the target.

Brazilian Scientists Evaluate Reproducibility in Biomedical Research

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Scientists Find Their Voices to Rally Support for Research

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Penning the Dynamic Lives of Proteins

3D illustration of a neuron synapse, with yellow glowing neurotransmitters crossing the gap. Green spheres representing a ligand are bound to one synapse.

Female Sex Hormones Reduced Fentanyl Use in Rats

A clipboard with the word “Sepsis” written at the top, surrounded by a syringe and medications.

A Common Antidepressant Protects Organs from Damage During Sepsis

Kevin Tran, a graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and codeveloper of CraftCells, wears a virtual reality headset. He’s standing in front of a screen projecting his view of the CraftCells Minecraft world.

CraftCells: 3D Cell Biology Reaches Broad Audiences with Minecraft

A photograph showing a sign that reads “Disaster Relief” at a table handing out water to people.

Rebuilding Research After a Natural Disaster Hits

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October 2026

Antarctica’s Blood Falls Teems With Mysterious Microbial Life

Miles away from the closest ocean, marine microbes thrive in the red ice and mud around Blood Falls, offering clues to microbial adaptation and past climate events.

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