Stephanie DeMarco’s passion for learning led her down a path of research in parasitology and microbiology. Along the way, her love of storytelling and science communication drew her away from the research bench and into scientific journalism. Today, as the managing editor at The Scientist (TS), Stephanie contributes to and oversees a wide range of projects from streamlining editorial processes to reporting on interesting science, with her recent favorites being autism-gut microbiome research and the secret behind cacio e pepe sauce.
Q | What is your scientific background?
I studied molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley as an undergraduate student. When I began considering graduate school, I was interested in human genetics, but much of the research involved handling mice, which I was less inclined to work with—they’re just too cute. Instead, I found myself drawn to microbiology. I pursued a PhD at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the laboratory of microbiologist Kent Hill, where I studied the social behavior of the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, which is transmitted to humans and animals through the bite of a tsetse fly. It is the causative agent of sleeping sickness. I looked at how T. brucei, when they're in the fly stage, coordinated their social behavior; here, I investigated the genes and communication signals between the parasites.
Q | How did you transition into science communication and writing?
In graduate school, I came into my PhD program not quite sure which career path I wanted to pursue. I considered becoming a professor or working in industry, but neither path quite appealed to me. I just knew that I wanted to attain my PhD because I loved science, learning, and being able to conduct original research to find out something new.
When I saw the press release, I thought it was going to be controversial topic—something worth covering. I really enjoyed working on it, presenting facts from both sides.
—Stephanie DeMarco, The Scientist
Around the third year of my program, one of my friends started a science communication club with members from different fields, such as astronomy, math, biology, and more. This grabbed my attention because I liked talking about science and presenting my work at lab meetings and conferences. Through this, I and a smaller group of members ended up putting together a graduate student-run magazine: Signal to Noise. I worked on the magazine for a few years, and after I graduated, I was very lucky to be awarded the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media Fellowship. As a fellow, I spent 10 weeks at my local paper, the Los Angeles Times, writing for the science desk. It was here that I solidly directed my sights down the path of science communication. After my fellowship ended, I also worked as a freelance science journalist and a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA, keeping a foot in each door while trying to figure out a career path.
In 2021, I joined as an editor at Drug Discovery News (TS’s sister brand) where I spearheaded the podcast program and led the editorial team for the next few years. Then in 2025, I joined TS’s editorial team as a managing editor.
Q | What is your day-to-day like as The Scientist’s managing editor?
When she isn’t writing or editing stories, Stephanie likes to explore the great outdoors.
Stephanie DeMarco
As the managing editor, I oversee all the stories that are in progress, coordinating with the internal editorial team and freelance writers to fill in any gaps in our publication schedule. Mainly, much of my workload is comprised of editing, which I often dedicate my mornings to. I also help coordinate some new TS story types. These include trends stories on topics such as getting researchers’ predictions of the Nobel Prize winners, their opinions on their favorite cells, and their answers to fun hypothetical questions about which laboratory instrument they would be. I really enjoy helping out with TS’s short videos, which complement their respective stories, by assisting in editing the scripts and even lending my own voice to them occasionally!
Q | What is your favorite story that you’ve covered for The Scientist?
One story that comes to mind is a news story about a perspective piece written by a group of scientists commenting on the quality of gut microbiome and autism research. When I saw the press release, I thought it was going to be controversial topic—something worth covering. I really enjoyed working on it, presenting facts from both sides. I also had the opportunity to speak about the piece on LAist’s AirTalk radio show alongside one of the researchers I interviewed.
More recently, I loved reading and editing Sahana Sitaraman’s feature on glaciers and the microbes living within them. It’s such a fascinating topic, and the video—especially with all the photos she collected from researchers—turned out really well. That project was a lot of fun to work on.
Q | What is your favorite part of your position?
I really enjoy editing the editorial team’s writing because it allows me to dive into a wide range of topics, and the stories chosen are always interesting and engaging. I especially like reading through the team’s work, helping refine each piece, and seeing the creativity and ideas everyone brings. Overall, that part of the process is definitely my favorite.
Q | What do you like to do outside of work?
Stephanie and her dog Poppy love to spend time snuggling and soaking up the California sunshine.
Stephanie DeMarco
I love picking up new hobbies and trying different things just for fun. Feeling inspired after watching Project Runway, I recently started sewing to make clothes. So far, I’ve made a pair of pajama pants and am currently working on a dress.
I also enjoy hiking because there’s a lot of nearby mountain ranges and hiking trails in Los Angeles. I’ve been making an effort to get outside and explore more. While I don’t usually take my dog Poppy—she’s more of a couch potato—I’d like to take her along one day!
Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn.
