Aimee Cunningham

Aimee Cunningham

Biomedical Writer

Biomedical writer Aimee Cunningham is on her second tour at Science News. From 2005 to 2007, she covered chemistry, environmental science, biology and materials science for Science News.  Between stints Aimee was a freelance writer for outlets such as NPR and Scientific American Mind. She has a degree in English from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University. She received the 2019 Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism from the Endocrine Society for the article "Hormone replacement makes sense for some menopausal women."

All Stories by Aimee Cunningham

  1. A photo of a woman holding a packet of birth control pills with two hands in front of her torso.
    Health & Medicine

    How over-the-counter birth control pills could improve reproductive health

    If approved, the switch to over-the-counter access for a birth control pill would circumvent certain barriers and help improve reproductive autonomy.

  2. A photo of a dark haired woman adjusting a mobile over a baby's crib.
    Health & Medicine

    Women who’ve had breast cancer can safely pause treatment for pregnancy

    Hormone therapy cannot be taken during pregnancy. A new study is reassuring for women who’ve had breast cancer and want to try for a baby.

  3. A wall of posters on a bulletin board in a classroom, one of which reads 'NALOXONE CAN SAVE YOU'
    Health & Medicine

    Fentanyl deaths have spiked among U.S. children and teens

    Wider access to naloxone, which reverses the deadly effect of fentanyl, is key as more children are exposed to the opioid, experts say.

  4. A photo of several maxi pads spread out of a small bag on an orange background.
    Humans

    ‘Period’ wants to change how you think about menstruation

    Kate Clancy offers fascinating science and history about the uterus and menstruation in her book, Period: The Real Story of Menstruation.

  5. A sepia tone photo of someone walking their dog on the beach at sunset.
    Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, air pollution was linked to more reports of animal bites

    Scientists spent decades tying air pollution to health and behavior problems. Now, there’s more evidence that dirty air influences aggression in animals.

  6. An image of a pregnant woman's torso sitting on a couch.
    Health & Medicine

    Maternal deaths in the U.S. keep climbing

    New U.S. data show that as maternal deaths rise, a large gap between the maternal mortality rate of Black women compared with white women persists.

  7. A photo of a woman getting a mammogram while a doctor helps position her with the machine.
    Health & Medicine

    My mammogram revealed I have dense breasts. What does that mean?

    Nearly half of U.S. women have dense breasts. A new FDA rule makes notification of breast density national. Here’s the scoop on why.

  8. A photo of a woman sitting on a couch and holding a baby while she talks on the phone and types one handed on a laptop.
    Neuroscience

    ‘Mommy brain’ doesn’t capture how the brain transforms during pregnancy

    During the transition to motherhood, there's more going on than “momnesia,” neuroscientists argue. The brain changes to prep for the job of caregiving

  9. A microscopic image of the bacterial species Streptococcus salivarius.
    Health & Medicine

    Too much of this bacteria in the nose may worsen allergy symptoms

    Hay fever sufferers have an overabundance of Streptococcus salivarius. The mucus-loving bacteria boost inflammation, causing an endlessly runny nose.

  10. A vial of blood sit on top of piece of paper with the results of a cholesterol test.
    Health & Medicine

    HDL ‘good’ cholesterol isn’t always good for heart health

    High levels of HDL cholesterol don’t appear to protect against heart disease, while harm from low levels may depend on race, a study reports.

  11. Five Black men, all wearing hats, stand near an old building
    Health & Medicine

    Medical racism didn’t begin or end with the syphilis study at Tuskegee

    Racism that fueled the syphilis study still permeates the U.S. health care system, causing disparities in access to medical care and health measures.

  12. A photo of Mary Bassett, New York state’s Commissioner of Health, receiving a COVID-19 booster shot.
    Health & Medicine

    How 4 major coronavirus tools impacted the pandemic in 2022

    During the third year of the pandemic, young kids got vaccines, a new booster shot came along, the use of at-home tests soared and Paxlovid became widely available.