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. Life

    A key virus fighter is implicated in pregnancy woes

    In mice, activating a key component of the body’s antiviral machinery in response to a Zika infection can cause harm to developing fetuses.

  2. Health & Medicine

    U.S. life expectancy drops for the second year in a row

    Life expectancy for the U.S. population decreased in 2016, the second year in a row this measure has dropped.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Gay, lesbian and bisexual high schoolers report ‘tragically high’ suicide risk

    Teens who identify as sexual minorities are more likely to report suicidal behaviors than their heterosexual peers, a new study finds.

  4. Health & Medicine

    Fracking linked to low birth weight in Pennsylvania babies

    Babies born to moms living within one kilometer of a hydraulic fracturing site were more likely to be born underweight, researchers say.

  5. Health & Medicine

    Zika cases are down, but researchers prepare for the virus’s return

    The number of Zika cases in the Western Hemisphere have dropped this year, but the need for basic scientific and public health research of the virus remains strong.

  6. Health & Medicine

    What hospitals can do to help keep excess opioids out of communities

    Guidelines for prescribing opioids following a routine surgery prevented thousands of unnecessary pills from leaving the hospital, a new study finds.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Testosterone may be one reason why men don’t get asthma as much as women

    Adult women have higher rates of asthma than men, and testosterone’s effect on the immune system may partly explain that difference.

  8. Health & Medicine

    New blood pressure guidelines put half of U.S. adults in unhealthy range

    New hypertension guidelines broaden the range of those considered to have high blood pressure and emphasize lifestyle changes to combat the condition.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Cholera pandemics are fueled by globe-trotting bacterial strains

    International cholera strains, rather than local ones, have caused raging epidemics, according to research that examined the bacteria’s DNA.

  10. Health & Medicine

    Human study supports theory on why dengue can be worse the next time around

    The amount of dengue antibodies leftover in the blood may up the chances of a severe second dengue infection, a study finds.

  11. Science & Society

    Trauma surgeon studies gun violence stats — and was one

    Joseph Sakran is trying to help counter the U.S. epidemic of gun violence with data.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Zika hasn’t been in the news much, but that doesn’t mean it’s gone

    Cases of Zika have dropped as more people become exposed, but the virus will likely emerge again in the future.