Meghan Rosen headhsot

Meghan Rosen

Senior Writer

Meghan Rosen is a senior writer who reports on the life sciences for Science News. She earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology with an emphasis in biotechnology from the University of California, Davis. Her dissertation work involved studying mutated proteins in liver and kidney cancer. She later graduated from the science communication program at UC Santa Cruz. Prior to joining Science News in 2022, she was a media relations manager at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her work has appeared in Wired, Science, and The Washington Post, among other outlets. Once for McSweeney’s, she wrote about her kids’ habit of handing her trash, a story that still makes her (and them) laugh.

All Stories by Meghan Rosen

  1. Animals

    This lizard can tolerate extreme levels of lead

    Cuban brown anoles have the highest blood lead levels of any vertebrate known — three times that of the previous record holder, the Nile crocodile.

  2. Health & Medicine

    mRNA vaccines hold promise for many diseases. Now the tech is under fire 

    Researchers warn that halting federal contracts for mRNA vaccine research could weaken pandemic preparedness and slow medical advances.

  3. Health & Medicine

    AI is designing proteins that could help treat cancer

    A team used generative AI to enhance T cells’ ability to fight melanoma. The immunotherapy approach needs more testing before use in cancer patients.

  4. Health & Medicine

    An injected gel could make drugs like Ozempic last longer

    GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss are difficult for some people to inject weekly. A new slow-release gel, tested in rats, could help.

  5. Life

    This killer fungus strikes at sunset. Here’s how

    The fungus Entomophthora muscae turns flies into zombies and kills them at sunset. An internal kill clock may explain the mysterious timing.

  6. Health & Medicine

    Here’s how air pollution may trigger lung cancer

    Exposure to air pollution may trigger DNA mutations that cause lung cancer in nonsmokers.

  7. Health & Medicine

    ‘Rehab’ exposes the dark underside of U.S. drug treatment centers

    In Rehab, journalist Shoshana Walter investigates the systemic pitfalls of drug treatment programs, which prevent people’s recovery from addiction.

  8. Health & Medicine

    These 5 nutrients might be lacking in your diet

    U.S. diets should include more of vitamins D and E, fiber, calcium and magnesium — all are essential nutrients that could offer health benefits.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Chronic low back pain may be less likely if you walk – a lot

    Adults who walked more than 100 minutes per day were less likely to have chronic low back pain than those who walked fewer than 78 minutes per day.

  10. Health & Medicine

    A new diabetes treatment could free people from insulin injections

    In a small cell therapy trial, 10 out of 12 people with type 1 diabetes no longer needed supplemental insulin, even a year after treatment.

  11. Health & Medicine

    Cancer DNA is detectable in blood years before diagnosis

    Tiny, newly formed tumors shed small fragments of DNA that are swept into the bloodstream. Future cancer screening tests could detect them early.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Want to eat healthier? Add to your diet, rather than limit it

    Nutrition experts say add more greens and beans to your diet; cooking classes can teach people to make these nutrient-dense foods taste delicious.