Shafaq Zia is a science journalist and a graduate student in the Graduate Program in Science Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Previously, she was a reporting intern at STAT, covering the COVID-19 pandemic and the latest research in health technology.

Shafaq Zia
From this contributor
Spotted around the web: COVID-19 during pregnancy, sleep problems, eugenics
Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 6 June.
Spotted around the web: COVID-19 during pregnancy, sleep problems, eugenics
New resource tracks genetic variations in Han Chinese populations
An online database called NyuWa catalogs genetic variations among nearly 3,000 individuals and provides a comprehensive reference genome for the Han people.

New resource tracks genetic variations in Han Chinese populations
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Exclusive: Acting NIH director extends appointments for senior neuroscientists on administrative leave
The change averts termination for the three neuroscience lab heads, who were set to be let go tomorrow.

Exclusive: Acting NIH director extends appointments for senior neuroscientists on administrative leave
The change averts termination for the three neuroscience lab heads, who were set to be let go tomorrow.
Targeting NMDA receptor subunit reverses fragile X traits in mice
The subunit acts as a “volume control” on signaling that shapes the density of dendritic spines, the new work suggests.

Targeting NMDA receptor subunit reverses fragile X traits in mice
The subunit acts as a “volume control” on signaling that shapes the density of dendritic spines, the new work suggests.
Maternal infection’s link to autism may be a mirage
Family-linked factors explain most associations between maternal illness and autism, a study of 1.1 million Danish children finds.

Maternal infection’s link to autism may be a mirage
Family-linked factors explain most associations between maternal illness and autism, a study of 1.1 million Danish children finds.