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
By
Jill Adams, Angie Voyles Askham, Peter Hess, Shafaq Zia
10 June 2022 | 3 min read
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
By
Shafaq Zia
9 December 2021 | 3 min read
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Frameshift: Raphe Bernier followed his heart out of academia, then made his way back again
After a clinical research career, an interlude at Apple and four months in early retirement, Raphe Bernier found joy in teaching.
Frameshift: Raphe Bernier followed his heart out of academia, then made his way back again
After a clinical research career, an interlude at Apple and four months in early retirement, Raphe Bernier found joy in teaching.
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Katie Moisse
20 February 2026 | 8 min read
Organoid study reveals shared brain pathways across autism-linked variants
The genetic variants initially affect brain development in unique ways, but over time they converge on common molecular pathways.
Organoid study reveals shared brain pathways across autism-linked variants
The genetic variants initially affect brain development in unique ways, but over time they converge on common molecular pathways.
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Giorgia Guglielmi
19 February 2026 | 4 min read