Shafaq Zia

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.

From this contributor

Spectrum

By Jill Adams, Angie Voyles Askham, Peter Hess, Shafaq Zia

10 June 2022

3 min read

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.

Spectrum

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

Spectrum

By Shafaq Zia

9 December 2021

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.

Spectrum

New resource tracks genetic variations in Han Chinese populations

By Shafaq Zia

9 December 2021 | 3 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Neuro’s ark

By Lauren Schneider

4 February 2026

7 min read

Neuro’s ark: Understanding fast foraging with star-nosed moles

“MacArthur genius” Kenneth Catania outlined the physiology behind the moles’ stellar foraging skills two decades ago. Next, he wants to better characterize their food-seeking behavior.

Neuro’s ark

Neuro’s ark: Understanding fast foraging with star-nosed moles

“MacArthur genius” Kenneth Catania outlined the physiology behind the moles’ stellar foraging skills two decades ago. Next, he wants to better characterize their food-seeking behavior.

By Lauren Schneider

4 February 2026 | 7 min read

Spectrum

By Claudia López Lloreda

3 February 2026

4 min read