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
Explore more from The Transmitter
Transforming AI models into useful model organisms
These systems were not built to explain the brain. But treating them as model organisms that we can perturb and evolve will move us closer to that goal.
Transforming AI models into useful model organisms
These systems were not built to explain the brain. But treating them as model organisms that we can perturb and evolve will move us closer to that goal.
By
Mariya Toneva
22 June 2026 | 6 min read
Cortical area remixes macaques’ knowledge blocks to solve new problems
When monkeys draw complex shapes, their neural activity reflects patterns of activation elicited by drawing simpler, component shapes.
Cortical area remixes macaques’ knowledge blocks to solve new problems
When monkeys draw complex shapes, their neural activity reflects patterns of activation elicited by drawing simpler, component shapes.
By
Lauren Schenkman
19 June 2026 | 0 min watch
Getting grants feels good, but giving them is even better
As director of grants management at the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, Kaela Singleton bets on bold science and shares in the joy of discovery.
Getting grants feels good, but giving them is even better
As director of grants management at the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, Kaela Singleton bets on bold science and shares in the joy of discovery.
By
Katie Moisse
19 June 2026 | 8 min read