Educational articles written for a wide audience
You can find my most recent work on SUBSTACK
How do we know genes are encoded in DNA?
This article was published by the Grad School Digest Blog. Click the title to be linked to the full article.
EXCERPT: This is something every high school biology student knows: Genes are the building blocks of life, and genes are encoded in DNA. Nowadays, this is an unquestionable fact, but actually, we didn’t know that…
How your cells stop cancer before it starts.
This article was published by the Grad School Digest Blog. Click the title to be linked to the full article.
EXCERPT: Your DNA, at least in part, makes you who you are. DNA encodes genes, genes encode proteins, and proteins allow your cells to do their jobs. If anything breaks – if your DNA gets…
How your immune system recognizes damaged cells.
This article was published by the Grad School Digest Blog. Click the title to be linked to the full article.
EXCERPT: Last month, I wrote a post called How your cells stop cancer before it starts, which focused on the fact that, despite us being exposed to DNA-damaging events pretty much all the time, we…
What is CRISPR? A discussion on the science of gene editing.
This article was published by the Grad School Digest Blog. Click the title to be linked to the full article.
EXCERPT: What comes to mind when you hear the term “gene editing”? Something out of a science-fiction movie, a dimly lit laboratory with scientists in white coats moving smoky liquids around, injecting patients with questionable…
The bacteria causing stomach ulcers…and why you might want to keep them
Note: This article was originally published with CurioCity Science Magazine on December 17, 2018. Imagine these symptoms: A pain in your stomach that makes you not want to eat. Constant nausea, vomiting, bloating, and heartburn. Getting tired easily, and losing weight quickly. These are all symptoms of a stomach ulcer, a painful sore on the lining…
Why is it so hard to wake up for school?
Note: This article was originally published with CurioCity Science Magazine on December 19, 2017. Tell me if this sounds familiar: Your alarm goes off at 7:00 am. It’s a school day. It’s time to get out of bed and get ready to make that early morning bell. But in that moment, you feel as though…
The immune response: A cellular war
This article was originally published for CurioCity Magazine on July 17, 2017. Its updated version can be found here: https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/stem-in-context/immune-response Every day, you encounter things that can make you sick. From bacteria to viruses to fungi, the world around you is full of pathogens, organisms (usually microorganisms) that can cause disease. And yet, you might…
Dr. Kate MacDonald, PhD 