Aimee Cunningham

Biomedical Writer, Science News

Biomedical writer Aimee Cunningham is on her second tour at Science News. From 2005 to 2007, she covered chemistry, environmental science, biology and materials science for Science News.  Between stints Aimee was a freelance writer for outlets such as NPR and Scientific American Mind. She has a degree in English from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University. She received the 2019 Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism from the Endocrine Society for the article "Hormone replacement makes sense for some menopausal women."

All Stories by Aimee Cunningham

  1. Health & Medicine

    The teen brain is especially vulnerable to the harms of cannabis

    Today’s concentrated cannabis products — with higher THC levels — may pose greater risks of addiction and psychosis than ever before.

  2. Animals

    Some spikes in malaria cases may be tied to amphibian die-offs

    Amphibian deaths from a fungal disease may have led to more mosquitoes — and an increase in malaria cases in Costa Rica and Panama.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Examining Neandertal and Denisovan DNA wins a 2022 Nobel Prize

    Svante Pääbo figured out how to examine the genetic material from these hominid ‘cousins’ of modern humans.

  4. Health & Medicine

    What to know as Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine rolls out for kids under 12

    After a trial in which no unusual side effects were reported, and approval by the FDA and CDC, kids ages 5 to 11 will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

  5. Health & Medicine

    Antibodies from former COVID-19 patients could become a medicine

    The experimental treatment uses antibodies from the blood plasma of COVID-19 survivors. It may prevent disease in other people or help treat the sick.

  6. Health & Medicine

    What ‘community’ spread of coronavirus means

    Health experts warn there are probably many undetected cases already in the United States, raising chances the disease will soon be widespread.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Concussions leave clues in the blood

    Athletes who suffered concussions had increased blood levels of three proteins. These proteins appear to be a chemical sign of the brain injury.

  8. Brain

    Scientists’ brains shrank after a long stay in Antarctica

    The isolation of a long-term mission at an Antarctic research station shrunk part of crew members’ brains, a small study suggests.

  9. Microbes

    Drug-resistant germs kill some 35,000 Americans each year

    The new mortality rate may be way low, some experts say. Also troubling are two new germs that have emerged as big and urgent threats.

  10. Health & Medicine

    Data show worrisome rise in youth vaping

    Latest U.S. data show rates of vaping still on the rise among U.S. teens and middle-school students.

  11. Chemistry

    Cool Job: One green chemist is mining zoo dung for biological helpers

    Her goal is to convert farm-field wastes into useful fuels and chemicals

  12. Life

    Medicine Nobel honors discovery of how cells deal with oxygen

    Three researchers figured out the chemical processes by which cells not only sense, but also cope with, differing levels of oxygen. This could lead to new medicines.