Stories by Erika Check Hayden

Experimental Treatments Aim to Prevent Brain Damage in Babies

Advances in neuroscience are driving the development of therapies that could save thousands of the most vulnerable patients

November 30, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Public Health

The Flip Side of Personal Genomics: When a Mutation Doesn't Spell Disease

Researchers worry about misinforming people about the risk of disease

November 16, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Policy & Ethics

Rwanda Feels the Pinch as Donors Slash Health Aid

Country's progress on public health and science prompts funding shift to more-troubled nations

November 15, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Public Health

Ebola Virus Lingers Longer Than Scientists Thought

In one case, a nine-month-old child died from Ebola virus infection after her seemingly healthy mother passed the virus to her in breast milk

September 13, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Biology

Most Extensive Reengineering of an Organism’s Genetic Code Now Complete

The feat, which radically altered Escherichia coli’s DNA, may be a big step forward for synthetic biology

August 18, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Medicine

Promising Gene Therapies Pose Million-Dollar Conundrum

Economists, investors and medical insurers can’t figure out how to pay for cutting-edge drugs

June 15, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Policy & Ethics

Myriad Genetics Embroiled in Breast-Cancer Data Fight—Again

Patients say the diagnostics company violated their rights to their own genetic data

May 24, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

The Body

Antibody Infusions Provide Long-Term Defense against HIV-Like Infection

Specialized proteins can protect monkeys against the virus for months

April 28, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Medicine

Dengue Vaccine Aces Trailblazing Trial

Protection against virus raises hopes of vaccine development for dengue and even Zika

March 17, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Health

Ebola Survivor's Blood Holds Promise of New Treatment

An antibody from a man who survived infection from the 1995 outbreak shows potent effect against deadly virus

February 26, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Medicine

Unusual Deal Ensures Ebola Vaccine Supply

Drugmaker commits to stockpiling 300,000 doses and beginning approval process

January 20, 2016 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Health

Ebola Experience Leaves World No Less Vulnerable

Report concludes that not enough has changed nearly two years after the start of the catastrophic west Africa epidemic

November 23, 2015 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Tech

Why Biomedical Superstars Are Signing On with Google

Tech firm’s ambitious goals and abundant resources attract life scientists, most recently Harvard Medical School cardiologist Jessica Mega

October 21, 2015 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Health

Ebola Survivors Fight Prejudice

Organizations seek to help patients reintegrate into society after recovering

December 18, 2014 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Health

Ebola: An Eyewitness Account from Sierra Leone, Dec. 7

Nature reports from the front line of the outbreak

December 8, 2014 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Health

Science Looks into Immortal Pets

A new experiment will study life span extension via an antiaging drug administered to domestic dogs

October 31, 2014 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Health

Many Mysteries Still Surround Ebola

The virus that causes Ebola is well understood but puzzling issues remain on topics such as the disease's lethality and whether the virus can be stopped

October 30, 2014 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Health

Protest Sparked as Louisiana Seeks to Ban Doctors Returned from West Africa

The response to Ebola could be undermined as Louisiana officials ask that doctors and researchers recently returned from three west African nations not attend the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene meeting November 2 to 6...

October 30, 2014 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Health

Ebola Outbreak Shuts Down Malaria-Control Efforts

Public health experts fear that one epidemic may fuel another in West Africa

October 3, 2014 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine

Health

Vaginal Microbe Yields Novel Antibiotic

A new drug is one of thousands of drug-like molecules that may be produced by our microbiome

September 11, 2014 — Erika Check Hayden and Nature magazine