Heidi Ledford works for Nature magazine.
Six Months of COVID Vaccines: What 1.7 Billion Doses Have Taught Scientists
At a pivotal moment in the pandemic, Nature explores key questions about the vaccines that countries are racing to deliver while viral variants spread around the globe
Delaying a COVID Vaccine’s Second Dose Boosts Immune Response in the Elderly
People older than 80 who waited 11 to 12 weeks for their second jab had higher peak antibody levels than did those who waited only three weeks
Malaria Vaccine Shows Promise—Now Come Tougher Trials
Preliminary results suggest the vaccine is up to 77 percent effective in young children, but researchers await larger studies
How Could a COVID Vaccine Cause Blood Clots?
Researchers are searching for possible links between unusual clotting and the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine
Scientists Grew Tiny Tear Glands in a Dish—Then Made Them Cry
Organoids made of tear-producing cells offer chances to study, and possibly treat, eye disorders
COVID Antibody Treatments Show Promise for Preventing Severe Disease
Uptake by patients and physicians has been low in the U.S. even though some therapies have been authorized for months
Moderna COVID Vaccine Becomes Second to Get U.S. Authorization
Two RNA vaccines will be useful as U.S. infections surge, but the speedy authorizations complicate clinical trials
Evidence for Convalescent Plasma Coronavirus Treatment Lags behind Excitement
Despite calls for more rigorous clinical trials, the Food and Drug Administration has granted an emergency authorization for the therapy
The Coronavirus Outbreak Could Make it Quicker and Easier to Trial Drugs
Remote clinical trials and other changes could permanently alter pharmaceutical development
CRISPR Gene Editing in Human Embryos Wreaks Chromosome Mayhem
Three studies showing large DNA deletions and reshuffling heighten safety concerns about heritable genome editing
Coronavirus Drug Remdesivir Shortens Recovery but Is Not a Magic Bullet
Despite conflicting data, the highly anticipated results will make the treatment a standard of care in the U.S.
Chloroquine Hype Is Derailing the Search for Coronavirus Treatments
With politicians touting the potential benefits of malaria drugs to fight COVID-19, some people are turning away from clinical trials of other therapies
CRISPR Treatment Inserted Directly into the Body for the First Time
The experiment tests a gene-editing therapy for a hereditary blindness disorder
Quest to Use CRISPR against Disease Gains Ground
As the first clinical trial results trickle in, researchers look ahead to more sophisticated medical applications for genome editing
Why U.S. Officials Investigating Mysterious Vaping Deaths Are Focusing on Flavorings
As lung injuries among e-cigarette users mount amid a youth vaping epidemic, the impact of new restrictions remains unclear
Cancer Cells Have “Unsettling” Ability to Hijack the Brain’s Nerves
The startling discovery could open up avenues for treating some aggressive tumors
The Human Body Is a Mosaic of Different Genomes
Survey finds that “normal” human tissues are riddled with mutations
A Question of Control
Clinical-trial participants and their carers are gaining influence over how experiments are run. As they take to social media, that could make things messy for the science
Experimental Gene Therapy Frees “Bubble-boy” Babies from a Life of Isolation
Treatment restores immune-system function in young children with severe disorder
Trump Seeks Big Cuts to Science Funding—Again
The president wants to cut spending at the National Institutes of Health and Environmental Protection Agency, but it is not clear whether Congress will go along
Gene-Silencing Technology Gets First Drug Approval after 20-Year Wait
The U.S. FDA decision comes after fits and stops for RNA-interference therapies
Debate Blooms over Anatomy of the World's First Flower
Some researchers say statistical prediction of the ancestral blossom yielded an unlikely structure
The Lost Art of Looking at Plants
Advances in genomics and imaging are reviving a fading discipline
Gut Microbes Can Shape Responses to Cancer Immunotherapy
Studies find that species diversity and antibiotics influence cutting-edge treatments