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Deanna MacNeil on Muck Rack

Deanna MacNeil

(she/they)
As seen in: The Scientist
Covers:  Life science, cell biology, cancer, aging, genetics, immunology, biochemistry

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Deanna MacNeil’s Biography

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Deanna earned their PhD from McGill University in 2020, studying the cellular biology of aging and cancer. In addition to a passion for telomere research, Deanna has a multidisciplinary academic background in biochemistry and life science topics and a professional background in medical writing. They first joined The Scientist's Creative Services team part time as an intern and then full time as an assistant science editor. Deanna is currently an associate science editor, applying their science …

Deanna MacNeil’s Journalist Portfolio

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Detecting the Cell-Free DNA Fragmentome of Ovarian Cancer

Detecting the Cell-Free DNA Fragmentome of Ovarian Cancer

Researchers combined protein biomarkers, cfDNA analysis, and machine learning to open opportunities for early…

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Finding Bio-inspiration in Slug-Made Hydrogels

Finding Bio-inspiration in Slug-Made Hydrogels

Andrew Smith's research on slug secretions yields new insights into synthetic adhesives that may one day repl…

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Carving Out a Niche for Muscle Stem Cells with 3D Culture

Carving Out a Niche for Muscle Stem Cells with 3D Culture

Skeletal muscle organoids help scientists bypass bottlenecks in satellite cell production for muscle regenera…

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A Wastewater Surveillance Program Sounds the Alarm on Avian Influenza

A Wastewater Surveillance Program Sounds the Alarm on Avian Influenza

Born from the COVID-19 pandemic, a viral-agnostic approach blends sequencing research and public health to ge…

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How Cells Know Where to Grow After Injury

How Cells Know Where to Grow After Injury

Fish fins and single-cell sequencing help scientists glean new insights into tissue regeneration.

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How Sperm Regulate Offspring Health

How Sperm Regulate Offspring Health

A short term high fat diet before fertilization rewires sperm small RNA expression, passing predisposition to…

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Articles

The Science Behind Pruney Fingers 

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By Danielle Gerhard, Deanna MacNeil
| The Scientist Verified
Why fingers shrivel up in water is an age-old question that every child asks at bath time, but the answer may come as a surprise. “The whole body doesn’t wrinkle, and that says a lot,” said Einar Wilder-Smith, a neurologist at Luzerner Kantonsspital. Unlike the surrounding skin, the outermost layer of the fingertip is highly innervated with and tethered to vasculature, setting the stage for pruney fingers.
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A Wastewater Surveillance Program Sounds the Alarm on Avian Influenza Original

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By Deanna MacNeil
| The Scientist Verified
As the popularity of wastewater surveillance programs soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, microbiologist Anthony Maresso and microbial geneticist Michael Tisza from Baylor College of Medicine broadened their horizons.
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How Cells Know Where to Grow After Injury

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By Deanna MacNeil
| xpresschronicle.com
After experiencing an injury or amputation, an organism’s cells must determine how much tissue needs to be regenerated and where, but how they know where to grow remains a mystery. “It’s a classic question in limb regeneration of salamanders or fin regeneration of fish, or you can apply it to almost any type of regeneration. How do you know how much to grow back and what shape it should be and when to stop?” said Ken Poss, a regeneration biologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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