Danielle Gerhard, PhD

Danielle joined Drug Discovery News as a freelance science writer in 2021. She earned her PhD from Yale University in 2017 and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Weill Cornell Medicine where she studies the effects of early life stress on brain development. Danielle has written about many topics, including antimicrobial resistance, mitochondrial disease, and the first transgenic mice. In her spare time, Danielle enjoys baking, knitting, and hiking.

Articles by Danielle Gerhard, PhD

An illustration of yellow bacteriophages destroying bacteria

Mar 26, 2024|1 min read

By Danielle Gerhard, PhD

Using viruses against bacteria

Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant threat to healthcare. Ultra-microscopic viruses called bacteriophages might hold a solution.

A close up of a mouse crawling in the gloved hands of a researcher

Jan 24, 2024|1 min read

By Danielle Gerhard, PhD

Science Milestone: The first transgenic mice

Transgenic mice play pivotal roles in scientific and therapeutic discovery, but how did they become a staple model system?

Black and gold sketch of Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman.

Oct 03, 2023|5 min read

By Danielle Gerhard, PhD

Nobel prize for mRNA vaccines

Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman received this year’s Physiology or Medicine award for their work on RNA biology and mRNA-based vaccines.

Top view of a breast tumor that might be treatable with the monoclonal antibody herceptin

Sep 19, 2023|1 min read

By Danielle Gerhard, PhD

Science Milestone: The rise of Herceptin

Herceptin transformed breast cancer treatment and opened the door to targeted therapy.

A sphere made of silver wire held by two hands.

Sep 14, 2023|9 min read

By Danielle Gerhard, PhD

2024 Breakthrough Prizes in Life Sciences

This year’s Breakthrough Prizes honor advances in CAR T cancer therapies, cystic fibrosis, and Parkinson’s disease.

A spiky green blob attached to a smaller black sphere with white protrusions against an orange background.

Aug 30, 2023|6 min read

By Danielle Gerhard, PhD

Modifying macrophages to attack solid tumors

A team of industry and academic researchers developed a new way to engineer the immune system, leading to the first clinical trial using genetically modified macrophages.

A 3D illustration of T cells attacking and killing cancer cells in CAR T cell therapy.

Jun 12, 2023|1 min read

By Danielle Gerhard, PhD

Science Milestone: Driving T cell therapy

The pioneering immunology discoveries that birthed CAR T cell therapy and reshaped the battle against cancer.

A close up of a doctor's hands using a tablet and holding brain imaging scans.

Jun 06, 2023|7 min read

By Danielle Gerhard, PhD

The bumpy road to treating multiple sclerosis with stem cells

Mixed messages surrounding their clinical benefits threatened the legitimacy of stem cell therapies for multiple sclerosis, but there is still plenty of promise.