Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

Stephanie joined Drug Discovery News as an Assistant Editor in 2021. She earned her PhD from the University of California Los Angeles in 2019 and has written for Discover Magazine, Quanta Magazine, and the Los Angeles Times. As an assistant editor at DDN, she writes about how microbes influence health to how art can change the brain. When not writing, Stephanie enjoys tap dancing and perfecting her pasta carbonara recipe.

Articles by Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

An ultrasound image of a liver is shown.

May 13, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

Goodbye biopsies, non-invasive diagnostics for fatty liver disease are here

Through academic, industry, and governmental partnerships, scientists validate and develop non-invasive diagnostics for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These tests are set to replace the invasive and risky gold standard: liver biopsy.

Pictures of bugs and butterflies are drawn on clear plastic sheets which will shrink down to miniature drawings when heated. They are a common children's toy called Shrinky Dinks.

May 08, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

Shrinking toys inspire diagnostics and wearable sensors of the future

Inspired by toys from her childhood, bioengineer Michelle Khine designs microscale diagnostics and wearable biosensors with the hope of revolutionizing how people monitor their health.

A collagen fiber floats in front of the retina in a close-up image of the eye, often called an eye floater.

May 01, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

Safer eye floater treatments come with a burst of nanobubbles

Between invasive surgery or risky laser therapy, people suffering from severe eye floaters have no great treatment options. Now, with the development of a safer and less invasive nanoparticle-based therapy, people with floaters may finally get their vision and quality of life back.

Detective supplies including a hat, magnifying glass, map, aged paper, ink, and a writing quill sit on a wooden desk.

May 01, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

Scientific research is a series of infinite mysteries

Like detectives collecting evidence to solve a case, scientists perform experiments to unravel the mysteries of life.

Gut bacteria are shown as green, pink, and yellow lines in a drawing of a person's small intestine.

Apr 21, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

A microbial signal from the gut promotes obesity

Gut microbes produce a metabolite that inhibits the conversion of fatty acids into energy and leads to weight gain in mice.

Translating the complicated science behind COVID-19 immunity will remain important as new SARS-CoV-2 variants emerge.

Apr 19, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

A pandemic lost in translation

As the science on vaccination and natural infection-based immunity against COVID-19 variants continues to evolve, accurately communicating study results and their limitations has never been more important.

A row of epithelial cells are shown in orange with pink-colored nuclei.

Apr 17, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

Epithelial cells use immune proteins to find and remove precancerous cells

Scientists discovered that healthy epithelial cells recognize their precancerous neighbors via the expression of proteins normally only found on immune cells. The proteins that mediate this recognition between healthy and precancerous cells provide a potential new therapeutic avenue for treating cancer.

Healthy foods like an orange, almonds, and salad site near a scale with a stethoscope on top.

Apr 14, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

A new weight loss strategy turns fat into energy

By using extracellular vesicles to target specific neurons in the hypothalamus, scientists induced weight loss in a mouse model of obesity without altering its diet or exercise.

A snake with bright yellow scales bares its fangs against a dark background.

Apr 10, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

Snakebite antivenoms step into the future

Traditional snakebite antivenom relies on a century-old technology. To find safer and more effective treatments for one of the world’s most neglected tropical diseases, scientists are designing new therapies, ranging from camel nanobodies to human recombinant antibodies and small molecule drugs.

A brain outlined in light colors sits against a black background.

Apr 06, 2022By Stephanie DeMarco, PhD

Brain cancer meets its match with focused ultrasound treatment

Biomedical engineer Natasha Sheybani uses soundwaves to disrupt the blood-brain barrier and improve immunotherapy for glioblastoma patients.