Emily is a health news writer based in London, United Kingdom. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Durham University and a master's degree in clinical and therapeutic neuroscience from Oxford University. She has worked in science communication, medical writing and as a local news reporter while undertaking NCTJ journalism training with News Associates. In 2018, she was named one of MHP Communications' 30 journalists to watch under 30.
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Babies' brain activity changes dramatically before and after birth, groundbreaking study findsNew brain scans have shown that neurons in several regions of the brain become significantly more active across birth.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Doctors discover live worms growing under a woman's eyelid in ChinaAn office worker in Beijing developed a parasitic infection that caused worms to grow under her right eyelid.
By Emily Cooke Published
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'Electronic' scalp tattoos could be next big thing in brain monitoringElectrodes can now be printed onto the scalp to measure brain activity.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Stone man disease: A rare condition that causes a person to grow a second skeletonFibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an extremely rare congenital condition that causes the body to grow a second skeleton, rendering patients immobile.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Is playing in the dirt good for kids' immune systems?Experts explain why it's healthy to let your children occasionally play in the dirt — and it may not be for the reasons you assume.
By Emily Cooke Last updated
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Cervical cancer deaths have plummeted among young women, US study findsA new study has revealed that cervical cancer deaths have strongly declined in the U.S. since 2016, likely due to increased rates of HPV vaccination.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Your skin color may affect how well a medication works for you — but the research is way behindAs a new analysis highlights the impact of skin tone on drug safety and efficacy, experts outline what can be done to make medical research more inclusive.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Ancient hunter-gatherer DNA linked to higher BMI in modern Japanese peopleA new study suggests that the DNA some modern Japanese people have inherited from ancient hunter-gatherers may increase BMI.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Butterfly disease: A disorder that makes skin as delicate as butterfly wingsEpidermolysis bullosa is a potentially fatal, inherited disorder that causes patients to blister very easily.
By Emily Cooke Published
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'Dengue is coming': Climate-fueled rise in cases will affect the US, scientists warnNew research suggests that climate change is currently driving a surge in global dengue infections and that case rates could increase by 60% by 2050.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Necrotizing fasciitis: The 'flesh-eating' infection that bores holes in the bodyNecrotizing fasciitis is a rare, life-threatening illness caused by bacteria that aggressively attack the soft tissue of the body.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Migraine molecules may drive endometriosis pain. Existing drugs might help.Pain-sensing neurons exchange signals with immune cells that drive endometriosis, sparking the pain associated with the condition, new research suggests.
By Emily Cooke Published
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BRCA only explains a fraction of breast cancers — genes tied to metabolism may also up riskScientists pinpointed 80 gene variants, including eight tied to fatty acid metabolism, that may cause breast cancer in some people, new research suggests.
By Emily Cooke Published
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These 3 neurons may underlie the drive to eat foodA brain circuit made up of three types of neurons may regulate appetite, a mouse study finds.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Natural selection is unfolding right now in these remote villages in NepalPhysiological traits that help Tibetan women survive at high altitudes are being selected for within the population, meaning they may be becoming more common, new research hints.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Trigger for deadly neurodegenerative disorder identifiedThe discovery of an important enzyme involved in Huntington's disease may pave the way for future treatments to prevent the condition, researchers say.
By Emily Cooke Published
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How to get better faster when you have the flu, according to scienceExperts explain how to shorten a flu infection.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Watch 1st-ever video of ovulation occurring in real-timeA new imaging technique enabled scientists to film every step of ovulation as it unfolds in mouse cells.
By Emily Cooke Published
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New device 'zaps' bacteria on the skin, potentially preventing infectionsEarly experiments suggest a patch that delivers harmless electric currents into the skin can thwart certain bacterial infections. However, it has not yet been tested in humans.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Parents who have this gene may be more likely to have a girlA large new analysis suggests that some people carry genetic variants that make them more likely to have female than male offspring.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Melatonin disruption tied to early-onset osteoporosis, new study suggestsA genetic analysis suggests that rare cases of early onset osteoporosis may be partly caused by disruptions to the function of the hormone melatonin.
By Emily Cooke Published
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At-home brain stimulation could be promising depression treatment, trial hintsA new trial suggests that at-home brain stimulation could potentially be a first-line treatment for depression. However, some experts are skeptical.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Potential health hazards of cryptocurrency mines laid bare by scientistsAnecdotal reports suggest that cryptocurrency mines can have harmful knock-on effects on people's health, but the true scale of the problem is still unknown.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Malfunctioning mitochondria may drive Crohn's disease, early study hintsA new study in mice suggests that dysfunctional mitochondria may change the composition of the gut microbiome and thus drive Crohn's disease.
By Emily Cooke Published

