Nicoletta Lanese is the health channel editor at Live Science and was previously a news editor and staff writer at the site. She is a recipient of the 2026 AHCJ International Health Study Fellowship, with a project focused on antibiotic stewardship practices in Japan and the U.S. They hold a graduate certificate in science communication from UC Santa Cruz and degrees in neuroscience and dance from the University of Florida. Beyond Live Science, Lanese's work has appeared in The Scientist, Science News, the Mercury News, Mongabay and Stanford Medicine Magazine, among other outlets. Based in NYC, she also remains involved in dance and performs in local choreographers' work.
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'Mitochondrial transfer' into nerves could relieve chronic pain, early study hintsA new study reveals that nerve cells receive periodic infusions of mitochondria from neighboring cells — and this may point to a new way of treating nerve pain.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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US government overhauls the childhood vaccine schedule in unprecedented moveFederal health officials are attempting to make the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule more like that of Denmark. Experts say the decision lacks scientific backing.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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An experimental mRNA treatment counters immune cell aging in miceA trio of mRNA molecules could help guard against the harmful effects of aging on immune cells, a study in mice finds.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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From gene therapy breakthroughs to preventable disease outbreaks: The health trends that will shape 2026Opinion Live Science's health channel editor makes predictions about the medical breakthroughs and public health shifts to come in 2026.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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Scientists are developing a 'self-driving' device that helps patients recover from heart attacksINTERVIEW Live Science spoke with Dr. Joe Alexander of NTT Research about "digital twins" and the development of an autonomous device for acute cardiac care.
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Year in review: The standout health stories of 2025, from measles outbreaks to AI-made virusesCatch up on the latest trends in health news in this roundup of long-reads compiled by Live Science's health channel editor.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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Tooth-in-eye surgery, 'blood chimerism,' and a pregnancy from oral sex: 12 wild medical cases we covered in 2025Here are a dozen strange and interesting tales from the medical literature.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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Diagnostic dilemma quiz: Can you guess the diagnosis in these strange medical cases?Based on our "Diagnostic Dilemma" series, this quiz tests your medical know-how.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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Neuroscience word search — Find all the parts of the brainHow well do you know that organ between your ears? Test your recognition of neuroscience terms with this word search.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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An otherwise 'fit' man had a stroke after drinking 8 'high-potency' energy drinks a dayA man with few risk factors unexpectedly experienced a stroke, and his daily energy drink habit may have been to blame.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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'Unprecedented': Woman delivers full-term abdominal pregnancy while also having 22-pound cyst removedA California woman was scheduled to have a large cyst removed but, in the lead-up to the procedure, learned she had a rare ectopic pregnancy.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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Man caught rabies from organ transplant after donor was scratched by skunkA Michigan man died of rabies despite having no recent exposure to a potentially infected animal.
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CDC panel, stuffed with vaccine skeptics, votes to end recommendation for universal newborn hepatitis B vaccinationThe CDC's vaccine committee has voted to roll back a universal recommendation that newborns be vaccinated against hepatitis B, which is one of public health's major success stories.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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'Intelligence comes at a price, and for many species, the benefits just aren't worth it': A neuroscientist's take on how human intellect evolvedBook In his book "One Hand Clapping," Nikolay Kukushkin explores explanations for how consciousness evolved, and ultimately, what makes us human.
By Nikolay Kukushkin Published
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Could aging eggs be 'rejuvenated'? New tool may help pave the way to fertility-extending treatmentsScientists invented a new experimental system to study how age-related changes in egg cells make them more prone to chromosomal errors.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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Shrinking tree canopy at California schools could put kids at risk of extreme heatA recent study examined changes in tree canopy cover around California schools. The observed declines could put kids at higher risk of heat stress.
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The evolution of life on Earth 'almost predictably' led to human intelligence, neuroscientist saysInterview Neuroscientist Nikolay Kukushkin spoke to Live Science about how human consciousness evolved.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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Study links GLP-1 use to some pregnancy risks — but the research has key caveatsA new study hints that pregnant people who have previously taken drugs like Ozempic may face a higher risk of certain poor pregnancy outcomes. But more studies are needed to understand the finding.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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'I don't know if CDC will survive, to be quite frank': Former CDC officials describe the disintegration of the agency under RFKThree former CDC officials share their experiences at the agency leading up to their resignations.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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New drug could prevent diabetes complications not fixed with blood sugar control, study hintsAn experimental drug compound could be a promising treatment for harmful diabetes complications, per a new study in lab mice and human cells.
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New Jersey man dies from meat allergy triggered by tick biteA man in New Jersey has died from a meat allergy that people can develop after being bitten by certain tick species.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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A woman's homemade juice led to life-threatening 'toxic squash syndrome'In the first reported case of its kind in Canada, a woman fell violently ill after consuming the juice of a bitter gourd.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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Canada has lost its 'measles elimination status' — here's what that meansA large, ongoing outbreak that began in Canada in 2024 has cost the country its measles elimination status.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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One molecule could usher revolutionary medicines for cancer, diabetes and genetic disease — but the US is turning its back on itThe U.S. government is divesting from mRNA vaccines, but will other uses of the technology be spared? In a time of uncertainty, scientists worry that revolutionary treatments for cancer, immune dysfunction and genetic disease may be left on the lab bench.
By Nicoletta Lanese Published
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