
Nicoletta Lanese
Nicoletta Lanese is the health channel editor at Live Science and was previously a news editor and staff writer at the site. She holds a graduate certificate in science communication from UC Santa Cruz and degrees in neuroscience and dance from the University of Florida. Her 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 heavily involved in dance and performs in local choreographers' work.
Latest articles by Nicoletta Lanese

Diagnostic dilemma: A man's deadly infection was triggered by a probiotic supplement
By Nicoletta Lanese published
A man with a complex medical history ended up with a rare bacterial infection after taking probiotics in the hospital.

'We will fight for him': Author John Green meets Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient with drug-resistant disease
By John Green published
"At the time, I knew almost nothing about TB. To me, it was a disease of history — something that killed depressive 19th-century poets, not present-tense humans."

Brain quiz: Test your knowledge of the most complex organ in the body
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Quiz What do you know about the wrinkly organ inside your skull?

Silent X chromosome genes 'reawaken' in older females, perhaps boosting brain power, study finds
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Females have one active X chromosome and one dormant X chromosome in each cell. But a study suggests that genes on the dormant X get "reawakened" later in life, potentially giving the brain a boost.

Are you protected against measles? Do you need a booster shot? Everything you need to know about immunity
By Jess Thomson published
There have been hundreds of measles cases reported in the U.S. since the beginning of the year. Here's what you need to know about measles immunity.

'We have to fight for a better end': Author John Green on how threats to USAID derail the worldwide effort to end tuberculosis
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Live Science spoke with author John Green about his latest book, which explores both the history and current realities of tuberculosis.

Science at a crossroads: Dispatches from Friday's 'Stand Up for Science' rallies across the US
By Kristina Killgrove, Nicoletta Lanese published
Our science journalists reported on the Stand Up for Science rallies held in New York City and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Is there really a difference between male and female brains? Emerging science is revealing the answer.
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Brain scans, postmortem dissections, artificial intelligence and lab mice reveal differences in the brain that are linked to sex. Do we know what they mean?

'Let's just study males and keep it simple': How excluding female animals from research held neuroscience back, and could do so again
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Neuroscience research has only recently begun to prioritize the inclusion of both male and female lab animals in studies. Could we see that shift reverse?

This year's flu shot was up to 78% effective at preventing hospitalization in kids, early data finds
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Early data suggest that the 2024-2025 flu shots have effectively lowered rates of flu hospitalization and outpatient visits in vaccinated people.

Mystery illness kills over 50 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
By Patrick Pester, Nicoletta Lanese published
A yet-unidentified illness has killed 53 people and potentially infected hundreds more in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The World Health Organization is investigating the outbreak.

Dozens sickened and 12 dead in Listeria outbreak linked to frozen shakes
By Nicoletta Lanese published
An ongoing Listeria outbreak has mostly affected people living in long-term care facilities and people who were already hospitalized prior to becoming sick from the infection.

What happens to the body during an asthma attack?
By Caleb Neal published
Learn what happens inside the body during an asthma attack and why treatments help prevent or reverse the effects.

2 'exclusively indoor' cats in Michigan caught bird flu, potentially from their owners
By Nicoletta Lanese last updated
A new report details the bird flu cases of two pet cats in Michigan whose owners work in the dairy industry. Earlier in the month, a data table from the report briefly appeared on the CDC website before being taken down.

Why America is losing its 50-year 'war on cancer,' according to scientist Nafis Hasan
By Nafis Hasan published
"This line of attack in the War on Cancer has had few meaningful outcomes for cancer patients."

Biological aging may not be driven by what we thought
By Nicoletta Lanese published
A new study draws a line between random genetic mutations and predictable epigenetic changes used to measure biological aging.

2nd form of bird flu detected in US cows
By Nicoletta Lanese published
A branch of the H5N1 bird flu family tree that hadn't previously been seen in cattle has now been detected in dairy cows.

Scientists are building an ultimate atlas of the vagina. Here's why.
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Scientists are studying the vaginal microbiome in populations all around the world to see how it might differ in different people and in health and disease.

Massive study of 3 million people reveals genetic 'hotspots' linked to bipolar disorder
By Sibani Ram published
A new study has greatly expanded the number of gene variants thought to be tied to bipolar disorder.

Massive tuberculosis outbreak sickens dozens in Kansas
By Nicoletta Lanese last updated
An ongoing tuberculosis outbreak in two Kansas counties has sickened dozens since January 2024.

Chinese scientists created mice with 2 dads — and they survived to adulthood
By Nicoletta Lanese published
By modifying 20 regions of the genome, scientists successfully bred mice with two male parents and raised them to maturity.

Faster brain aging tied to X chromosome inherited from Mom
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Female mammals typically carry two X chromosomes — one from each parent — and a new study suggests that the maternal X is linked to faster brain aging.

FDA bans red dye No. 3 in food
By Nicoletta Lanese published
The FDA will no longer allow red dye No. 3 in foods or ingested drugs, citing evidence that high doses of the dye can cause cancer in male rats. There is no evidence it's carcinogenic in humans.
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