Tina Hesman Saey

Tina Hesman Saey

Senior Writer, Molecular Biology

Senior writer Tina Hesman Saey is a geneticist-turned-science writer who covers all things microscopic and a few too big to be viewed under a microscope. She is an honors graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she did research on tobacco plants and ethanol-producing bacteria. She spent a year as a Fulbright scholar at the Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany, studying microbiology and traveling.  Her work on how yeast turn on and off one gene earned her a Ph.D. in molecular genetics at Washington University in St. Louis. Tina then rounded out her degree collection with a master’s in science journalism from Boston University. She interned at the Dallas Morning News and Science News before returning to St. Louis to cover biotechnology, genetics and medical science for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. After a seven year stint as a newspaper reporter, she returned to Science News. Her work has been honored by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the Endocrine Society, the Genetics Society of America and by journalism organizations.

All Stories by Tina Hesman Saey

  1. Genetics

    Most Americans think it’s OK to tweak a baby’s genes to prevent disease

    Americans generally favor tweaking a baby’s genes to reduce the chance of getting a disease, but think boosting intelligence is a step too far.

  2. Genetics

    Here’s why wounds heal faster in the mouth than in other skin

    Wounds in the mouth heal speedily thanks to some master regulators of immune reactions.

  3. Life

    The right mix of gut microbes relieves autism symptoms in the long run

    Replacing missing gut microbes improves autism symptoms in children even two years later.

  4. Life

    Bobtail squid coat their eggs in antifungal goo

    Hawaiian bobtail squid keep their eggs fungus-free with the help of bacteria.

  5. Life

    This ‘junk’ gene may be important in embryo development

    Mice — and maybe humans — can’t get past the two-cell stage of development without a particular type of jumping gene.

  6. Genetics

    Koala genome may contain clues for helping the species survive

    The complete genetic instruction book of a koala may explain why the cuddly-looking cuties are such picky eaters, among other secrets.

  7. Life

    Leprosy lurks in armadillos in Brazil’s Amazon

    Armadillos in the Brazilian Amazon are often infected with leprosy, which they may pass to people.

  8. Life

    Zika gets the most extreme close-up of any flavivirus

    The closest look yet at Zika virus may reveal some vulnerabilities.

  9. Neuroscience

    How domestication changed rabbits’ brains

    The fear centers of the brain were altered as humans tamed rabbits.

  10. Life

    Here’s how drinking coffee could protect your heart

    Coffee’s heart-healthy effects rely on boosting cells’ energy production, a study in mice suggests.

  11. Life

    It may take a village (of proteins) to turn on genes

    Clusters of proteins transiently work together to turn on genes, new microscopy studies of live cells suggest.

  12. Humans

    What I actually learned about my family after trying 5 DNA ancestry tests

    Ancestry results vary widely depending on which company you use.