Aparna Nathan

Bio

I am a PhD candidate in Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics at Harvard, with a secondary field in Science, Technology, and Society. I study how genetics shapes diverse immune responses to autoimmunity or infection, with a focus on T cells and tuberculosis. As a computational scientist in an interdisciplinary field, I'm always trying to find ways to communicate complex concepts without sacrificing what makes them awe-inspiring. I've written for Popular Science and NOVA, and I train scientists in effective science communication skills as a Communication Lab Fellow at the Broad Institute and director of Science in the News, a graduate student group at Harvard. I'm interested in how scientific research and data can empower communities, and I have worked with a non-profit called DataHaven to tease out narratives of health equity and community wellbeing from local data. This summer, I am excited to be part of the Philadelphia Inquirer's health and science team!

@aparnanathan

Clips

• A solar eclipse will light up the sky Thursday morning. Here’s how to view it in Philly.

• ER visits for suspected suicide attempts by adolescent girls are up over 50%, CDC study finds

• Jefferson research looks to outer space to learn about human health on Earth

• Poverty and trauma affect kids physically, too, including when molars emerge, Penn study shows

• Pa. seniors long have faced higher risks of dying in falls. The pandemic may have made it worse.

• Pentagon report isn’t the end of the search for UFOs. Scientists say the right technology could lead to more answers.

• Temple research finds that tweaking CBD may help it curb pain and opioid use in mice

• A dog disease resembling human multiple sclerosis may help treatment for both, Penn Vet study suggests

• Philly Health Department makes changes to HIV testing strategies — and funding

• Philadelphia Zoo plans to vaccinate at-risk animals against COVID-19

• Most Americans stuck to initial COVID-19 vaccine intentions, but some have changed their minds

• Philadelphia home repair grants linked to decreased neighborhood crime, Penn study finds

• Going back to school in person may mean mental-health challenges for kids. Here’s how to prepare.

• The delta variant may spread as fast as chickenpox, and other facts about new CDC data

• Delta variant’s outdoor transmission is still unclear. Here’s how Philly experts are thinking about COVID-19 risk.

• What we know about a new COVID-19 variant dubbed ‘delta plus’

• Delta-plus and lambda variants don’t yet warrant panic for vaccinated people, Philly experts say

• More than 10,000 Black Philadelphians are participating in a Penn study to understand glaucoma

• USDA study finds COVID-19 antibodies in Pa. deer, first sign of wild animals’ virus exposure

• For too many Black women, pregnancy is fatal. Temple thinks these birth workers could help.