Science and Health Journalist
Hi! I'm a journalist who writes about the intersection of science, policy, and global health, with a particular focus on stories from the Global South.
I've written for Nature, Science, and Undark, investigating critical issues in global health access. My investigation into why the malaria vaccine development took 35 years while Covid-19 vaccines were created in one was republished by NPR, The Atlantic, and many others. I've also reported on cholera preparedness and vaccine stockouts, revealing systemic gaps in global health systems. My work has also focused on science policy issues, including India's $6 billion research funding initiative.
Before journalism, I studied biotechnology and worked in India's pharmaceutical industry, experiences that give me unique insights into how science translates to real-world health solutions. This background informs my reporting on vaccine development, disease outbreaks, and global health systems.
Currently, I'm at MIT's Graduate Program in Science Writing, developing skills in data visualization and investigative storytelling. Previously, I was a science writing fellow at The Open Notebook (2022), a AAAS EurekAlert! Fellow (2020), and held the S. Ramaseshan science writing fellowship at the Indian Academy of Sciences (2019).
The long, maddening wait reveals much about the world's vaccine priorities.
Republished by: The Atlantic, Smithsonian Magazine, Popular Science
Read on Undark
More than forty countries reported cholera outbreaks in 2022. Researchers say that public health officials have all the tools necessary to stop cholera. So why has it been so hard to prepare for outbreaks?
Read on Undark
Resistance to a crucial anti-malarial drug, artemisinin, was confirmed in Africa. Without better surveillance, it is hard to track the threat that could undo decades of progress against the disease.
UndarkRepublished by: NPR, Salon, The Wire
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A dramatic shortage of the oral vaccine may ease in the years ahead as more companies enter the market.
Science Read article
With a flurry of vaccines and other therapeutics coming to the market, the need to understand the virus and its burden is more imminent than ever.
Nature Read article
Amidst the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, numbers of rare but dangerous black fungal infections have skyrocketed.
Science News Read article
Proposed National Research Foundation would spend $6 billion over 5 years, but is drawing mixed reactions.
Science Read article
Dozens of species remain unreported because India's biopiracy law clashes with international taxonomy rules.
Science Read article
From ancient sea species to clues on comets, papers coming out of the country are regularly making headlines.
Nature Index Read article
A changing climate in Congo is affecting how scientists count bonobos' nests, possibly skewing estimates of the great ape population.
Science News Read article
How to discover overlooked stories, develop local sources, and report with sensitivity while highlighting crafting narratives that resonate with international audiences.
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How to craft compelling, evidence-based arguments that build on journalistic expertise while maintaining professional credibility.
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How to track retractions, cultivate whistleblower sources, and document evidence to strengthen accountability in scientific research.
Read articleFor more such stories, visit my author page at The Open Notebook
