The only thing standing between humanity and the end of HIV
Even Trump is fast-tracking this innovative new drug. What could go wrong?
Vox Read article
Hi! I’m Pratik. I'm a journalist at Vox, where I cover global health, science, and biomedicine. My work focuses on how policies and systems shape progress and who gets to benefit.
I have written about global vaccine access, infectious disease outbreaks, and public health for Science, Nature, Undark, and other outlets. My story on why the malaria vaccine took 35 years, if Covid-19 shots were developed in months was republished by NPR, The Atlantic, Mother Jones, and Smithsonian. I've also reported on how institutional policies shape scientific progress: from India's research funding overhaul to the U.S. FDA's shift away from animal testing.
Before journalism, I studied biotechnology and worked in India's pharmaceutical industry. I recently graduated from MIT, where I honed my skills in longform investigative reporting and data visualization. I've also held fellowships at The Open Notebook, AAAS EurekAlert!, and the Indian Academy of Sciences.
You can reach me securely on Signal (pratik.11) or drop me a line over email at pratik.pawar@voxmedia.com. I lurk on Twitter at @pratikmpawar.
Even Trump is fast-tracking this innovative new drug. What could go wrong?
Vox Read article
The long, maddening wait reveals much about the world's vaccine priorities.
UndarkRepublished by: The Atlantic, Smithsonian Magazine, Popular Science
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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?
Undark 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
Educational guides promoting India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission have drawn criticism for containing pseudoscience and errors, prompting a national debate on science education standards.
Science Read article
Blanco-Melo is investigating centuries-old diseases that devastated Indigenous communities across the Americas, hoping to reconstruct their genomic fingerprints.
Science News Read article
Neuroscientist Annapoorna PK uses mouse models to study epigenetics of mental illness—while pushing Indian institutions to better support scientists' mental health.
Nature Spotlight 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
The worm turns up in the mom's ovaries and the embryo's braincase of a common wall lizard — a rare form of vertical transmission in reptiles.
Science News Read article
This unusual trade-off among barn owl chicks shows how early cooperative behavior may develop through reciprocal altruism.
Science News Read article
There are many documented cases of strange animal behavior before earthquakes. Scientists finally put some farm animals to the test.
Discover Magazine 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 articleThis scroll-driven D3.js and Mapbox visualization explores how redlining and housing policy shaped affordability across Boston. I reported and built the Mattapan section, tracing one of the city’s most dramatic demographic shifts using census data, archival maps, and narrative design.
MIT Data Visualization Class • May 2025 View project
After the Carney Hospital ER shut down, Mattapan residents have struggled to access basic and emergency care. This investigation explores how a majority-Black Boston neighborhood was left behind by the city’s healthcare system — and what efforts are underway to fill the gaps.
GBH News • June 2025 Read article