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Rebecca Roberts,PhD

Rebecca Roberts, PhD

Rebecca Roberts is a science writer and communicator. She earned her PhD in molecular biology from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia and completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Lund University in Sweden. Her writing focuses on gene editing technology, cell and gene therapies, and the regulatory space.

Articles by Rebecca Roberts, PhD
Cluster of blue cells encasing green tube structures. 
The Era of Organoids: Disease Modeling, Developmental Research, and Drug Response Prediction 
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Jan 4, 2025 | 5 min read
Acting as mini organs in a dish, organoids fuel diverse research areas, from cancer to evolutionary biology.
A digitized human brain in blue sits on top of a computer microchip
Artificial Intelligence in Biology: From Neural Networks to AlphaFold
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Dec 27, 2024 | 5 min read
Using AI models, scientists can predict gene expression, design new proteins, and create precision medicines.
Two female scientists in lab coats and safety glasses are studying epigenetics. One uses a dropper to add a chemical to a test tube held by the other. In the background are a DNA double helix, histones and chromatin structure, and environmental factors that affect the epigenome.
Epigenetics and Heritable Control of Gene Expression
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Dec 18, 2024 | 7 min read
The epigenome regulates nearly every process in the human body. By studying epigenetics, scientists have revealed some secrets to aging, cancer, and complex diseases.
Multiple panels of a magnetic resonance imaging brain scan.
Blocking Scar Formation Prevents Glioblastoma Recurrence
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Nov 18, 2024 | 5 min read
A combination of three therapies prevented scar tissue and stopped glioblastoma in its tracks in mice.
Short strands of RNA floating on a blue background
Gene Silencing with RNA Interference
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Nov 11, 2024 | 5 min read
Gene knockdown using RNAi enables gene function studies, with applications from pest control to biotherapeutics.
A greyscale micrograph of a Ly6G+ macrophage, showing a kidney-shaped nucleus and many elongated cell-surface protrusions 
Disappearing Act: Novel Population of Transient Macrophages Repair Lungs After Illness
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Oct 9, 2024 | 4 min read
Initially mistaken for neutrophils, a population of atypical macrophages appears in the lungs after severe viral infection, orchestrates tissue repair, and then vanishes. 
A micrograph shows grey sickle-shaped nanovials containing single, fluorescent green mesenchymal stem cells. Some of the cells have secreted high levels of magenta-colored extracellular vesicles.
Tiny Test Tubes Sort Stem Cells for Improved Therapy
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Aug 29, 2024 | 4 min read
Mesenchymal stem cells with high levels of extracellular vesicle secretion promote vascular regeneration and improve heart function in mice.
Conceptual image of multiomics: Biological samples such as fish and apples are surrounded by scientific instruments like flasks, test tubes, and a microscope, with strands of DNA and different chemical molecules
Multiomics Enables Integrated Biological Analysis 
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Aug 19, 2024 | 6 min read
Scientists use multiomics to explore the biological continuum from gene to phenotype, identifying complex molecular mechanisms and pathways.
A clear SDS-PAGE gel that contains multiple colored bands. 
Western Blot Protocol, Troubleshooting, and Applications
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Jul 3, 2024 | 7 min read
Western blotting allows scientists to identify specific proteins in complex biological samples and determine relative abundance of a protein target.
A scientist cultures organoids in a multi-well plate filled with red cell culture media
Understanding the 3D Cell Culture Revolution
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Apr 17, 2024 | 6 min read
3D cell culture techniques closely mimic in vivo conditions, generating more accurate data for disease modeling and drug toxicity testing.
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