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Image of Ruairi J Mackenzie

Ruairi J Mackenzie

Senior Science Writer

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As senior science writer, Ruairi pens and edits scientific news, articles and features, with a focus on the complexities and curiosities of the brain and emerging informatics technologies. Ruairi also drives Technology Networks' search engine optimization (SEO) and editorial AI strategy and created the site’s podcast, Opinionated Science, in 2020. Ruairi has a Master’s degree in Clinical Neurosciences from the University of Cambridge.


Latest Content
A pile of clocks.
News

Points in Life Where Women Age Fastest Identified Using Biological Clocks

A new study has constructed an “aging clock” for the female body – information missing from previous studies of aging. The research mapped 4 domains of biological aging – chronic inflammation, hormonal regulation, tissue fitness and lipid metabolism – that can together accurately measure female biological age.
A torso with a intestine drawn on it in marker pen.
News

Arthritis’s Links to the Gut Microbiome Revealed in New Study

In a breakthrough study shedding light on the intricate connection between gut health and inflammatory diseases, the Inflammatory Arthritis Microbiome Consortium has unveiled important findings.
The High-Throughput Technologies Speeding Up Biomedical Science
Infographic

The High-Throughput Technologies Speeding Up Biomedical Science

Biological and biomedical research used to be a field anchored down by the weight of time-consuming manual tasks. Involved and laborious wet-lab processes slowed output to a crawl.

But now, high-throughput technologies have ramped up the speed of science. In this infographic, we take a deep dive into how these technologies have changed the game.
Neurons sending out electrical signals.
News

Antipsychotic Drugs May Work Differently to How We First Thought

Scientists have paved a new path toward more effective drugs for schizophrenia and provided results that suggest the way these drugs work is more complex than first thought.
A readout of electrical activity in the brain on a screen.
News

Brain Wave Study Reveals Secrets of Unconsciousness

Spelunking the depths of unconsciousness may have gotten a notch easier, as researchers from MIT unveil a pioneering study on how general anesthetics affect our brain waves.
A disintegrating brain.
News

“Exciting” New Alzheimer’s Drug Slows Disease Progression, But Side Effects Dampen Celebrations

A paper outlining the efficacy of a new drug for Alzheimer’s disease has been published. The hotly awaited findings confirm that the compound, donanemab, can delay the rate of decline in individuals with early-stage Alzheimer’s by 22.3%. Nevertheless, side effects complicate the picture.
A tablet showing medical information
News

Chat-MD? Scientists Put AI Models’ Medical Skills to the Test

In a new study published in Nature, scientists from Google Research have introduced a novel benchmark, known as MultiMedQA, for evaluating the ability of large language models (LLMs) to present accurate answers to medical questions.
A white feather floating on water.
News

Enjoy the Science of Silence: We Hear Silence Just Like Other Sounds

As our world grows louder by the day, more and more people are searching for a little silence. Now, a new study suggests that our brains can hear silence in the same way it perceives sound.
A baby is fed from a bottle.
News

Human Breast Milk Compound Alters Brain Growth in Mice

Human breast milk is a nutrient-rich mix that helps nurture newborns through an essential period of development. New evidence suggests that one particular compound derived from breast milk, the sugar myo-inositol, might play an important role in the maturation of the newborn brain.

A scientists walks along a neuron like a tightrope.
Article

Neurodegeneration: Are We Closer to a Cure, or Still a World Apart?

Our knowledge of how pathological proteins like amyloid spread and become deposited throughout the brain in many major neurodegenerative diseases is now extensive. Nevertheless, our improved understanding of Alzheimer’s molecular mechanisms has yet to bridge over to effective treatments that reverse disease progress. Are we any closer to a cure?

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