Esther Landhuis
@elandhuis.bsky.social
📤 2705
📥 115
📝 42
Science & health journalist (www.estherlandhuis.com), college mom, drummer. San Francisco Bay Area
No surprise here! Thanks
@carmendrahl.bsky.social
& Macon Morehouse
@sciencenews.bsky.social
for beautiful edits on my story about
@ucsfmac.bsky.social
research highlighting impact of reforming
#dementia
care to empower
#caregivers
www.sciencenews.org/article/alzh...
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The best way to help Alzheimer’s patients may be to help their caregivers
A mathematical model simulated patient outcomes when given caregiver support or an expensive Alzheimer’s drug to determine cost and health benefits.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/alzheimers-patient-caregiver-drug-cost
6 days ago
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My latest for
@npr.org
Fascinating brain-body research
@cellpress.bsky.social
by UCSD neuroscientists
www.npr.org/2026/01/27/n...
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Scientists shed new light on the brain's role in heart attack
Researchers discovered a feedback loop between nerve cells, the immune system and the heart. They think it shows promise as a target for future therapies.
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/27/nx-s1-5690108/heart-attack-brain-nervous-immune-system
15 days ago
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More than anything I've reported last decade, this
@undark.org
feature on
#PANDAS
showed me how profit-driven healthcare keeps US specialists siloed & unable to coordinate care. Many thanks
@asjahq.bsky.social
for supporting our work! Links to award-winning stories:
www.asja.org/announcing-t...
7 months ago
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Incredible reporting by
@saratalpos.bsky.social
for
@undark.org
undark.org/2025/05/27/j...
Focuses on principles over politics, showing how a scientist became "controversial" for asking fair questions that deserved more attention and dialogue
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Amid Turbulence, the NIH's Jay Bhattacharya Era Begins
Pandemic policies prompted his call for public health reform. But allies wonder if he can deliver it as a Trump insider.
https://undark.org/2025/05/27/jay-bhattacharyas-nih-reform/
8 months ago
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The physicians who trusted me with their painful, complicated journeys deserve this award! Shout-out to
@brookeborel.bsky.social
& Jane Reza
@undark.org
for terrific editing & fact-checking Fuller thoughts on LinkedIn:
bit.ly/4cRa1tj
add a skeleton here at some point
10 months ago
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#foodallergy
sufferers: Would you rather get a shot every 2-4 weeks or consume your allergens(s) daily? My story
@medscape.com
on new data from research trial addressing this Q — latest from my "medicine is rarely black and white" beat 🤪
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
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Omalizumab vs Oral Immunotherapy: No Clear Winner
OUtMATCH 2/3: Among trial finishers, omalizumab and oral immunotherapy offered similar protection against food allergies, and some people could introduce allergens into their diet after stopping omali...
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/omalizumab-vs-oral-immunotherapy-no-clear-winner-2025a10005zi
11 months ago
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My first story for AARP, on pre-symotomatic
#Alzheimer's
Dx - now possible with blood tests, but advisable?
www.aarp.org/health/brain...
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Diagnosing Alzheimer’s in People With No Symptoms
Diagnosing Alzheimer's disease before people have any symptoms is possible, but brings up concerns when so few treatments are available
https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-2025/alzheimers-diagnosis-before-symptoms.html
11 months ago
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Health journalism+jazz drumming in 1 post w/ shared theme: improv! First, "thought aloud on mic" w/
@mcgowankat.bsky.social
@alokpatelmd.bsky.social
@ 1/13 JPM healthcare writers reception (📸 Kathleen Sheffer Photography) Then took drumsticks 🥁 across town & sat in for a tune @SFJAZZ jam session
about 1 year ago
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Thrilled that my Undark features on PANDAS/PANS, direct-to-consumer allergy SLIT drops & OTC hearing aids won an award from the Society of Professional Journalists NorCal chapter! Thanks
@brookeborel.bsky.social
@saratalpos.bsky.social
for edits & encouragement!
spjnorcal.org/2024/10/30/s...
over 1 year ago
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5
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reposted by
Esther Landhuis
Carmen Drahl
over 1 year ago
Caregivers, parents,
@sciencewriters.org
has a virtual meetup for you. 10/9, 1PM ET. Please join me,
@elandhuis.bsky.social
@sarahderouin.bsky.social
and
@sciam.bsky.social
's Lauren Young and
@tanyalewis.bsky.social
for off-the-record convos and camaraderie.
www.nasw.org/events/nasw-...
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Virtual Networking Social: Caregivers Support
This latest NASW Virtual Networking Social is brought to you by the NASW Freelance Committee.
https://www.nasw.org/events/nasw-science-writers-freelance-committee-virtual-event-october-2024-caregivers-sciwrisocial
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A ~1,500-word riff on how
#jazz
#drumming
could help my
#journalism
! Thanks to
@kategammon.bsky.social
for encouraging me to turn recent FB ramblings into something more coherent :)
niemanstoryboard.org/stories/musi...
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Bang that keyboard and jazz up your writing | Nieman Storyboard
A freelance science journalist took up drumming, dared to jam some jazz — and found a way to do fast-jazz story drafts.
https://niemanstoryboard.org/stories/music-writing-procrastination-anxiety-freewriting/
over 1 year ago
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Say what? The brainstem not only controls core functions such as HR, BP, breathing ...but also, responses to infection. And this immunology finding came from a taste lab! Thanks
@hanner.bsky.social
for asking me to write this for
@quantamagazine.bsky.social
!
www.quantamagazine.org/the-brainste...
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The Brainstem Fine-Tunes Inflammation Throughout the Body | Quanta Magazine
The evolutionarily ancient part of the brain that controls breathing and heart rate also regulates the immune system — a discovery about the brain-body axis made by experts on taste.
https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-brainstem-fine-tunes-inflammation-throughout-the-body-20240614
over 1 year ago
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So radical. So sensible.
tradeoffs.org/2024/06/06/n...
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A New Kind of Primary Care Comes to America - Tradeoffs
A group of nurses in East Baltimore is piloting a bold plan to bring basic primary care to everybody no matter their age, income or insurance.
https://tradeoffs.org/2024/06/06/neighborhood-nursing-costa-rica-primary-care/
over 1 year ago
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My latest for JAMA. Dire headline but focuses on solutions - eg PCR test showing if patient responds to "older" antibiotic, modeling study suggesting how to deploy new drugs w/ national surveillance on shoestring budget.
@yhgrad.bsky.social
@jenabbasi.bsky.social
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
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“Super Gonorrhea” Has Arrived
This Medical News article discusses approaches to slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2818437
almost 2 years ago
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My attempt at capturing 2 decades of
#Alzheimers
drug development in 2,300 words! View from scientific trenches: amyloid immunotherapy from basic science to clinic. Full issue here (
www.scientificamerican.com/custom-media...
)
www.scientificamerican.com/custom-media...
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Scientific American
Amyloid immunotherapies took 20 years to reach the clinic. Scientists are testing new types of therapies they hope could deliver stronger benefits and fewer side effects
https://www.scientificamerican.com/custom-media/davos-alzheimers-collaborative/the-marathon-journey-to-the-first-alzheimers-drugs/
almost 2 years ago
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My latest feature explores a hard-to-define condition that raises Qs re biological roots of mental illness. But this controversial diagnosis is getting more accepted, particularly as it strikes the children of healthcare providers. The most challenging piece I've done!
undark.org/2024/04/03/p...
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When Infection Sparks Obsession: PANDAS and PANS
A controversial diagnosis is increasingly accepted among doctors. Finding care remains out of reach for many families.
https://undark.org/2024/04/03/pandas-infection-sparks-obsession/
almost 2 years ago
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My turn on the hot seat
@theopennotebook.bsky.social
www.theopennotebook.com/2024/03/19/a...
almost 2 years ago
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What if disease-modifying therapies for
#Alzheimers
were evaluated by "time saved" rather than slowed rates of cognitive decline? My first piece for Nature Index
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
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Researchers call for a major rethink of how Alzheimer’s treatments are evaluated
An approach that aims to quantify how long a drug can delay or halt the progression of disease is gathering steam. An approach that aims to quantify how long a drug can delay or halt the progression o...
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00756-8
almost 2 years ago
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Thanks
@bmaher.bsky.social
@ Kendall Powell for noticing my tweet last fall & letting it inspire this listicle-style piece for Nature Careers!
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
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11 reasons why we’ve stayed in academia
Although many postdocs and faculty members are leaving for industry or elsewhere, these researchers tell us why they love the academic life. Although many postdocs and faculty members are leaving for ...
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00724-2
almost 2 years ago
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During the pandemic
@carmendrahl.bsky.social
set up occasional Zoom calls for NASW members who work while tending children & loved ones. Now we're offering a way to find a peer buddy to connect 1:1 — for all
#caregiving
NASW members, not just freelancers. Check it out!
www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
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Connection for Caregivers: Introducing NASW’s peer buddy resource pilot project
The Freelance Committee of the National Association of Science Writers launches a new pilot program serving NASW members juggling careers and caregiving.
https://www.nasw.org/article/nasw-science-writers-freelance-committee-caregiver-project-buddy-resource-pilot
about 2 years ago
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So true. All. The. Time.
add a skeleton here at some point
about 2 years ago
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ICYMI: Delightful storytelling in this Science cover feature by David Grimm
www.science.org/content/arti...
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‘Not dumb creatures.’ Livestock surprise scientists with their complex, emotional minds
A growing field of research is challenging long-held assumptions about goats, pigs, and other farm animals
https://www.science.org/content/article/not-dumb-creatures-livestock-surprise-scientists-their-complex-emotional-minds?s=09
about 2 years ago
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For a while (especially during the pandemic) I've been uneasy about the kneejerk response to root out misinformation, which often is not rooted in malice. Love this thought-provoking take by
@saratalpos.bsky.social
undark.org/2024/01/08/c...
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Did the Battle Against 'Misinformation' Go Too Far?
The pandemic brought a massive effort to limit the spread of bad health information. Did it do more harm than good?
https://undark.org/2024/01/08/covid-misinformation-censorship/
about 2 years ago
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reposted by
Esther Landhuis
CASW
about 2 years ago
Start your new work year off strong by joining our upcoming Connector Chat: Best Practices for Pitching Freelance Stories. Featuring
@robinlloyd.bsky.social
, Victoria Jaggard,
@elandhuis.bsky.social
and Debbie Ponchner. To register:
bit.ly/casw-pitching
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On one level, a public health story on hearing aids - though what most stood out to me while reporting were the vastly different cultures of medicine (evidence-driven) & engineering (innovation-driven) Many thanks
@brookeborel.bsky.social
for superb editing as usual
undark.org/2023/12/27/o...
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Why Aren’t More People Buying Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids?
In the U.S., millions of adults have hearing loss. Will consumer tech help sway them toward hearing aids?
https://undark.org/2023/12/27/otc-hearing-aids/
about 2 years ago
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Recent provocative data reinvigorates an age-old question, but after talking with scientists who've spent decades puzzling over this, what struck me most was how much remains ...a big puzzle. My latest for
@sciam.bsky.social
www.scientificamerican.com/article/coul...
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Could Blood Transfusions and Tissue Transplants Spread Certain Dementias?
Scattered evidence suggests that aberrant proteins act as “seeds” to transmit neurodegenerative disease, but the jury is still out
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/could-blood-transfusions-and-tissue-transplants-spread-certain-dementias/
about 2 years ago
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Nice reporting by @goes_by_kim. Tackled hot topic in a piece that doesn't oversimplify yet doesn't run long!
www.scientificamerican.com/article/prec...
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Precision Cancer Drugs Glitter with Promise--If You Can Get Them
A growing arsenal of genetically tailored oncology treatments have spectacular results, but scope and access remain limited
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/precision-cancer-drugs-glitter-with-promise-if-you-can-get-them/
about 2 years ago
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While writing about DTC allergy companies earlier this year (
undark.org/2023/08/09/v...
), I had wondered about laws & regulations (or lack thereof) for DTC platforms but didn't have time to fully investigate. This well-researched Undark piece (
undark.org/2023/11/01/t...
) by Teresa Carr has answers
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Amid Regulatory Gaps, Telehealth Prescribers Flourish
Through telehealth, it’s easier than ever to get prescription drugs online. Should regulators be paying more attention?
https://undark.org/2023/11/01/telehealth-drugs/
over 2 years ago
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With so many hedge terms and caveats (not to mention that both studies are unpublished), one wonders whether this is worth reporting at all ...or when/how to do it responsibly and fairly to provide useful insight without raising alarm 🤔 Curious what others think!
www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/h...
over 2 years ago
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While medicine has become increasingly evidence-based, here, interestingly,
@naomioreskes.bsky.social
suggests that mask messaging might have suffered from overreliance on "gold standard" RCT data over real-world observations
www.scientificamerican.com/article/what...
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What Went Wrong with a Highly Publicized COVID Mask Analysis?
The Cochrane Library, a trusted source of health information, misled the public by prioritizing rigor over reality
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-went-wrong-with-a-highly-publicized-covid-mask-analysis/?s=09
over 2 years ago
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Amid sluggish NIH
#LongCovid
efforts, could this bottom-up approach yield treatment answers faster? My latest for Undark
undark.org/2023/10/23/l...
Thanks
@brookeborel.bsky.social
for great editing, and
@julierehmeyer.bsky.social
for inspiring the story
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From a Grassroots Survey to Long Covid Treatment Trials
A pharmacist polled patients on their dozens of medications and supplements. Could these efforts help fight long Covid?
https://undark.org/2023/10/23/long-covid-survey/
over 2 years ago
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Quick & easy - just the click of a button - and so far it seems to work! (For those of us still on the fence about abandoning Twitter/X...)
www.niemanlab.org/2023/10/elon...
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Elon Musk took the headlines away from Twitter — but you can bring them back with this one weird t...
This browser extension can help you undo one piece of the misinformation-related damage Musk has done to the newsiest of social platforms.
https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/10/elon-musk-took-the-headlines-away-from-twitter-but-you-can-bring-them-back-with-this-one-weird-trick/
over 2 years ago
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This is wild!
www.statnews.com/2023/10/13/c...
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Like a vampire, some cancer cells can suck the energy source from immune cells
Images reveal that cancer cells pierce T-cells with nanotubes and steal their energy source, sapping the immune system.
https://www.statnews.com/2023/10/13/cancer-immunotherapy-t-cells-mitochondria/
over 2 years ago
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Newbie Q - or more like a quick poll: Nowadays are you guys double-posting to Bluesky and Twitter, or just one vs other — and how to decide which?
over 2 years ago
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