Michaeleen Doucleff
Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD, is a correspondent for NPR's Science Desk. For nearly a decade, she has been reporting for the radio and the web for NPR's global health outlet, Goats and Soda. Doucleff focuses on disease outbreaks, cross-cultural parenting, and women and children's health.
In 2014, Doucleff was part of the team that earned a George Foster Peabody award for its coverage of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. For the series, Doucleff reported on how the epidemic ravaged maternal health and how the virus spreads through the air. In 2019, Doucleff and Senior Producer Jane Greenhalgh produced a story about how Inuit parents teach children to control their anger. That story was the most popular one on NPR.org for the year; altogether readers have spent more than 16 years worth of time reading it.
In 2021, Doucleff published a book, called Hunt, Gather, Parent, stemming from her reporting at NPR. That book became a New York Times bestseller.
Before coming to NPR in 2012, Doucleff was an editor at the journal Cell, where she wrote about the science behind pop culture. Doucleff has a bachelor degree in biology from Caltech, a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Berkeley, California, and a master's degree in viticulture and enology from the University of California, Davis.
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For decades, parents were told to help children build willpower like a muscle, to resist things like junk food and too much time on their screens. But new research suggests a better strategy. -
The latest nutrition guidelines urge Americans to avoid highly processed food. But when it comes to carbs, many people don't know which ones are ultra-processed. Here's an easy way to find out. -
As you prepare for your holiday feast, here's something to consider. Research suggests there are certain foods that can help boost our moods and make us happier in the long-run. -
Kids in the U.S. get most of their calories from ultra-processed foods, which are tied to health problems. Now, scientists are finding that kids don't all react to these foods in the same way. -
A continuous glucose monitor is a small device that sticks to your arm. Every few minutes it sends a signal to your phone estimating your blood sugar levels. But can it improve your health? -
When it comes to rice and pasta, dietitians recommend eating brown or whole grain because they're more nutritious. But you can create a super nutrient in white rice and white pasta. Here's the trick. -
People taking weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy report a dampening of the urge to drink. Here's how the drugs curb cravings and what that could mean for helping treat addiction. -
A striking decline in teen mental health has coincided with the rise of smartphones and social media. Is social media causing the mental health challenges? Finally, research can answer that question. -
New versions of omicron are circulating in the United States and South Africa. Two new studies shed light on the potential for future surges — and the risk factor if you've already had omicron.
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You might want to cancel that holiday party, and definitely dust off your face mask. Don't panic, but do step up your precautions. Here's how.
