Dr. Catherine Shaffer

Feature Writer

Ph.D

Life Sciences, Cell Biology

Catherine Shaffer is a freelance science and health writer from Michigan. She has written for a wide variety of trade and consumer publications on life sciences topics, particularly in the area of drug discovery and development. She holds a Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry and began her career as a laboratory researcher before transitioning to science writing. She also writes and publishes fiction, and in her free time enjoys yoga, biking, and taking care of her pets.

Articles from Catherine

Sun Tanning Addiction

Sun exposure has some positive and many negative effects for humans. The skin requires exposure to UV-B rays from the sun in order to stimulate vitamin D synthesis, as a lack of vitamin D can cause illnesses like rickets and may increase the risk of cancer. With this said, UV light is also a known carcinogen, and excessive exposure can cause cancer.

18 Jul 2017

Mole Mapping

Mole mapping is a procedure used for surveillance of skin for malignant melanoma.

18 Jul 2017

Can You Sunburn Your Eyes?

A sunburn of the cornea is called photokeratosis, which is caused by overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet B (UV-B) or ultraviolet C (UV-C) rays. Photokeratosis is also known as snow-blindness or radiation keratitis. Sunburn of the eyes can be a very painful condition, but it is reversible and resolves within a few days. The condition is very comparable to sunburn of the skin.

18 Jul 2017

What Causes Hyperelastic Skin?

Skin that is stretched beyond the normal level is known as hyperelastic skin.

17 Jul 2017

RNA Sequencing

If DNA is the fundamental code of the genome, RNA is the message. Genes are made active through the process of transcribing the code into RNA, and then translating RNA into DNA. This is known as the central dogma of molecular biology.

10 Jul 2017

Diagnosis and Therapies for Moebius Syndrome

Moebius syndrome is usually first suspected in newborn infants who are unable to suck. They may also have crossed eyes and drool excessively. Other signs may be present, such as abnormalities of the limbs, palate, and tongue. As the infant grows, smiling does not develop.

8 May 2017

Genetics and Inheritance of Moebius Syndrome

Most cases of Moebius syndrome are spontaneous, with no family history and no known genetic cause. In certain rare cases, the disorder has been associated with defects in chromosomes 3, 10, and 13. The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database lists the gene map locus 13q12.2-q13 as having significance for Moebius syndrome.

8 May 2017

How is Conjunctivitis Diagnosed?

The conjunctiva is a layer of pink tissue that overlays the eye and the inside of each eyelid. Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, sometimes referred to as pinkeye. It is a very common eye complaint, comprising about 30% of all eye-related emergency department visits. General symptoms include redness, discharge, irritation, and light sensitivity.

8 May 2017

Moebius Syndrome: Differential Diagnosis

Moebius syndrome is a disorder affecting the cranial nerves that control movement of the face. People affected by the disorder lack any facial expression, including smiling, and may have an array of other symptoms such as deafness and deformities of the limbs. Because there are multiple forms of the disease, depending on which cranial nerves are affected, and many ways in which symptoms can manifest, the differential diagnosis includes a range of other neurologic, degenerative, and metabolic disorders.

8 May 2017

Signs and Symptoms of Moebius Syndrome

Moebius syndrome is present at birth, and its first sign is often the infant’s difficulty with sucking. The disease affects the cranial nerves, preventing normal facial muscle movement, which affects facial expression and eye movement. There are a variety of signs and symptoms of Moebius disorder and a great deal of potential variation from one patient to another.

8 May 2017