Dr Marianne Kennedy

Dr Marianne Kennedy is a Volunteer Writer at BioNews, having originally joined the publication under the auspices of its writing scheme. She obtained her medical degree from University College London's Division of Medicine, under the auspices of its MBPhD Programme, where she divided her time between clinical training at University College London Hospital and research at the Medical Research Council's National Institute for Medical Research (now subsumed into The Francis Crick Institute). Her research focused on metabolic changes in the heart before and after birth, and has potential implications for high altitude medicine, cot death and heart failure. Her essay on this subject, 'Conquistadores and Cot Death', was shortlisted for the Max Perutz Science Writing Prize, while her story 'Freedom Through Genetics' was shortlisted for the Wellcome Trust's Science Writing Prize. Her earlier research concerned obesity, and how gut hormones and gene variations impact on eating behaviour, appetite and body weight. She also writes for the Society for Endocrinology's public information website You and Your Hormones. Previously, she studied Medicine and Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. She is currently working a junior doctor at Southampton University Hospital. Marianne is also a singer/songwriter and a member of the all-singing, all-dancing a cappella group In the Smoke.
BioNews Review articles written by Dr Marianne Kennedy:
Event Review: Mutants and What to Do About Them |
21 February 2011 - by Dr Marianne Kennedy |
'There's a bar at a nightclub and a girl is deciding whether to take some guy she's met home with her. She's not intent on asking does he dance well or does he have a good sense of humour… no, no, no. She takes a little bit of his hair and she runs out the door, down the street to the local genome shop… she hands over the hair with her credit card and comes back in 15 minutes. She opens up the envelope and she says, 'Wow, he's got a genetic quotient of 99'. She goes back to the bar and says ... [Read More] |
Book Review: The Genome Book - A Must-Have Guide to Your DNA for Maximum Health |
7 February 2011 - by Dr Marianne Kennedy |
Genetics is creating more confusion than the offside rule in pub conversation. Most of us had limited teaching on the subject at school or we may have left before Watson and Crick ran out of the pub that night with the structure of DNA on a beer mat. We are left to soak in the media murkiness and skewed views of individuals, which could one day influence important decisions on our health.... [Read More] |
Book Review: Communicating Biological Sciences - Ethical and Metaphorical Dimensions |
22 March 2010 - by Dr Marianne Kennedy |
My first impression of this book was that the title smacks of a dull read. On the contrary, however, this book provides a stimulating awakening into one of the challenges facing science writing today, namely the use of metaphor: its purpose in communication and consequences for science and public understanding... [Read More] |
BioNews News articles written by Dr Marianne Kennedy: