Catherine Offord

Journalist writing about life science, policy, and research integrity. Correspondent for Science magazine.

[Catherine Offord @ce_offord]

Re older Cheeky Scientist contracts: I'm still interested in hearing from anyone who has had the 'non-disparagement' section of their contract enforced, or has been threatened with enforcement of that section. You can reach me at coffordwrites[at]gmail[dot]com

[News from Science @NewsfromScience]

Cheeky Scientist bills itself on its website as the “world’s premier career training platform for PhDs.”

However, many customers allege they were pushed into purchasing services they didn’t want, can’t afford, and haven’t used. https://t.co/mnvFQHDtNJ

[Catherine Offord @ce_offord]

The Trump administration says it is "not possible" for it to comply with a court order to release hundreds of millions of dollars in aid funds by midnight tonight.

This and more in the @NewsfromScience Trump Tracker:
https://t.co/y65P8Gescg

[Catherine Offord @ce_offord]

The chaos at USAID has left many clinical trials in limbo. We spoke to the researchers now scrambling to protect the staff and volunteers involved.
https://t.co/Jt139o1dRn

[Charles Piller @cpiller]

New journal co-founded by NIH nominee raises eyebrows, misinformation fears | Science | AAAS via @ce_offord https://t.co/CCtaULf6cI

[Catherine Offord @ce_offord]

JUST OUT: @GoogleDeepMind has, as it said it would six months ago, made the code for AlphaFold3 available. More here: https://t.co/plrw2wVbzO

[Catherine Offord @ce_offord]

Also: A legal source pointed out that disputes with lenders can be resolved through the CFPB https://t.co/YeD2ZTZHI1

[Catherine Offord @ce_offord]

Cheeky Scientist update: Today, Affirm, the company that used to provide loans for #CheekyScientist customers, told me they are refunding all customers who have opened a dispute. They say:

[Catherine Offord @ce_offord]

Electronic refunds should have already been processed to the consumers’ original payment method, and refunds by check should be in the mail as of today.”

*Please share this with anyone who might find it useful!*

[Catherine Offord @ce_offord]

The background to this story for anyone who needs a reminder: https://t.co/3jyR7kXf9m

[ABSW @absw]

🔎 Steve Connor Award for #Investigative #SciJourn 🔍

📣 #ABSWawards finalists 👉https://t.co/wi9urAfDul
@ChemistryKit @undarkmag
@rosafurneaux @TBIJ
@ce_offord @ScienceMagazine
⏩ What were your biggest challenges investigating these stories?

More to come. Stay tuned! 🎧

[ABSW @absw]

@rosafurneaux @TBIJ #Investigative Science Journalism is needed. Congratulations to you @rosafurneaux and the other finalists for bringing this issues into light. 👏
@ChemistryKit
@ce_offord
@lauramarg
@christinagiles

[Pradeep Natarajan @pnatarajanmd]

Today the @uk_biobank is releasing ~500K whole genome sequences. A tremendous feat in (1) enormity and (2) data sharing. https://t.co/vJ0P6RsC2C @ScienceMagazine @ce_offord

[Charles Piller @cpiller]

My latest investigation for @newsfromscience: Star neuroscientist Berislav Zlokovic of @KECKSchool_USC implicated in possible misconduct involving apparent data doctoring going back 25+ years. Includes science behind a stroke drug in major human trials 1/5 https://t.co/aLuQ5lVD0K

[News from Science @NewsfromScience]

Campus labor organizing efforts are rising across the country—forcing the academic community to reckon with how it compensates early career researchers and what the future of academic science will look like. https://t.co/Q5SfljwDZ3

[News from Science @NewsfromScience]

Congratulations to @cpiller, winner of an Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications in the Science Journalist: Freelancer category. @SciCommAwards https://t.co/6p0oV2HnSD 🏆

Here’s a look at his winning stories. (THREAD 🧵)

[Charles Piller @cpiller]

I’m honored to be a winner of the National Academies/Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications, for stories highlighting signs of misconduct in Alzheimer’s research thanks to courageous whistleblowers like @schrag_matthew #sciencejournalism @scicommexcellence

[Charles Piller @cpiller]

My latest: Long-awaited CUNY investigation finds that Hoau-Yan Wang, a key scientist behind Cassava Sciences’ Alzheimer’s drug, engaged in “longstanding and egregious misconduct” associated with studies supporting the drug, simufilam. 1/3 https://t.co/rYqpkO4Mos

[Catherine Offord @ce_offord]

Gender pay gap research wins economics nobel @NewsfromScience

https://t.co/72Oibmy8q6

[The Drew Weissman Lab @WeissmanLab]

!!!!!!!!