We had another record year at Speaking of Research, with web traffic up 30% compared with the previous year. Our viewers range from scientists, to students, to curious members of the public. Many of our readers are actively involved in biomedical research, as researchers, animal technicians, veterinarians, science writers and more. This post is aimed at you!
Every year we get publish numerous guest posts from those involved in or linked to animal research. These include veterinarians explaining how they go into the job, scientists explaining their latest research, animal technicians explaining how and why they care for animals, scientists debunking animal rights myths, science writers explaining the latest scientific breakthroughs, and more.
And it doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned science writer, or someone taking their first steps into science communication – we will help you every step of the way by offering advice, help, comments and more.
Examples of posts might be:
- An article about the research you are involved in
- An article about what your job in a lab involves (particularly vets/techs)
- An article explaining the importance of a specific animal model
- An article explaining the role of animals to understanding or treating a specific disease
- An article explaining how we care for animals in labs, or how we care for specific species
- An article about a recent research story you found interesting and the contribution of animals to the process.
- An article debunking a myth you hear from those opposed to animal research
The posts do not need to be long. We suggest between 400 and 1500 words, and written in a manner which is accessible to non-scientists – imagine you are explaining your subject to a smart 12-year old (we can help with this).
Here are some great examples of past guest posts:
- Why I am a Laboratory Animal Veterinarian – Kelly Walton DVM
- Predictability and utility of animal models – Dale Cooper DVM
- Behind the scenes of zebrafish research – Jan Botthof
- What it means for me to be a veterinary technician in biomedical research – James Champion
- Manchester protests miss the point – Patrick Smith
- Sometimes my job seems like a secret – Amy Davison
Not ready to write a full post? We accept small 100-150 word submissions on research that has gone on in the last week for inclusion in our weekly Research Roundup. See previous posts for examples of style, or see below:
Gene-editing breakthrough found to minimize hearing loss in mice could help humans. Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9, a gene-editing technology, to prevent hearing loss in a mouse model of human genetic deafness. Dr. Liu, at Harvard University, and his colleagues, worked with Beethoven mice, named for the composer who gradually became deaf, and found that it was possible to edit out the “bad” dominant gene causing gradual deafness, allowing the “good” gene to be dominant. Researchers caution many diseases have been cured in mice but did not have the same results in people. Although in this case, they are hopeful since the same mutation leads to progressive hearing loss in both mice and humans. Further study, including using this technique in larger animals, is needed before it can be applied to human patients. This study was published in Nature.
To submit any content, or to find out more about writing a guest post, please email contact@speakingofresearch.com.
We do not accept spammy/commercial links or content from blog writers who have no links to biomedical research.
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