About Pamela A. Harvey
Pamela Harvey is a neuroscientist, professor, and freelance medical writer with 20 years of experience in science communications. She has a doctorate in neuroscience and postdoctoral training in molecular biology. Dr. Harvey has conducted research and published in the fields of neuroscience, cardiology, and immunology. As a lifelong learner and educator, she is passionate about making science relatable and understandable to everyone. To learn more about Dr. Harvey's research, see https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pamela-Harvey-3 and www.synapticmedicalwriting.com/samples.

Breaking the Cycle: Promising Epigenetic Breakthrough in Opioid Addiction Relapse Prevention

July 25, 2023 Pamela A. Harvey

Opioid misuse has led to an unprecedented crisis, with more than 3 million people in the United States experiencing dependence or addiction (1). Despite the success of in-patient rehabilitation programs, relapse rates are approaching 90%, creating a critical need for effective relapse prevention strategies (2).  To address this, researchers from Boston University and Icahn School of Medicine asked whether long-term changes in gene transcription occur after opioid withdrawal. Their analyses identified a novel epigenetic mechanism involved in difficult withdrawal symptoms [more…]

Reversing Fate: Exploiting Epigenetics to Treat Drug Resistance in Cancer

June 27, 2023 Pamela A. Harvey

All cancerous tumors exhibit these reversible epigenetic changes that could represent novel reprogrammable targets to address drug resistance (1). Recent research published in Communications Biology provides essential information about the specific epigenetic alterations that may be responsible for chemotherapy resistance (2). Drug Resistance in Cancer More than 90% of the mortality caused by cancer can be linked to drug resistance (3). The molecular mechanisms mediating drug resistance in cancerous cells include increased function of enzymes that render drugs ineffective, mutations [more…]

Exposure to Chemicals in Plastics During Development Could Increase the Risk of Autism and Dementia

May 30, 2023 Pamela A. Harvey

Associations between prenatal exposure to chemicals like endocrine disruptors found in plastics and the development of neurological diseases later in life have been well described (1). Although mechanisms have been proposed for how endocrine disruptors affect human health (2), those mediating the development of neurological conditions like autism and dementia have been difficult to elucidate because of the multifactorial nature of these diseases. Researchers, therefore, considered the issue through a new lens: inherited  DNA methylation patterns. Bisphenols and phthalates are [more…]

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