Sahana Sitaraman

Kochi, Lausanne

Neuroscience & Development, #PhD from @NCBS_Bangalore | Freelance Science Writer and Illustrator | Trained #carnatic singer | She/her

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Articles

Gut Bacteria Boost Levels of Sex Hormones with the Help of Flatulence

Jan 22, 2025 | the-scientist.com | Sahana Sitaraman

The intestines provide a smorgasbord of nutrients for gut bacteria. Other than ingested food, glucocorticoids in bile are a significant substrate for microbes. Bacteria can convert these steroids into various metabolites that affect host systems.1 In a study published recently in Cell, researchers showed that some gut bacteria can produce sex hormones, including progestins.2 Researchers have previously shown that progestins regulate the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, and alter neuronal activity.
Why do Humans Have Long Scalp Hair? | The Scientist

Jan 22, 2025 | the-scientist.com | Sahana Sitaraman

Humans are the only mammals with long hair on their heads. Scientists look into what drives this unique feature.
The Discovery of a Fat-Filled Cell Reveals Why Noses Are Springy

Jan 9, 2025 | xpresschronicle.com | Sahana Sitaraman

The smooth functioning of the body’s joints, the flexibility of the ears and nose, and the shaping of bones are all made possible by the skeletal tissue known as cartilage.1 According to popular medical textbooks, cartilage is made up of only one type of specialized cell called a chondrocyte, which is small and secretes large quantities of extracellular matrix, giving cartilage its biomechanical properties.2 But now, new research makes these textbooks outdated.
The Discovery of a Fat-Filled Cell Reveals Why Noses Are Springy

Jan 9, 2025 | the-scientist.com | Sahana Sitaraman

The smooth functioning of the body’s joints, the flexibility of the ears and nose, and the shaping of bones are all made possible by the skeletal tissue known as cartilage.1 According to popular medical textbooks, cartilage is made up of only one type of specialized cell called a chondrocyte, which is small and secretes large quantities of extracellular matrix, giving cartilage its biomechanical properties.2 But now, new research makes these textbooks outdated.
What Makes a Tick Stick?

Dec 6, 2024 | the-scientist.com | Sahana Sitaraman |Romana Santos

Ticks form a stable structure around their mouth to stick to their hosts for days. Phase transitions of proteins in the tick saliva drive this adhesion. Astealthy quest is afoot in the forests of the Netherlands. Sitting atop a blade of grass, biding time till its next blood meal, is a hard tick. It attaches to an exposed leg of an unsuspecting victim, digs into the skin, and starts feeding.
What Makes a Tick Stick?

Dec 6, 2024 | xpresschronicle.com | Sahana Sitaraman

Astealthy quest is afoot in the forests of the Netherlands. Sitting atop a blade of grass, biding time till its next blood meal, is a hard tick. It attaches to an exposed leg of an unsuspecting victim, digs into the skin, and starts feeding. The tick’s sticky, protein-rich saliva transforms into a solid cement cone to keep it fixed to the skin for days. This shape-shifting liquid is the tick bioadhesive.
How Some Cancer Cells Survive Chemotherapy

Nov 25, 2024 | the-scientist.com | Sahana Sitaraman

Glucose is the fuel to the cellular engine. It powers the cell’s functions and serves as the raw material for synthesizing various essential biomolecules, including the sugar backbone of DNA and RNA. It is crucial for the growth and proliferation of all cells in the body, including cancer cells.
The Neural Circuity Driving Cancer-Related Wasting Disease

Nov 17, 2024 | the-scientist.com | Sahana Sitaraman

Cancer cachexia, or the wasting syndrome, is a catastrophic condition that causes dramatic and involuntary loss of muscle mass, fat and weight, alongside extreme fatigue, anorexia and anemia in patients with cancer.1 This severe stress reduces the body’s ability to respond to treatments, worsening prognosis and drastically accelerating death.
AI-Assisted Genome Studies Are Riddled with Errors

Nov 13, 2024 | the-scientist.com | Sahana Sitaraman

The genome serves as the blueprint for the body, influencing every trait from the shape of the face to the arches of the feet, and even the development of certain diseases. While some disorders, like cystic fibrosis, are linked to single genes and can be reliably predicted based on a person’s genetic data, many others—such as autism spectrum disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and obesity— are not.
Data by the Dozen: Consortium Cancer Maps Provide a 3D View of Tumor Evolution

Oct 30, 2024 | the-scientist.com | Sahana Sitaraman

New 3D blueprints that highlight tumor complexity reveal several new discoveries, some of which challenge existing theories of cancer progression. Since the first surgical tumor excision in 1882, scientists have made strides in the development of new techniques and therapies to treat different types of tumors.1 Today, physicians can bombard these unwanted masses of cells with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and more. Still, some cancer cells persist.