MIT Knight Science Journalism Program Director and Undark Magazine publisher Deborah Blum received the Endocrine Society’s annual Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism.
Blum was honored for her coverage of the health effects soy milk and formula have on infants. The winning article, “The Great Soy Formula Experiment,” was published in Undark Magazine in August 2017.
In her article, Blum examines how natural compounds in soy can interfere with estrogen hormones in the body and affect reproductive health. Compounds called phytoestrogens found in soy can act as an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC). Research has found EDC exposure is associated with a number of health problems, including male reproductive disorders, premature death, obesity and diabetes, neurological impacts, breast cancer, endometriosis, female reproductive disorders, immune disorders, liver cancer, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s disease, prostate cancer, and thyroid disorders.
Blum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist, columnist, and author of five books, including The Poisoner’s Handbook and Love at Goon Park. She is a former president of the National Association of Science Writers, was a member of the governing board of the World Federation of Science Writers, and currently serves as vice president of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. Blum is co-editor of the book A Field Guide for Science Writers. In 2015, she was selected as the fourth director of the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT.
The Society established the journalism award in 2008 to recognize outstanding reporting that enhances the public understanding of health issues pertaining to the field of endocrinology.
More information on the Endocrine Society Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism is available at: https://www.endocrine.org/news-room/journalism-award.
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