Expert scientific editing and writing from a former scientist
Drawing on my experience as a research scientist and professional editor, at Pens and Pipettes, I can help you effectively communicate your science in clear, well-written English by helping you polish an existing text or by writing original content.
How can I help you?
Scientific editing
I offer developmental/structural, copy, and line editing to ensure your scientific manuscript is well-organized, easy-to-read, and free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors before submitting to a journal.
Journalistic editing
I can help you optimize your feature or news article for print and/or online publication to ensure it meets professional journalistic standards, including fact-checking and editing according to inclusive and plain language principles.
Science writing
I can create custom, high-quality written content that is clear, accurate, and derived from trusted sources for general and specialized audiences, including features, news, research reports, profiles and Q&As, and more.
Copy and line editing
Proofreading
Style consultations
Website copy
Who am I?
My name is Miriam Bergeret, and I'm a former research scientist and trained professional editor and writer.
I have more than six year's hands-on laboratory experience, including an Honours Bachelor degree in bio-medical science from the University of Guelph, Canada, and a Master's degree in laboratory medicine and pathobiology from the University of Toronto, where I conducted pre-clinical research in neurodegeneration. After my MSc, I joined the Princess Margaret Cancer Research Center where I conducted cancer stem cell research.
During that time, I helped many colleagues polish papers and dissertations for publication in peer-reviewed journals, as well as began freelancing as a science writer.
I went on to study publishing and English-language editing at Toronto Metropolitan University and completed professional scientific editing mentorships with Editors Canada. I also trained in science writing and journalism at the University of Toronto and through Poynter before joining the editorial staff of a trade science magazine in 2020, where I am now managing editor.
As a freelance editor and writer, I work with research scientists, scientific journals, nonprofit organizations, research institutes, science magazines, and more.
What my clients say...
"I have been fortunate enough to work with Miriam for several years. I can always count on her to provide skillful edits and spot-on advice. She is a master of technique with a talent for finding the heart of a story and a true professional."
—Erica Tennenhouse, PhD
Managing Editor, International Fund for Animal Welfare and a freelance science journalist.
"My team loves working with Miriam. Her scientific knowledge combined with her ability to craft accessible content for a lay audience, as well as her overall professionalism, make her an excellent collaborator."
—Jamie Myrah
Executive Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Association of Canada
Professional member of...
American Medical Writers Association
Council of Science Editors
Editors Canada
Recent published works from my clients...
Lagneau N, et al. Click and bioorthogonal hyaluronic acid hydrogels as an ultra-tunable platform for the investigation of cell-material interactions. Bioactive Materials. 2023;24:438-449. doi:10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.12.022.
Riabinina O, Quinn M, Whitehead JP. Genetic toolbox approaches in mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc. 2022;2022(11):Pdb.top107691. doi:10.1101/pdb.top107691.
Costa-da-Silva AL. Membrane feeding devices to blood feed mosquitoes in the laboratory. Cold Spring Harb Protoc. 2022;10.1101/pdb.top107655. doi:10.1101/pdb.top107655.
Dickerson AK, Muijres FT, Pieters R. Using videography to study the biomechanics and behavior of freely moving mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc. 2023;2023(2):pdb.top107676. doi:10.1101/pdb.top107676.
League GP, Alfonso-Parra C, Pantoja-Sánchez H, Harrington LC. Acoustic-related mating behavior in tethered and free-flying mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc. 2022;2022(10):Pdb.top107667. doi:10.1101/pdb.top107667.
A selection of my published articles...
Precision Cancer Medicine at the Community Level
Implementing in-house NGS testing at a community hospital provides patients access to targeted lifesaving treatments
Updated: May 31, 2022
Putting Lab Staff and Patients First
During the Omicron surge, lab director Alec Saitman returned to the bench to process COVID-19 samples
Published: Mar 08, 2022
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Cancer Community
Report emphasizes the need to fortify public health and medical research to improve cancer care during the pandemic
Updated: Jun 16, 2022
An Inside View of Brain Tumors
A new blood test may soon allow clinicians to diagnose brain tumors without surgical biopsy
Updated: May 05, 2021
How Northeastern University Became a Leader in On-Campus COVID-19 Testing
After building a CLIA-certified lab in six weeks, NU has gone on to complete more than 975,000 COVID-19 tests
Published: Apr 22, 2021
How NGS is Making Personalized Cancer Vaccines a Reality
Next-generation sequencing has revolutionized the detection of tumor neoantigens
Published: Jul 09, 2020
Hemoglobin A1C Screening in Early Gestational Diabetes
With no clear standards for A1C screening in early pregnancy, researchers focus on establishing useful guidelines
Published: Nov 01, 2020
A New Generation of Malaria Vaccines
Promising results from the first in-human trials of genetically engineered malaria vaccines
Published: Sep 04, 2020
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