Tag Waisman Center

Video: Binaural hearing research at UW–Madison

September 5, 2013

Dr. Ruth Litovsky and Dr. Tom Yin of the University of Wisconsin–Madison study binaural hearing - the ability to hear sound with both ears. Animal research is an important part of their work and has led to advancements in improving human hearing.

Study shows mindfulness training can help reduce teacher stress and burnout

August 28, 2013

Teachers who practice "mindfulness" are better able to reduce their own levels of stress and prevent burnout, according to a new study conducted by the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds (CIHM) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Waisman Center.

Waisman early childhood alum pursues career of caring

August 20, 2013

When Bridget Muldowney was a little girl, she and her friends at the Waisman Early Childhood Program (WECP) would look up from the playground every time the noisy Med Flight helicopter landed at UW Hospital across the street. Today, she’s across the street herself.

Waisman scientists model human disease in stem cells

June 26, 2013

Many scientists use animals to model human diseases. Mice can be obese or display symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Rats get Alzheimer's and diabetes. But animal models are seldom perfect, and so scientists are looking at a relatively new type of stem cell, called the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS cell), that can be grown into specialized cells that become useful models for human disease.

Grandparents gather for support at Waisman Center

June 14, 2013

You're not alone. It's a simple message but one that can provide great comfort. That is just part of what those who gather at the Waisman Center as part of the Grandparents' Network take with them following each meeting.

Down syndrome neurons grown from stem cells show signature problems

May 27, 2013

In new research published this week, Anita Bhattacharyya, a neuroscientist at the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, reports on brain cells that were grown from skin cells of individuals with Down syndrome.

Sensory friendly dining event breaks down barriers

May 16, 2013

For many families, the occasional evening out for dinner at a restaurant is an enjoyable treat. But for parents who care for children with autism, the notion of eating out can be panic inducing.

Documentary film portrays UW–Madison mindfulness research

May 14, 2013

MADISON – Groundbreaking research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is the focus of the new documentary film, “Free the Mind,” which debuts in Madison tomorrow, May 15.

Children’s Theatre opens door to Waisman Center resources

May 9, 2013

The Waisman Center Children’s Theatre series might make fewer headlines than the center’s groundbreaking research. Still, it maintains a valuable place among the center’s offerings. On Sunday afternoons during the academic year, it provides an accessible, welcoming opportunity for children of all ages and abilities to enjoy the arts.

Adult cells transformed into early-stage nerve cells, bypassing the pluripotent stem cell stage

May 2, 2013

A University of Wisconsin–Madison research group has converted skin cells from people and monkeys into a cell that can form a wide variety of nervous-system cells - without passing through the do-it-all stage called the induced pluripotent stem cell, or iPSC.

Stem cell transplant restores memory, learning in mice

April 21, 2013

For the first time, human embryonic stem cells have been transformed into nerve cells that helped mice regain the ability to learn and remember.

Dalai Lama to lead ‘Change your Mind Change the World 2013’ event May 15

March 12, 2013

Event organizers today announced that the Dalai Lama will visit Madison on May 15, 2013, to lead "Change your Mind Change the World 2013," a series of panel discussions with thought leaders from a variety of fields, including neuroscience, economics and sustainability, moderated by Arianna Huffington and Daniel Goleman.

Authors: Develop digital games to improve brain function and well-being

February 28, 2013

Neuroscientists should help to develop compelling digital games that boost brain function and improve well-being, say two professors specializing in the field in a commentary article published in the science journal Nature.

Response and recovery in the brain may predict well-being

February 4, 2013

It has long been known that the part of the brain called the amygdala is responsible for recognition of a threat and knowing whether to fight or flee from the danger.

Waisman Center: Celebrating 40 years of advancing knowledge about developmental disabilities

January 24, 2013

From her perch as director of the Waisman Center, and with an insider’s knowledge of its work to advance our understanding of developmental disability and the people it affects, Marsha Mailick sees a hopeful microcosm of the best attributes of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Mindfulness meditation may relieve chronic inflammation

January 16, 2013

People suffering from chronic inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma — in which psychological stress plays a major role — may benefit from mindfulness meditation techniques, according to a study by University of Wisconsin–Madison neuroscientists with the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center.

Boy with autism funds research with hand-drawn holiday cards

December 12, 2012

Giizhik Klawiter has never been so much as a visitor to the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Waisman Center, but the 10-year-old boy with autism from Hayward, Wis., is one of the most faithful supporters of the center's developmental disabilities research. For four years, Giizhik's mother, Pam Miller, has visited Walmart, the casino, grocery stores and craft fairs to sell Christmas cards designed by Giizhik (whose name means "white cedar" in Ojibwe) and his brother Mino (short for Minode'e, loosely "has a kind heart").

Reduced brain connections seen in people with generalized anxiety disorder

September 3, 2012

A new University of Wisconsin–Madison imaging study shows the brains of people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have weaker connections between a brain structure that controls emotional response and the amygdala, which suggests the brain's "panic button" may stay on due to lack of regulation.

Multimillion-dollar gift to support Waisman Center scholars

July 31, 2012

A multimillion-dollar planned estate gift from Dr. Richard Morse ('67 MD) of New Orleans, will fund an interdisciplinary society of graduate student scholars to study childhood mental health and developmental disabilities in the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Fragile X gene’s prevalence suggests broader health risk

June 14, 2012

The first U.S. population prevalence study of mutations in the gene that causes fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability, suggests the mutation in the gene - and its associated health risks - may be more common than previously believed.