Category Health & Wellness
Promising treatment for Alexander disease moves from rat model to human clinical trials
The rare neurological disorder has no cure and is typically fatal, but a study led by UW–Madison researchers is a significant step in efforts to help people with the disease. Read More
COVID questions: Thanksgiving; boosters
This ongoing series answers questions about COVID-19 and the pandemic. Today: Should we feel OK traveling for the holiday? Is it safe to mix the vaccines? Read More
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine pediatric clinical trial to focus on ages 6 months to 5 years
“This is the final frontier. Our very youngest children need to get the vaccine and we need to make sure they are safe,” says Bill Hartman, co-principal investigator of the KidCOVE clinical trial at UW–Madison. Read More
Poor health threatens voting in older age. Absentee and early voting can help maintain turnout.
A research team wanted to address a longstanding question in their field: How do voting patterns change as people age? One-time snapshots of different generations never provided a clear answer. Read More
Call for proposals in second round of Research Forward initiative
In its recent and historic annual gift announcement in support of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation designated $10.5 million to… Read More
Action video games make players better learners of visual, memory tasks
Results of a study led by C. Shawn Green, a psychology professor at UW–Madison, will help researchers understand how gaming creates some of its well-documented positive effects. Read More
ProPublica’s Caroline Chen is UW–Madison’s fall Science Journalist in Residence
Chen, whose work spans public health, the pharmaceutical industry, hospitals and regulators, has spent much of the last 20 months covering the coronavirus pandemic for the investigative journalism newsroom ProPublica. Read More
WARF announces its annual gift, largest in foundation’s history
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation is providing a total of $216.8 million in support for the University of Wisconsin–Madison research enterprise during the 2021-22 academic year. Read More
New technique, effective in mice, could help advance the use of probiotics
Researchers in the School of Pharmacy, led by Quanyin Hu, have developed a system that can keep probiotic bacteria alive in the lower intestine long enough to help treat or prevent colitis in a mouse model of the disease. Read More
Stem cell project to create new model to study brain development and Down syndrome
The research is funded through an $11 million Transformative Research grant from the National Institutes of Health, which supports exceptionally innovative or unconventional research projects with the potential to advance their field. Read More
Scott elected to lead American Academy of Nursing
Linda Scott, dean of the UW–Madison School of Nursing, was chosen by more than 2,700 academy fellows. Scott’s research focuses on the impact of fatigue and sleep deprivation on both nurses and their patients. Read More
Nasia Safdar becomes associate dean for clinical trials
Safdar, a professor in the School of Medicine and Public Health and infectious disease specialist at UW Health, will work to create the most efficient and user-friendly environment for clinical trials. Read More
300 interviews: Ajay Sethi’s pandemic pivot
When COVID-19 hit, Sethi's expertise made him a frequent source for national and local news media. At the same time, he was continuing to teach his unexpectedly timely course "Conspiracies in Public Health." Read More
As schools reopen, Oregon virus surveillance project helps families navigate complex time
UW–Madison researchers are helping schools and families in the Wisconsin village navigate COVID-19 and other illnesses as in-person instruction resumes. Read More
Breast cancer researchers learn how to teach an old drug new tricks to help patients
UW researchers have uncovered a key feature of breast cancers that renders them either vulnerable or resistant to paclitaxel treatment, which could help identify which patients are most likely to see success. Read More
UW aging researchers to expand ‘Elder Tree’ web platform to smart devices
Elder Tree supports older adults who wish to remain in their homes. Now, because not everyone can use a computer easily, it will be adapted for smart speakers and smart displays. Read More
Metastatic prostate cancer comes in two forms, which could guide treatment
The two subtypes respond differently — information that could one day help physicians match patients with the therapies best suited to their disease. Read More
Chancellor gives a big ‘thank-you’ to those behind COVID-19 testing
When the COVID-19 pandemic threw the world into turmoil in the spring of 2020, the experts at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene instead got to work. Read More
‘Flatten the curve’ was everywhere, but it didn’t change people’s pandemic attitudes
“Although we didn’t see a difference in people’s ideas or behavioral intentions based on their awareness of the chart," says researcher Nan Li, "the message is still beneficial." Read More
UW–Madison begins distributing $28.6M in emergency pandemic aid to students
The university's approach to distributing the money includes emergency grants that students with financial need can use to pay off debts or to cover costs such as tuition, food, housing, health care and child care. Read More