Category Science & Technology
UW-Madison collaboration promotes well-being in the workplace
Standing in front of a room of business professionals, Jill McDermott shares a number: two quadrillion - the number of megabytes of information broadcast daily. She pauses to let the audience reflect on how this inundation of information contributes to distractions in the workplace that can chip away at a person's well-being and ability to respond to daily challenges, whether it's giving projects the attention they deserve or shaking off a setback or conflict with a colleague. Read More
Protein Suggests a New Strategy to Thwart Infection
The newfound ability of a protein of the intestines and lungs to distinguish between human cells and the cells of bacterial invaders could underpin new strategies to fight infections. Read More
Fueled by nanoparticles, new catalyst does more with less platinum
Platinum is a highly reactive and in-demand catalyst across the chemical and energy industries, but a team of University of Wisconsin–Madison and Georgia Institute of Technology scientists could reduce the world's dependence on this scarce and expensive metal. Read More
One hot idea: Thermal spray makes metal better
A company spawned by an experiment on lawn mower blades has mushroomed into a national leader in high-temperature coatings that alter the surface properties of metal. Read More
Neutron star’s echoes give astronomers a new measuring stick
In late 2013, when the neutron star at the heart of one of our galaxy’s oddest supernovae gave off a massive burst of X-rays, the resulting echoes — created when the X-rays bounced off clouds of dust in interstellar space — yielded a surprising new measuring stick for astronomers. Read More
Stem cell expert: Bart Starr treatment shows need for rigorous trials in U.S.
The news that legendary Green Bay Packer quarterback Bart Starr has undergone stem cell therapy to recover from a stroke has raised the profile for a promising but unproven regenerative treatment intended to replace dead neurons with live ones. Read More
Petri dish tumor test could personalize drug therapy for cancer patients
In a highly successful, first-of-its-kind endeavor, a multidisciplinary team of University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers has created a "tumor in a dish:" an ex vivo microenvironment that can accurately anticipate a multiple myeloma patient's response to a drug. Read More
Collaboration with Wisconsin plastics manufacturer yields industry and research advances
For University of Wisconsin–Madison plastics engineer Tim Osswald, the Wisconsin Idea is about taking the extra step: taking research out of the lab. Read More
Fragile X proteins involved in proper neuron development
Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited intellectual disability and the greatest single genetic contributor to autism. Unlocking the mechanisms behind fragile X could make important revelations about the brain. Read More
Drinkwater, Greenberg to fill research leadership posts
Norman Drinkwater, a UW–Madison professor of oncology, and Jan Greenberg, a UW–Madison professor of social work, have been named associate vice chancellors in the Office of Research and Graduate Education. Greenberg will lead the area of social studies while Drinkwater will lead the biological sciences. Read More
Study redefines role of estrogen in cervical cancer
Scientists have prior evidence that the hormone estrogen is a major driver in the growth of cervical cancer, but a new study examining genetic profiles of 128 clinical cases reached a surprising conclusion: Estrogen receptors all but vanish in cervical cancer tumors. Read More
Navigating multiple myeloma with ‘Google Maps’ for the cancer genome
In some ways, studying the genetics of cancer has been like examining the individual tiles on a mosaic, says David C. Schwartz, a professor of genetics and chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. To make his point, he brings his face close to the table where he sits - his mosaic for the purpose of illustration - and describes the details of each imaginary tile. Read More
UW-Madison startup offers antibiotic alternative to animal producers
A University of Wisconsin–Madison animal scientist has developed an antibiotic-free method to protect animals raised for food against common infections. Read More
Family affair: Milwaukee electronics manufacturer is flying high
From a distance of practically eight decades, Nathaniel Zelazo can smile about the failure of his first entrepreneurial venture. A Polish Jew who landed in New York in 1928 at age 10, he earned money for his schoolbooks peddling ice cream on the streets of Manhattan. "Needless to say, I had no license and got arrested," he recalls. "The guys in the same cell were killers and my liquid assets were melting." Read More
Genetic approaches to cancer, neural development lead to honor for UW–Madison scientists
Two University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers - one investigating the genetic basis of cancer growth and the other, the role of genes in neural development and learning - have earned funding and a prestigious honor from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Read More
UW-Madison student wins essay competition
University of Wisconsin–Madison student Madeline Gore is one of three undergraduate student winners of the annual UW System Liberal Arts Essay Scholarship Competition. Now in… Read More
Expert in computer science drives computer-security spinoff
One illustrious career in computer science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison can be traced to an anxious mother, a cocktail party conversation, and a "dead boring" job - plus a fascination with low-level machine code, a subject that many computer scientists disdain. Read More
Giving freight rail tracks a boost
The big chunks of rock - crushed limestone or dolomite that engineers call ballast - that keep railroad tracks in place look like a solid footing even as freight cars rumble overhead. Read More
Brazilian beef industry moves to reduce its destruction of rain forests
Expansion of cattle pastures has led to the destruction of huge swaths of rain forest in Brazil, home to the world's largest herd of commercial beef cattle. But a new study led by the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Holly Gibbs shows that market-driven "zero deforestation agreements" have dramatically influenced the behavior of ranchers and the slaughterhouses to which they sell. Read More
University Summer Forums invite community members to study chemistry, Chinese painting
The University of Wisconsin–Madison opens its doors to the community with the annual University Summer Forums from June through August. Offered free to the public, these four-week academic courses feature leading UW–Madison professors in an engaging classroom setting. Read More