Category Science & Technology
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
As the river rises: Cahokia’s emergence and decline linked to Mississippi River flooding
As with rivers, civilizations across the world rise and fall. Sometimes, the rise and fall of rivers has something to do with it. At Cahokia, the largest prehistoric settlement in the Americas north of Mexico, new evidence suggests that major flood events in the Mississippi River valley are tied to the cultural center’s emergence and ultimately, to its decline.
UW honors noted entrepreneurs with achievement awards
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Entrepreneurial Achievement Awards this year honor a graduate of the Department of Computer Sciences who co-founded the company that’s now WebMD, and a Department of Animal Sciences professor who has turned his patented technologies into startup companies.
McArdle’s Bradfield named interim WID director
Christopher Bradfield, a University of Wisconsin–Madison professor of oncology, has been appointed interim director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID).