Syndicated to: Federalrelations.wisc.edu
Mental health in pregnancy may affect development of newborns’ brains
Until recently, researchers knew little about the relationship between an expectant mother’s mental health and the subsequent development of her baby. A new study suggests a possible link.
Martens recolonized Isle Royale in the ’90s, showing island’s dynamism
The results of a new study provide much-needed context about the natural history of an island long considered an unspoiled wilderness, but one with a long history of ecological disruptions and recoveries.
Thank you dairy much
Aides to members of Congress from Wisconsin toured UW–Madison this week, including a stop at the Center for Dairy research, where they sampled dairy products developed in the state with the benefit of the center’s expertise. The three-day tour also included visits to many other UW–Madison locations.
Kids connect with robot reading partners
Researchers have built a robot to serve as a reading buddy to middle school kids. Its new friends grew more excited about books and more attached to the robot over two weeks of reading together.
Manipulating how yeast cells work could lead to new medical treatments
Megan McClean, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering, studies cellular signaling pathways, the biological networks that transform external signals into internal decisions such as whether to grow or die.
Researchers discover how to protect yeast from damage in biofuel production
The researchers found a strain of yeast with outstanding tolerance to ionic liquids, and identified a gene that makes a protein that works as a pump to remove toxins.
A stent-free future for common cardiovascular ailments
An interdisciplinary team of investigators from UW–Madison and Ohio State believes once the new approach to maintaining open blood vessels is fully developed, it could benefit millions of patients.
Combining on and off switches, one protein can control flowering in plants
With Wisconsin's short growing seasons, reducing a plant’s life cycle and completing the season earlier "could be very important for many crops.”
National Atmospheric Deposition Program moves to hygiene lab
The NADP monitors North America’s precipitation and atmosphere for a range of chemicals, and uses the data to determine trends in where pollution is concentrated and over what period of time.
Eagle-eyed machine learning algorithm outdoes human experts
UW–Madison's Dane Morgan and collaborators used machine learning to make artificial intelligence better than experienced humans at analyzing damage to potential nuclear reactor materials.
Wisconsin researchers receive $60 million from NIH for ‘All of Us’ research program
By partnering with 1 million diverse people who share information about themselves over many years, "All of Us" will enable research to more precisely prevent and treat a variety of health conditions.
Childhood stress leaves lasting mark on genes
How does stress put some children at risk of psychiatric disorders when they grow up? To find out, researchers compared their genomes to those of kids whose childhoods were relatively tranquil.
Researchers trace Parkinson’s damage in the heart
Heart attacks, diabetes and other disorders cause similar damage to nerves in the heart. Those patients and potential therapies could also benefit from the new visualization method, says Parkinson's disease researcher Marina Emborg.
Chemistry professor awarded prestigious Steenbock Professorship
In addition to advancing fundamental science, Shannon Stahl has been involved in numerous industrial collaborations that have led to practical applications and has been recognized nationally for his contributions to "green chemistry."
Space Science and Engineering Center welcomes UW alum to director position
Brad Pierce received his Ph.D. and master of science in meteorology from UW–Madison and is a physical scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on the UW campus.
Dynamic modeling helps predict the behaviors of gut microbes
A first step toward understanding how to manipulate the properties of the gut ecosystem could allow scientists to design a probiotic that persists in the gut, or tailor a diet to positively influence human health.
Best ever at splitting light, new material could improve LEDs, solar cells, optical sensors
The project was a team effort involving researchers at multiple institutions with varied expertise. “This is a big success for collaborative science,” says UW–Madison's Mikhail Kats.
Study of inflammation’s link to diseases wins NIH grant
Inflammation "is likely implicated in almost every disease,” says researcher David Beebe — including cancer, cardiovascular conditions and autoimmune diseases.
Hurricanes are slowing down, and that’s bad news
The storms are spending increased time over land, leading to catastrophic local rainfall and flooding, according to a new study by a climate researcher based at UW–Madison.
UW physicists, CERN announce discovery of Higgs boson interactions
This is the first time scientists have measured the Higgs boson’s direct interaction with top quarks. Studying these particles gives clues about the nature of matter and mass in the universe.