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Mission to Mars will memorialize exceptional UW engineering alum
Jim Willmore’s name, along with those of his team members, is inscribed on a small helicopter called Ingenuity being sent to Mars as part of NASA’s Mars 2020 Mission.
Mystery disease at Sierra Leone chimpanzee sanctuary linked to bacterial infection
The study suggests that the bacterial group Sarcina may be more common, and capable of more serious infections, than previously thought. Yet there is little concern over animal-to-human transmission, and for now the disease remains rare in humans.
Viral sequencing catches mutations, guides effective public health response
As the tallies of COVID-19’s effects in the United States have mounted to a dizzying scale, a team of UW scientists has kept its focus on the tiniest shifts in the virus’s genetic material.
UW–Madison Arboretum designated a National Historic Landmark
The designation is based on the Arboretum’s pioneering work in restoration ecology, its place in the history of conservation, and its commitment to Aldo Leopold’s land ethic.
Two vice presidents have Madison in common
Kamala Harris and Dick Cheney don’t have much in common, as they’re on different sides of the political spectrum. Except one thing: The new vice president and the former vice president both lived in Madison at the same time in the late 1960s, each with a close connection to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
UW researchers develop tool to equitably distribute limited vaccines
The School of Medicine and Public Health and UW Health have developed a tool that incorporates age and socioeconomic status to prioritize vaccine distribution among people who otherwise share similar risks due to their jobs.
Population density and virus strains will affect how regions can resume normal life
“Vaccination programs should consider potential spread rate in different areas. The main driver that will be important is density,” says researcher Tony Ives.
A new way to help the immune system fight back against cancer
"We believe we are launching a new cancer therapy field here," says Jamey Weichert, professor of radiology. "It’s very exciting, and the research team is incredible.”
UW–Madison leads DoD-funded effort to restore vision to injured service members and people with disease
The technology will be based on a system in which human induced pluripotent cells are used to generate light-responsive eye cells called photoreceptors along with the cells that support them.
Multiple gene edits and computer simulations could help treat rare genetic diseases
Research in biomedical engineer Kris Saha's lab efficiently corrected multiple mutations responsible for Pompe disease, advancing the CRISPR genome-editing field.
Research provides tools for achieving the ‘how’ of well-being in daily life
A new framework introduced by UW–Madison's Center for Healthy Minds provides evidence that people can weather life’s ups and downs with resilience, and that the brain and body can change and adapt.
2020 AAAS Fellows at UW–Madison apply scholarship to science, policy
The honor, dating back to 1874, is for members of the national organization who are nominated by their peers and recognized for their efforts to advance science and society.
Get tips on applying for science journalism fellowship Dec. 3
For 10 weeks in the summer, fellows work as full-time science journalists in top newsrooms around the country. Past fellows have gone on to be leading journalists, educators, policymakers and researchers.
New solvent-based recycling process could cut down on millions of tons of plastic waste
Multilayer plastic materials are ubiquitous in food and medical supply packaging, but are impossible to recycle using conventional methods. Researchers are making progress in changing that.
Gene-edited monkey embryos give researchers new way to study HIV cure
A gene that cured a man of HIV a decade ago has been successfully added to developing monkey embryos in an effort to study more potential treatments for the disease.
‘Rewiring’ metabolism in insulin-producing cells may aid Type 2 diabetes treatment
Scientists point to an overlooked enzyme known as pyruvate kinase as the primary way pancreatic beta cells sense sugar levels and release the appropriate amount of insulin.
A better understanding of coral skeleton growth suggests ways to restore reefs
New research provides an explanation for how corals are resistant to acidifying oceans and suggests that controlling water temperature, not acidity, is crucial to mitigating loss and restoring reefs.
Tracking virus mutations reveals success of stay-at-home orders
A family tree of more than 200 variations in the virus that causes COVID-19 helps explain why two Wisconsin counties had such different early experiences with the pandemic.
New NIH-funded initiative will examine Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome
Investigators at the Waisman Center, the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and several departments at UW–Madison are involved in the effort, which they say "has the potential to help everyone."
Research highlights need for grassland conservation, agriculture support
In a new study, researchers show that newly added croplands converted from grasslands important to wildlife generated less yield than existing cropland.