Tag Animal research
Beneficial gut bacteria metabolize fiber to improve heart health in mice
In support of a microbial connection between fiber and heart health, UW–Madison researchers have identified a particular fatty acid as the mechanism behind certain protective effects of a high-fiber diet in a mouse model.
Engineers drawn to stem cells’ abundance, humanity
“We very quickly became perhaps the top institution in the country in the stem cell engineering area," says a leading UW researcher. "That was a field that didn’t exist, and we built it."
Successful mouse couples talk out infidelity in calm tones
The quality of their conversations between pairs of California mice after one partner has been unfaithful can help predict which mouse pairs will successfully produce a litter of mouse pups and which males are good fathers, according to a new UW–Madison study.
Nanoparticles improve tumor treatment in mice
In mouse models of human lung cancer, the improved drug inhibited tumor growth more effectively than the standard drug. “Ultimately, our goal is to get this into human beings,” says pharmacy professor Glen Kwon.
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.
Scientists take a journey into the lungs of mice infected with influenza
Using a new tool they call FluVision, UW–Madison researchers can witness an influenza infection in a living animal in action, helping them better understand what happens when a virus infects the lungs and the body responds.
Ebola vaccine inches toward human clinical trials
The need for an Ebola vaccine is acute. Periodic outbreaks of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa, including an epidemic between 2013 and 2016, caused major loss of life and serious economic disruption.
New hope for stopping an understudied heart disease in its tracks
Thanks, in part, to pigs at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station, scientists now are catching up on understanding the roots of calcific aortic valve disease.
To help kids battling a rare disease, scientists forge a genetic link between people and pigs
Scientists and physicians needed a better model to understand neurofibromatosis in order to help affected children. A groundbreaking research partnership at UW–Madison is showing the way.
Monkey study shows a path to monitoring endangered species
“We think this may be one of the most comprehensive efforts to analyze the data monitoring needs for ensuring the survival of an endangered animal,” says Karen Strier, who has observed muriquis in Brazil for 35 years.
Chimpanzee deaths in Uganda pinned on human cold virus
Scientists investigating an outbreak of respiratory disease in a community of wild chimpanzees in Uganda were surprised and dismayed to discover that rhinovirus C was killing healthy chimps.
Estrogen discovery could shed new light on fertility problems
Researchers have upended the traditional understanding of the hormonal cascade that leads to release of an egg from the ovaries.
Decades-past logging still threatens spotted owls in national forests
Researchers say despite protections put in place in the 1990s, owls may still be paying an “extinction debt” that was created by historical logging of large trees.
Veterinary students work with endangered cranes
Each year, a group of Veterinary Medicine students perform health checks on the captive flock residing at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin. These critical check-ups are essential for providing the best care possible, and the experience also provides a unique opportunity to get firsthand experience working with an endangered species. Video by Craig Wild/University Communications
Scientists explore national security implications of gene editing
Experts from the United States and across Europe, China and India, including UW and Morgridge Institute researchers, shared ideas for harmonizing genome editing policies across borders.
A little myelin goes a long way to restore nervous system function
New research shows that in long-lived animals, renewed but thin myelin sheaths are enough to restore impaired nervous systems and can do so for years after the onset of disease.
New study shows how cells can be led down non-cancer path
As cells with a propensity for cancer break down food for energy, they reach a fork in the road: They can either continue energy production as healthy cells, or shift to the energy production profile of cancer cells.
Marmoset babies get a boost from attentive fathers
A researcher expects better human dads have similar good effects on their kids, and she wonders whether — for both the marmoset and the people — good fathers produce offspring who grow up to make good parents.
With deer season on horizon, lab ramps up for CWD testing
Chronic wasting diesease (CWD), an infectious neurological disease, has been found in both wild and captive deer in at least 24 Wisconsin counties, mostly in the southern half of the state.
Microbes compete for nutrients, affect metabolism, development in mice
While research suggests that the complex link between nutrition, gut microbes, and host metabolism is vital for health, many questions remain about how to improve outcomes, either in mice or in humans.