Tag Health & medicine
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.
Brief alcohol screening misses mark for people who most need help, study says
As screening for alcohol problems during doctor visits has become more mainstream, a new study published in the journal Addiction finds that the technique does not increase successful referrals to alcohol counseling and treatment.
Amazing Grace: Singing in chorus helps Alzheimer’s patients
Dementia may have stolen some memories from the Amazing Grace Choir, but it sure hasn't taken their music. The chorus began last year as an outreach project of the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute.
Nursing students partner with Watertown to reduce dementia stigma
On the streets of Watertown, University of Wisconsin–Madison nursing student Kathryn Gerber is learning about dementia and how a community can help remove the stigma that follows people with memory loss.
Simple sample: Federal grant advances pain-free blood tests from UW startup
A company with deep roots at UW–Madison wants to make blood sampling less painful and more convenient. Tasso Inc. is perfecting a device the size of a pingpong ball that extracts a small sample while held against the skin for two minutes.
Annual wellness expo raises awareness — and funds
Fun fitness activities for all ages, from a Zumbathon to a fitness obstacle course, will be highlighted at the Wisconsin Wellness Campaign Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at the Southeast Recreational Facility. Hosted by the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Recreational Sports, the expo provides campus and the community the chance to connect with organizations promoting wellness. The free event is open to the public.
Ready, aim, fire! Cancer-targeting mechanism underlies promising UW–Madison spinoff
For all their lethality, cancer cells don't look much different from healthy cells, a simple fact that causes endless pain and suffering. Finding cancer cells that have spread and threaten to grow into metastatic tumors is often a life-and-death matter.
Ebola whole virus vaccine shown effective, safe in primates
An Ebola whole virus vaccine, constructed using a novel experimental platform, has been shown to effectively protect monkeys exposed to the often fatal virus.
Researchers aim to broaden understanding of how toxins affect the body
Even in an era in which there is increased emphasis on living "green," humans are constantly exposed to a wide range of toxins in everything from our air, food and water to the goods we buy.
UW to test ‘breakthrough’ pediatric leukemia treatment
A promising method of immunotherapy to treat children with relapsed acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is opening at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center and American Family Children's Hospital. The trial is open to relapsed/refractory pediatric ALL patients who have limited treatment options.
Zoo’s mother-to-be receives prenatal care from UW-affiliated health professionals
While many in Madison were surprised and delighted on Feb. 10 to learn that Henry Vilas Zoo’s Bornean orangutan, Kawan, was expecting the zoo’s first baby primate in 14 years, it was old news to Barb Trampe, chief sonographer at the UW/Meriter Center for Perinatal Care. She had already seen the first baby pictures.
Innovative teaching practices encourage students in STEM
Like many seniors majoring in biology, Christian Hernandez is pursuing the pre-med track. However, he nearly didn’t make it past his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin–Madison As a Latino first-generation college student, Hernandez says he had no role models to help him achieve his career goal: to change the face of medicine in the United States. But then he took Physiology 335.
Laying a foundation for treating ALS, spinal cord injury
Su-Chun Zhang, a professor of neuroscience and neurology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Waisman Center, and his research team have published a unique model for learning more about the role of human astrocytes today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation today. The findings may lay a foundation for the treatment of a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and debilitating spinal cord injuries.
‘Kindness curriculum’ boosts school success in preschoolers
Watch Richard Davidson discuss this project at the 2015 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Over the course of 12 weeks, twice…