Category Health & Wellness
Gene-editing tool now being used to develop better antibiotics
Jason Peters and colleagues have repurposed the gene-editing tool CRISPR to study which genes are targeted by particular antibiotics, providing clues on how to improve existing antibiotics or develop new ones. Read More
Immune system’s front-line defense freezes bacteria in their tracks
New research suggests a previously unknown mechanism behind the function of antimicrobial peptides, which are being tested in early-stage clinical trials for treating infections resistant to classical antibiotics. Read More
UW-Madison life-expectancy paper nabs top honor from APHA
Work published by three University of Wisconsin researchers regarding decreasing the gap in life expectancy of the United States population compared to European peers, earned top honors from the American Public Health Association. Read More
Study: Division I college athletes outpace student peers in mental health
The finding is surprising, as previous research examining smaller groups of international, elite or college athletes had offered mixed results on athlete mental health. Read More
Professor seeking to offer eye screenings throughout state remotely
A UW–Madison professor helped start program that offers a way for patients with diabetes to easily access eye screenings, and now she and her fellow researchers are studying how to make such programs more widely available across Wisconsin. Read More
Are Fitbits the answer to nurse fatigue?
A UW–Madison School of Nursing professor is using activity trackers on nurses to uncover important data about what causes fatigue in the work environment and what health systems can do to minimize its impact. Read More
Implantable device aids weight loss
New battery-free, easily implantable weight-loss devices developed by engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison could offer a promising new weapon for battling the bulge. Read More
Ritalin drives greater connection between brain areas key to memory, attention
New research is a first step toward understanding the way Ritalin affects the organization of the pathways that build brain networks used in attention and learning. Read More
Aaron Perry is changing how his community perceives and experiences health
Through the Black Men’s Wellness Sustainable Initiative, Aaron Perry is using a grant from the Wisconsin Partnership Program in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health to change how his community perceives and experiences health. Read More
New gene editing tool drives stem cell services and discovery
At just two-and-a-half years old, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Human Stem Cell Gene Editing Service is already contemplating expansion, partly because of demand for a new gene editing tool called CRISPR-Cas9. Read More
It’s not a shock: Better bandage promotes powerful healing
The bandage developed by UW–Madison engineers leverages energy generated from a patient’s own body motions to apply gentle electrical pulses at the site of an injury. Read More
Five questions with Su-Chun Zhang, forger of brain cells
In light of the 20th anniversary of James Thomson’s derivation of human embryonic stem cells, we had some questions for one of the founders of stem cell neuroscience. Read More
Discovery opens new opportunities to slow or reverse MS
Nerve cells stripped of their insulation can no longer carry vital information, leading to the numbness, weakness and vision problems often associated with multiple sclerosis. A new study shows an overlooked source may be able to replace that lost insulation. Read More
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. Read More
Nursing pioneer Signe Skott Cooper: From the farm to the battlefield
Cooper devoted more than 60 years to nursing education at UW–Madison and within the UW System. Her wartime service shaped her life, personally and professionally. Read More
Randolph Ashton named SCRMC associate director
Ashton, a leading UW–Madison stem cell scientist whose lab develops novel tissue engineering methods to derive brain and spinal cord tissues from human pluripotent stem cells, will assume a leadership position with the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center. Read More
Study shows movement, evolutionary history of TB in China
A genetic scan of a massive number of samples taken from tuberculosis patients across China has shown a surprising genetic uniformity: just two “strains” of the tuberculosis bacterium account for 99.4 percent of all cases. Read More
Stem Cells @ 20: Students find inspiration, support in UW–Madison’s stem cell community
When Kaivalya Molugu was considering graduate schools, she knew she was interested in stem cell research, but she had to decide where to apply. The answer soon became clear: the place where it all began. Read More
Wisconsin Partnership Program awards $4 million to health equity initiatives
The new awards address a diverse range of issues including the health impacts of racism, tackling the social determinants of health in Milwaukee’s Latino community, preventing early childhood expulsion and strengthening support systems for citizens returning from incarceration. Read More
Mutation in common protein triggers tangles, chaos inside brain cells
Growing human brain cells in lab dishes was key to the findings. Researcher Su-Chun Zhang was the first scientist to convert all-purpose human stem cells into neural cells. Read More