Category Health & Wellness
Winter commencement 2022: A joyful step out into the world
The winter commencement ceremony at the Kohl Center on Dec. 18 had plenty of pageantry, but also a lot of fun, including foam hands, comedian Charlie Berens and a sprinkling of snow outside.
UW research in 2022: From restored prairie to scorpion venom to the sewer
Here are the science stories on campus during 2022 that wowed and inspired us.
He survived a heart transplant as a sophomore. Sunday, he’ll graduate.
Less than two years after getting a heart transplant, Anthony Genac is graduating from UW–Madison, having finished his schoolwork while recuperating.
Probiotic ‘backpacks’ show promise for treating inflammatory bowel diseases
UW researchers demonstrate just how much promise some well-equipped bacteria hold for improved inflammatory bowel disease treatments.
Brain-gut connection may reveal way to prevent cocaine addiction
Cocaine disrupts the balance of microbes in the guts of mice, part of a cycle of waxing and waning neurochemicals that can enhance the drug’s effects in the brain. But the same chemicals may also be harnessed to prevent addiction, according to new research.
Sewer sleuthing, air vacuuming scientists keep tabs on COVID-19
Neighboring pathology labs at UW Madison team up to trace viruses in the air and in the sewers.
Partisan divide contributed to false sense of racial equality in pandemic mortality
A new study from UW–Madison researchers pins the rise in white COVID-19 deaths to state party politics.
Students of innovative course report significantly improved mental health and flourishing
Students enrolled in an experimental course called The of Art and Science of Human Flourishing demonstrated improved mental health and flourishing, according to researchers at the UW–Madison Center for Healthy Minds and collaborators.
Creating stem cells from minipigs offers promise for improved treatments
A new study from Wan-Ju Li's lab in the UW–Madison Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Center advances research into reparative osteoarthritis therapies using stem cells derived from the ears of miniature pigs.
Brain imaging reveals how mindfulness program boosts pain regulation
A study by the Center for Healthy Minds at UW–Madison is the first to demonstrate pain-related brain changes from a standardized mindfulness course that is widely offered in clinical settings.
New understanding of ‘superantigens’ could lead to improved staph infection treatments
Researchers at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine explain that the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus not only causes illness, but undermines the body’s ability to heal — a finding that could point toward new approaches to fighting infection.
More news, more worry during pandemic
“What we’d hope is that you could counter uncertainty by learning more about the world ... (but) that wasn’t the case with COVID-19," says researcher Markus Brauer. "Higher media consumption — seeking out the news — was associated with more emotional distress.”
Research Cores Initiative helps replace equipment and enhance services
Cores are unique spaces where researchers can consult with technical experts. But the shared instruments, equipment and other resources they depend on have a limited lifespan.
Were U Wondering … how vaccines work?
Ann Palmenberg, professor of virology and biochemistry, explains how vaccines trick your immune system into thinking you've had an infection so you'll be protected when a real virus comes along.
Unexpected link between most common cancer drivers may yield more effective drugs
A UW–Madison research team has discovered a direct link between cellular pathways that make promising targets for new cancer treatments.
New study allows researchers to more efficiently form human heart cells from stem cells
The heart muscle cells, according to the UW–Madison Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Center, could be useful for cardiac repair, regeneration and cell therapy.
Non-invasive liquid biopsy tracks cancer treatment success in real time
These blood tests could help physicians better treat their patients by allowing them to see which treatments are working in real time without the need for repeated, invasive biopsies of solid tumors.
New research shows no evidence of structural brain change with short-term mindfulness training
“We are still in the early stages of research on the effects of meditation training on the brain and there is much to be discovered,” says Center for Healthy Minds founder and director Richard Davidson.
Faculty receive WARF Named Professorships, Kellett Fellowships, and Romnes Awards
Thirty-two members of the UW–Madison faculty have been awarded fellowships from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education, spanning the arts and humanities, physical sciences, social sciences and biological sciences.
COVID questions: Vaccines for toddlers; making sense of metrics
When will pediatric vaccines be approved? What information is the most important on Covid dashboards at this phase of the pandemic?