Category Health & Wellness
Study finds tributaries play significant role in Great Lakes PFAS loading
The sources of the chemicals in the study are likely linked to a firefighting foam manufacturer, other industrial activity, and airports which use firefighting foam on runways.
This protein can shred our cells. Or it can help us think.
In findings that surprised researchers, a new study reveals that complexin — a protein long known to play a role in communication between cells in the brain — is also capable of obliterating cells if left unchecked.
COVID questions: You tested positive. What’s next? And, advice on boosters
UW School of Medicine and Public Health experts Devlin Cole, a preventive medicine resident in the Department of Population Health Sciences, and James Conway, the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program director and Office of Global Health director, provide the answers.
Perception study may explain promising depression therapy
Ketamine has been shown to relieve depression-like symptoms in animal studies. With human volunteers, researchers Sounak Mohanta and Yuri Saalmann concluded that the drug blocks "negative predictions" that are prominent in depressed patients.
Despite adversity, recent graduate ‘never had any doubt’ she would earn degree
Reagan Patrowicz was seriously injured when she was struck by a car during her sophomore year, but she went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in geography at winter commencement.
Current anti-COVID pills work well against omicron, but antibody drugs are less effective
Public health officials expect antiviral pills to become an increasingly common treatment for COVID-19 that will reduce the severity of the disease in at-risk patients and decrease the burden of the pandemic.
Cannabis marketers targeting kids on social media, despite prohibitions
A new study led by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health finds many recreational cannabis companies market their products in a way that appeals to children and teens, despite state-based regulations prohibiting it.
Omicron causes less severe illness in animal models than previous variants
The findings, published in the journal Nature, align with preliminary data from studies of people infected with the variant and offer insight into the nature of the disease with omicron.
Researchers seeking study participants to lose weight — by phone
Log2Lose, an 18-month study, aims to help people build habits for a healthier lifestyle by sending them motivational text messages and providing an app to keep track of what they eat.
UW–Madison researchers lead effort to create a universal coronavirus vaccine
If the world already had a pan-coronavirus vaccine in March 2020, it could have served as a mitigation tool until vaccines specific to SARS-CoV-2 could be developed.
The iSchool’s Adam Rule studies the digital evolution of the doctor’s note
To Rule, the real power of the doctor’s note is its ability to tell stories with data, to combine the patient narrative with data-driven decision-making tools.
Key to a better 2022: Set goals, not resolutions
A UW Health psychologist says the blank slate of a new year can be a great opportunity for people to reset and create a different kind of future for themselves.
Balancing personal and community risk with the omicron variant
Devlin Cole of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health says, "Wear a mask, get vaccinated and boosted … you can still go out and do the things you want to do, but it’s going to take a bit more planning."
New way to alter DNA, affect health circumvents gut bacteria
A study by Wisconsin Institute for Discovery researchers challenges long-held beliefs, with potential implications for physiological processes and diseases such as propionic acidemia, autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer’s disease.
Video games teach balance, reduce symptoms in autistic adolescents
Waisman Center researchers hope to identify outcomes of balance training that will be meaningful to autistic adolescents and contribute to their quality of life.
COVID questions: What’s the difference in the tests?
What is the difference between antibody, antigen, and PCR testing? Should my 12-year-old get a pediatric or adult dose?
Window to access legal abortion may close before many women know they are pregnant
More than one in five women experience irregular menstrual cycles that could keep them from learning they are pregnant until it may be too late for an abortion under some current and proposed state laws, a new study shows.
UW–Madison increases research expenditures by $67 million, retains top 10 national research ranking
The National Science Foundation's 2020 Higher Education Research and Development data show the university with over $1.3 billion in expenditures for research across all fields — good for 8th place among more than 900 institutions responding.
Gov. Evers, state leaders tour UW biotech spinoff Stratatech
“Stratatech is an excellent example of the innovative ideas coming out of UW–Madison and universities across the state,” Evers said.
Shark antibody-like proteins neutralize COVID-19 virus, help prepare for future coronaviruses
“What we’re doing is preparing an arsenal of shark VNAR therapeutics that could be used down the road for future SARS outbreaks," says researcher Aaron LeBeau.