University of Wisconsin–Madison

Category: News

Nancy Keller Lab and ORNL Collaboration Make Fungi Discovery

Source: Oak Ridge National Library Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Wisconsin–Madison have discovered that genetically distinct populations within the same species of fungi can produce unique mixes of secondary metabolites, which are organic compounds with applications in medicine, industry and agriculture. The finding could open new avenues for drug discovery …

Vanessa Sperandio Named New Department Chair

Source: SMPH News Vanessa Sperandio, PhD, an expert in the cellular interactions that take place between mammals and microbes, will join the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health as the chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology. Sperandio will be arriving from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where …

Dr. Mark Mandel Receives Research Forward Funding

Source: UW News After six rounds of funding, the UW2020: WARF Discovery Initiative has been retired. The name necessitated the move, as much as anything.   It will be replaced by Research Forward, whose inaugural round funds 11 grant projects chosen out of 89 submitted from across campus.  FY20 was the last year of the UW2020 awards. Launched in fall 2015, the initiative …

Dr. Anna Huttenlocher Quoted in The Atlantic

Source: The Atlantic, Author: Katherine J. Wu Every drop of pus that’s squeezed out of the human body is a squidgy mess—a souvenir of an infection gone awry, a reminder to never eat off-color custard again. It is also a wartime memorial, dedicated to the corpses of the many thousands of microscopic soldiers that once …

COVID-19 policy changes: events, face coverings, outdoor physical distancing

Read this message in Effective June 2, campus policies for events, face coverings and outdoor physical distancing are being updated. Face coverings Fully vaccinated people will no longer be required to wear face coverings in most indoor spaces on the UW–Madison campus. Unvaccinated people should continue to wear face coverings indoors. The chancellor’s order on …

Research opportunities bring Dr. Andrew Hryckowian to the Department of Medicine, MMI

The intersection of disciplines can be an innovative place for research. The opportunity to work with scientists across departments led Andrew Hryckowian, PhD, assistant professor, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, to UW-Madison. In May 2020, Dr. Hryckowian joined the Department of Medicine and the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, where his lab studies the gut microbiome and …

New Projects Study Root Causes of Inequalities and How to Reduce Their Effects

April 15, 2021 By Natasha Kassulke | UW News Fifteen projects — from improving doctor-patient communications for high-risk patients, to using data to understand racial differences in how Americans handle civil legal problems, to better understanding the factors that influence success and well-being of Hmong-American students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison — have been chosen …

Lindsay Kalan Selected for WARF Accelerator Microbiome Challenge Grant

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation announced that four projects have been selected to receive development funding through the WARF Accelerator Microbiome Challenge Grant. From infection-fighting probiotics to methods for managing mosquito populations, these technologies have high potential impact. Researchers representing 20 departments and centers applied for the grant. The selected projects are led by the …

Dr. Andy Mehle Elected as ASV Animal Virology Councilor

Congratulations to Dr. Andy Mehle on being elected to the governing council of the American Society of Virology (ASV) as their Animal Virology Councilor. The election polls the international membership of ASV to seat Councilors for 3 year terms. Founded in 1981, the American Society for Virology is the professional society for virology researchers with …

Chemical Signal Puts Bacteria on Path to a Bright Future with Squid Host

A tiny molecule found among microscopic bacteria living in a mutually beneficial partnership with golf-ball-sized squid may give scientists a lead on how the bacteria are able to act in concert as a helpful colony instead of millions of individual freeloaders. The Hawaiian bobtail squid is a remarkable example of symbiosis. Inside a small organ …

Dr. Lindsay Kalan and Graduate Student Mary Hannah Swaney Published in American Society for Microbiology

Dr. Lindsay Kalan and graduate student, Mary Hannah Swaney, have been published in the American Society of Microbiology’s  Infection and Immunity’s special issue on “Future Leaders in the Field of Host-Microbe Interactions.” The article is titled, “Living in Your Skin: Microbes, Molecules, and Mechanisms.” The full article can be read on the American Society of …

Announcement of Childcare Costs for NRSA Supported Individual Fellows

Source: NIH We recognize that the high cost of childcare impacts the ability of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in many ways, including successfully completing their training and fully participating in the extramural research workforce. Pieces like these from Scientific American in 2019 and 2020, Science, and Nature Cancer as well as this recent report …