Year: 2015

Qiang Chang, PhD

Title: Cell cycle-linked MeCP2 phosphorylation modulates adult neurogenesis Legend: Representative images (left) of adult neural progenitor cells (aNPCs) isolated from wild type (WT) and Mecp2S421A;S424A/y hippocampus with BrdU pulse labeling, followed by immunocytochemistry analysis. (middle) Representative images of Tuj1+ neurons differentiated from WT and Mecp2S421A;S424A/y aNPCs. (right) Representative images of GFAP+ astrocyte differentiated from WT and …

Pelin Cengiz, MD

Title: Up-regulation of NHE1 protein expression in reactive hippocampal astrocytes Legend: A.Expression of NHE1 protein in hippocampal astrocytes. Immunofluorescence signals of NHE1 and GFAP were shown under normoxia control or OGD (2 h) plus 0 h, 5 h, or 24 h REOX. Green: GFAP, red: NHE1 (arrows), blue: To-pro-3 nuclear staining. Scale Bar: 20 mm.  …

Ninth annual Fashion Show for All Abilities recap

Between wardrobe fittings, hours of coaching, makeup artists, and the moment that first shoe hits the runway, Chantel Brown watched her dream become a reality. Friday, May 29, 2015 marked the ninth annual Fashion Show for All Abilities where 73 models strut their stuff for this community awareness event.

Kindness in the classroom

What if teaching young children compassion and kindness made them better students as well as better people? Researchers with the UW’s Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center recently tested that hypothesis with preschool students in the Madison Metropolitan School District, after years of work developing a curriculum designed to help children develop both kindness and self-regulation skills.

Ruth Munz receives Excellence in Early Education Award

Ruth Munz, a university associate in the Waisman Early Childhood Program, received the Excellence in Early Education Award last month after nomination from her co-workers. She was honored at Jazzin, the annual fundraiser for campus childcare and acknowledgement of exceptional early education teachers and leaders on campus.

Anita Bhattacharyya, PhD

Title: iPSC-Derived Forebrain Neurons from FXS Individuals Show Defects in Initial Neurite Outgrowth Legend: Left panel: Skin cells from individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that have characteristics of human embryonic stem cells. These iPSCs can then be differentiated into forebrain cortical neurons to study neuronal …

Fragile X proteins involved in proper neuron development

Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited intellectual disability and the greatest single genetic contributor to autism. Unlocking the mechanisms behind fragile X could make important revelations about the brain.

Greenberg to fill research leadership post

Norman Drinkwater, a UW-Madison professor of oncology, and Jan Greenberg, a UW-Madison professor of social work, have been named associate vice chancellors in the Office of Research and Graduate Education. Greenberg will lead the area of social studies while Drinkwater will lead the biological sciences.

Barbara B. Bendlin, PhD

Title: Insulin resistance predicts brain amyloid deposition in late middle-aged adults Legend: Healthy late middle-aged adults with higher insulin resistance (based on fasting glucose and insulin levels) show greater amyloid deposition on [C11]PIB-PET imaging. The results suggest that metabolic dysfunction in midlife may contribute to Alzheimer’s pathology. Shown on the left for illustrative purposes are …

Questions for Maureen Durkin: Understanding autism’s rise

Waisman Center investigator, Maureen Durkin, PhD, DrPH, professor of population health sciences and pediatrics, was featured by the Simons Foundation Autism Reseach Initiative (SFARI) in a Q&A article about the rising prevalence of autism.