2016: Year in review
We're delighted to share a video highlighting many of the strides we have made over the past year. Your generous and thoughtful contributions help us continue to pioneer research and expand clinical services that benefit individuals and families impacted by developmental disabilities and neurodegenerative diseases. Together we are transforming lives and building brighter futures—without you, it just wouldn’t be possible.
December 21, 2016
A kid. His cards. And a cause.
Diagnosed with autism when he was five years old, Giizhik learned to draw before he learned to speak. He poured his energy into turning the cartoons that fascinated him into a world of his own artwork. - See more at: http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/news2016-Holiday-Cards.htm#sthash.tjq3cpUt.dpuf
December 13, 2016
Why do children with autism often have language delays?
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, often have significant delays with expanding their vocabularies and other language skills compared to typically developing children. Yet, “we know very little about [language] processing in [children …
December 6, 2016
$1.25 million legacy gift will support brain injury research at the Waisman Center
A new legacy gift will help researchers and clinicians at the Waisman Center continue to search for ways to benefit individuals and families whose lives have been impacted by brain injuries and developmental disabilities. This …
November 10, 2016
Brain cells by the billions
Leaders of the University of Wisconsin–Madison lab that first transformed human stem cells into brain cells have started a company that produces and sells specialized neurons to drug researchers. BrainXell develops neurons from stem cells …
November 2, 2016Innovations start up at Waisman
What do Night Owl Support Systems, the Trace Center, the Center for Healthy Minds, and Stratatech all have in common? The Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over the years, the Waisman Center has …
October 28, 2016
Whirling the Waisman Way
What better way to spend a crisp fall day than to go on a three mile walk with your 6, 4 and 1-year old children AND raise funds to benefit individuals and families affected by …
October 4, 2016Lighting up the search for a therapy for fragile X syndrome
Waisman Center researchers Anita Bhattacharyya and Xinyu Zhao are looking to make stem cells glow. That glow will tell them that they have successfully turned on a gene that is usually turned off in individuals …
September 21, 2016Study finds a key to nerve regeneration
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have found a switch that redirects helper cells in the peripheral nervous system into “repair” mode, a form that restores damaged axons. Axons are long fibers on neurons that …
September 13, 2016
A rare gift: Family endows professorship in memory of children
In their photographs, Jenni and Kyle Geurkink look like happy, healthy children. Jenni has a captivating smile and a twinkle in her eyes. Kyle is a sturdy toddler who loves brooms, mops and any occasion …
August 31, 2016
Summer research: From Appleton to Madison
This summer, three students from Lawrence University exchanged the Fox River for Lake Mendota and became temporary Badgers. They were part of a pilot program designed to provide Lawrence undergraduates the opportunity to work with …
August 18, 2016A case of (peripheral) nerves
Every day, Waisman Center researcher John Svaren deals with nerves – peripheral nerves, that is. Peripheral nerves connect the brain and spinal cord to our limbs and organs, serving as vital communication relays that allow …
August 4, 2016Waisman researchers part of several UW2020 awards
Several research and infrastructure projects featuring Waisman Center researchers as the primary or co-investigator have been selected for the second round of funding through the UW2020
August 3, 2016Background noise may hinder toddlers’ ability to learn words
The environments children are in, including how much and what kinds of stimulation they are exposed to, influence what and how they learn. One important task for children is zeroing in on the information that’s …
July 21, 2016A new whey to manage PKU
Food products made from a specific protein found in whey can safely be part of a more palatable diet for individuals diagnosed with phenylketonuria (PKU), according to a new clinical trial led by researchers at …
July 13, 2016New CDC funding will expand knowledge about children with autism spectrum disorder
The Waisman Center is one of only six institutions across to country to be awarded a SEED grant by the Centers for Disease Control. SEED is one of the largest studies in the United States …
July 11, 2016Early environment can change your brain
Seth Pollak, PhD, Waisman Center investigator and professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was recently featured in a story about how childhood poverty can influence brain development and hinder success in school and …
July 11, 2016
When the words did not come
Luke Holzem sped from door to door, his orange t-shirt transforming him into a bright blur of 6-year-old energy. His grey-green eyes sparkled and he looked expectantly at his mother, Shannon. The question was clear: …
July 6, 2016A bone to speak and to swallow
Only one out of the more than 200 bones in our bodies is free-floating, with no local attachment to other bones, but it’s no freeloader. The hyoid bone is located in the front of the neck, just below the lower jaw, carrying the weight of the tongue and playing a vital role in speech and swallowing.
June 23, 2016Autism treatment offerings expand in Madison
An increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism, and a state mandate for insurance coverage of autism treatment, has led to an expansion of autism treatment services in the Madison area. UW-Madison’s Waisman …
June 13, 2016Waisman Center awarded Evjue grant to expand Day with the Experts series
The Evjue Foundation, the charitable arm of the Capital Times, has awarded the Waisman Center $8,000 to expand the accessibility and reach of its free, community-oriented Day with the Experts series. The four Waisman Center …
June 10, 2016- More 2016 posts
Advancing knowledge of human development, developmental disabilities, and neurodegenerative diseases.