Temple Grandin, PhD, is likely the most well-known living autistic individual, both nationally and internationally. She is not only a renowned scientist and educator but also an esteemed author and advocate. Across the decades of her life, she has spent considerable time on her personal pursuit of knowledge and understanding about autism and the ways that it influences her perception and interpretation of the world around her. As a Distinguished Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, her professional pursuits involve studying animal behavior and, in particular, designing humane livestock-handling systems.
The Baby Badger Network seeks to make genetic testing more accessible to critically-ill newborns throughout Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, a new initiative is transforming the landscape of neonatal care by making genetic testing more accessible for critically-ill newborns. The Baby Badger Network (BBN) is a team effort among healthcare providers to break down barriers to genetic testing and ensure timely diagnosis and care for their most vulnerable patients.
Peter Ferrazzano, MD – Slide of the Week
Elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) is a complication of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) that carries a risk of secondary brain injury.
Waisman Early Childhood Program’s longest serving teacher retires
The Waisman Early Childhood Program’s (WECP) longest serving teacher, Lisa Marie Carilli-McCord, officially retired at the end of October.
Rebecca Alper, PhD – Slide of the Week
Childhood trauma is pervasive and can have widespread negative influences on language development.
New algorithm helps decipher complex biological data to advance neurodevelopmental research
A new machine learning algorithm developed at UW-Madison is helping researchers untangle a complex puzzle: the molecular mechanisms behind developmental disabilities and neurodegenerative diseases. COSIME, created by the lab of Waisman investigator Daifeng Wang, PhD, associate professor of biostatistics and medical informatics, and computer sciences, offers a powerful new way to integrate and interpret multiple types of biological data which can give scientists a clearer view of how different cellular clues come together to shape disease outcomes.
Haley Dresang, PhD – Slide of the Week
This preliminary study examined the feasibility of using correlational tractography and differential tractography to identify white-matter mechanisms associated with conceptual and lexical verb priming in post-stroke aphasia.
Waisman Center investigator David Gamm featured in a Capital Times story about research funding
Waisman Center investigator David Gamm, MD, PhD, is featured in a story from the Capital Times about research funding from the U.S. Department of Defense. Gamm is the director of the McPherson Eye Research Institute …
New research reinforces the link between a cellular quality control system and rare forms of autism
Just like a car factory relies on inspectors to ensure that every vehicle is built correctly, cells depend on internal quality control systems to keep proteins functioning as they should. New research from Waisman Center investigator Luigi Puglielli, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, reveals that disruptions in one such system—the endoplasmic reticulum’s acetylation pathway—can lead to rare forms of autism and progeria, offering fresh insights into the cellular roots of these complex conditions.
A tribute to Paul White: Champion of community, compassion, and change
Paul White, MA, founder of Community TIES and former director of the Waisman Center’s Community Outreach Wisconsin program, passed away unexpectedly on June 17, 2025.