Author: ecleclerc

New screening platform accelerates search for Rett syndrome treatments and reveals new disease mechanisms

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At a Glance: Developing treatments for rare genetic disorders, such as Rett syndrome, is notoriously difficult, often requiring years of research and significant financial investment. Researchers at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a new drug screening platform for Rett syndrome that could help accelerate the search for potential therapies while uncovering new …

New drug shows promise for treating Down syndrome-related brain changes

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Individuals with Down syndrome have differences in how their brains form that cause intellectual disability. Down syndrome or trisomy 21 is the most common genetic cause of intellectual and developmental disability and is caused by the triplication of chromosome 21.

A springboard for scientific independence: Inside Waisman’s T32 Postdoctoral Training Program

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At a Glance: Postdoctoral fellowships occupy an unusual space between being a graduate student and becoming an independent scholar. The postdoc stage is marked by a focus on refining research skills, expanding their knowledge-base, and developing key professional development skills (e.g., grant writing) needed to be an independent scientist. It can feel at times, like …

A legacy of support: Connie Stevens retires after decades of advocacy for families of children with hearing differences

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After more than two decades of advocacy, collaboration, and compassionate support for families of children with hearing differences, Connie Stevens, MA, retired at the end of June 2026. A veteran support parent with Parents Reaching Out, a longtime collaborator with Wisconsin Sound Beginnings, and trusted voice for families across the state, Stevens leaves behind a legacy defined by connection, empathy, and impact.

Students are the lifeblood of science: How students contribute to and shape research

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Science is not static. It constantly grows through curiosity, experimentation, and the continuous pursuit of new knowledge. Every question asked, every experiment conducted, and every discovery made build upon what came before it—moving science forward step by step. Students play a critical role in that process. They are not passive learners observing from the sidelines, but active contributors to research.

Postdoc Excellence Awards highlight outstanding postdocs and faculty mentors

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Link to the original article. The UW–Madison Postdoctoral Association recognized six postdocs and three faculty with Postdoc Excellence Awards to acknowledge their excellence in mentoring, teaching, and service. The association, a volunteer-led advocacy group for UW–Madison postdocs supported by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, launched the Postdoc Excellence Awards in 2021 to reward postdocs for …

GLEAM Study (Gaze-based Language Evaluation and Access in Motor Disability) (Hustad)

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Help us learn about how well eye gaze methods work to measure word knowledge in children who have severe motor and communication difficulties.

Typing, tapping, and eye-gaze tracking: Augmentative and alternative communication provides crucial access to communication when speech is out of reach

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For many, talking is as easy as breathing. A few words to tell your friend that you are hungry and ready for lunch. A long rant to your partner about frustrations at work. A description of what hurts to your doctor. A quiet, ‘I love you,’ to a close family member. Being able to talk helps to make communicating efficient and effective. But not everyone has access to speech.

Earliest signs of neurodegeneration in Down syndrome detected shortly after birth, new Waisman study shows

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Signs of neurodegeneration in individuals with Down syndrome may start as early as birth, a critical stage of brain development, a new study shows. The research, from investigators at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides an atlas of early brain development in Down syndrome that could inform potential targeted treatments to address the developmental and degenerative aspects of the condition.

Ability, not disability: UW allies highlight advocacy in light of Autism Acceptance Month

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April is Autism Acceptance Month — a time to recognize those on the autism spectrum, provide support, improve access to services and celebrate neurodiverse identities. Autism is a developmental disability, meaning it displays itself during the pediatric period, according to senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin Waisman Center and director of the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Leann DaWalt.