David Egan, born with Down syndrome at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison in 1977, has spent much of his life proving that there isn’t much he — or others with intellectual disabilities — can’t do, given an opportunity.
Down Syndrome
How Waisman researchers are advancing knowledge of speech and language in Individuals with IDDs
People say between 150 and 200 words a minute on average during a casual conversation.
Weight loss may be early predictor of Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome
Unintentional weight loss in people with Down syndrome may predict the onset of Alzheimer’s disease long before typical cognitive symptoms like memory loss and dementia are apparent.
New study reveals changes in key pathway in Down syndrome
A new paper published by Anita Bhattacharyya, PhD reveals that the differences in brain structure in individuals with Down syndrome (DS or Trisomy 21) may be due to disrupted signaling pathways that alter brain development to result in the incorrect number or placement of cells in the brain.
Jose Martinez connects science and policy as a BTP trainee
While working as a health care administrator in Santa Cruz, California during the 2015 Zika virus outbreak, Jose Martinez realized his background in chemistry and pharmacology could be harnessed to set policies that are grounded in science.
New $11 million award to study intellectual disability in Down syndrome
Waisman investigators Anita Bhattacharyya, PhD, an assistant professor of cell and regenerative biology and Su-Chun Zhang, MD, PhD, professor of neuroscience and neurology at the School of Medicine and Public Health at UW-Madison, were awarded …
Studying the connection between Alzheimer’s and Down syndrome for Down syndrome awareness month
By Emily Leclerc, Waisman Science Writer The month of October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and is dedicated to not only raising awareness about Down syndrome but also to celebrating the abilities and accomplishments of …
Stem cell project to create new model to study brain development and Down syndrome
Waisman Center researchers are creating a new approach to study how changes to brain development in the womb result in intellectual disability in people with Down syndrome.
New NIH-funded initiative will examine Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome
A team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is part of a new multi-institution effort to better understand Alzheimer’s disease in adults with Down syndrome. Adults with Down syndrome are at high risk for …
The ECHO effect
Project ECHO (the mantra for which is “All teach, all learn”) uses video-conferencing technology to provide education and case consultation on best practice clinical services, training, and resources for individuals with specific healthcare needs that are difficult to meet locally. The Waisman Center ECHO platform will serve as a diagnostic and treatment training hub to share the center’s expertise on intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy, throughout the state and beyond.