Category: 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 researchers at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison. With support from grants from Lawrence University, Katie Taber, Anna Kim and …

A 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 us to sense and respond to the world around us. “These nerves are really interesting because they contain some of …

Waisman 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

Background 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 relevant to what they’re learning and ignoring what isn’t. A new study has found that the presence of background noise …

A 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 the University of Wisconsin—Madison and Boston Children’s Hospital. “Our findings could also lead to increased insurance coverage for ‘medical foods’ …

New 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 to help identify factors that may put children at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. Research …

Early 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 beyond. You can read the full story in either the Capital Times or at WisconsinWatch.org.

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: which of the numbered doors did he have to vanquish to get to his appointment at the Communication Aids & …

A 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.

Autism 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 Center, which has long had a clinic that can diagnose children with autism, started offering behavioral treatment for the condition …