Scientists led by Morgridge Institute for Research investigator Phillip Newmark have isolated a potent kryptonite against the parasitic worms, which cause devastating health problems.
News
Newly discovered virus infects bald eagles across America
Scientists found the virus while searching for the cause of Wisconsin River Eagle Syndrome. The newly identified bald eagle hepacivirus may contribute to the fatal disease, which causes eagles to stumble and have seizures.
UW–Madison, local startup testing a one-two punch against hard-to-heal wounds
Millions of people with severe burns or diabetic skin ulcers could benefit from an experimental enhancement to a next-generation covering that is already healing difficult wounds.
Tiny capsules packed with gene-editing tools offer alternative to viral delivery of gene therapy
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have packed a gene-editing payload into a customizable, synthetic nanocapsule.
Fear of more dangerous second Zika, dengue infections unfounded in monkeys
As outbreaks on Pacific islands and in the Americas in recent years made Zika virus a pressing public health concern, the Zika virus’s close similarity to dengue presented the possibility that one infection may exacerbate the other.
Jawless fish take a bite out of the blood-brain barrier
A team of biomedical engineers and clinician-scientists borrowed molecules from the immune system of the parasitic sea lamprey to deliver anti-cancer drugs directly to brain tumors.
Inflamed monkey guts produce Parkinson’s-related proteins
A new study lends support to the idea that inflammation may play a key role in the development of the degenerative neurological disorder.
Clinical trial begins to test universal vaccine against canine cancer
Dogs started receiving a vaccine against cancer this week in a clinical trial at UW-Madison. If the vaccine works in dogs, it may not only provide a new strategy for addressing a critical canine health concern, it might also work in people.
Orthopedic injury therapy in rodents may soon be headed to the clinic
The research team is now working to obtain FDA approval for a first human clinical trial to treat devastating injuries in musculoskeletal tissues.
Primate studies supported 40-year-old PCB ban
When the Environmental Protection Agency banned polychlorinated biphenyls — industrial compounds once used widely in coolants and electrical insulators — in April of 1979, they were relying on the results of studies in animals that linked PCBs to dire health consequences including cancer, problems with conception, disruption of the nutrients in maternal milk and reduced cognitive abilities in offspring. Much of that work was done studying monkeys at the Wisconsin National Primate Center, and UW–Madison findings informed reference levels for PCB contamination that still guide cleanup at sites around the United States.