Engineering cancer-eating immune cells that attack solid tumors
Macrophages seem like ideal weapons to attack cancer, because these large white blood cells surround tumors and — as their name suggests, from the Greek for “big eater” — they exist to digest cellular waste, infection, and damaged and dead cells.
Overdiagnosis of thyroid cancer remains high
Most cases of papillary thyroid cancer in the United States may have been overdiagnosed over the past three decades, meaning they were detected and treated surgically without improving population rates of death due to the cancer, according to a recent study from researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Gut compound identified as next target for reducing Alzheimer’s risk
Higher levels of imidazole propionate, a compound produced by some bacteria in the gut, contribute to dementia-related changes in the brain.
Radiologists benefit from global teaching partnerships
When University of Wisconsin radiology experts volunteer to support their peers in under-resourced communities around the globe, they not only impart knowledge but also absorb valuable lessons and experiences.
AI coach could train doctors in critical newborn airway procedure
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health are developing an artificial intelligence-based “digital mentor” to support the training of clinicians who help newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit breathe.
Exploring the severity and causes of a debilitating heart condition
Approximately 3 million people in the United States are living with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF, and their prognosis can be daunting.
Study linking environmental factors and Alzheimer’s disease awarded NIH funding
A nationwide study led by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health that explores the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease, environmental factors and lifetime experiences has been awarded a second round of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Fourteen Vilas Awards recognize faculty excellence
Fourteen faculty members in the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health received Vilas Awards for the 2025–2026 academic year, the most the school has earned in a single year for at least a decade.
Predicting how residents will perform in the field
Dr. Brigitte Smith received a $1.1 million precision education grant from AMA to build a platform that will help vascular surgery training programs analyze residents’ and recent graduates' performance data.
A comprehensive approach to dementia
No cure exists — yet — for Alzheimer’s disease, the brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, along with the ability to complete daily tasks. But dozens of researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, many of them within the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, are working on ways to prevent, slow and cure the disease.
Overriding a genetic mutation to restore sight
A University of Wisconsin–Madison research team has shown that an engineered molecule can override a genetic error that causes a rare but devastating form of inherited childhood blindness, restoring the missing protein and recovering visual function in patient-derived cells and in a mouse model of the disease.
Remembering Charles Mistretta, medical imaging pioneer
Charles “Chuck” Mistretta, PhD, a pioneering researcher who transformed the field of medical imaging, passed away on June 9, 2026.