
New statewide data show evidence of four-fold increase in recent COVID-19 infections
Preliminary results from the second wave of a UW–Madison study estimated 6.8% of Wisconsin residents have evidence of recent infection of COVID-19.

UW vision researchers partner with U.S. Department of Defense to develop stem cell therapy for combat-related eye injuries
Using an ingenious microscopic retinal patch, eye researchers at UW–Madison will develop and test a new way to treat United States military personnel blinded in combat.

Patricia Kiley elected 2020 AAAS Fellow for research on bacterial oxygen response
Patricia Kiley, PhD, professor and chair of biomolecular chemistry, has been elected a 2020 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She is one of six fellows elected from the University of Wisconsin–Madison this year.

Alan Bridges wins prestigious Veterans Health Administration award
Professor of medicine and chief of staff at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital Alan Bridges, MD, has won the prestigious Veterans Health Administration (VHA) John D. Chase Award for Executive Excellence in Health Care.

Robert Fettiplace wins Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
In the past two years, Robert Fettiplace, PhD, amassed two prestigious academic honors, and a recently announced third puts him in company with scientists who were subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize.

First-in-humans clinical trial to treat children with relapsed neuroblastoma opens at American Family Children’s Hospital
A first-in-humans clinical trial for children with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma has opened at American Family Children’s Hospital (AFCH) and is being conducted by researchers at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Neuroblastoma is one of the most common solid tumors in children. Patients who are classified as “high-risk” (about 40 percent of those diagnosed) have less than a 50 percent survival rate.

Ying Ge receives Biemann Medal, named to Top 100 Analytical Scientist Power List
Ying Ge, PhD, professor of cell and regenerative biology, has been awarded the Biemann Medal from the American Society for Mass Spectrometry for 2020. She was also named to the Top 100 Analytical Scientist Power List by The Analytical Scientist.

COVID-19 data model quantifies region-specific impact of social distancing orders
As the COVID-19 pandemic first took hold in regions across the United States in spring 2020, local officials, hoping to quell the spread of the virus, turned to the only actionable defenses available at the time: closing schools and businesses, banning mass gatherings, issuing stay-at-home orders and enforcing other social distancing measures.

Jonathan Engle receives Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
When Jonathan Engle, PhD, received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, he expressed gratitude for the significance of the recognition.

UW awarded research funding to identify ways to improve emergency department visits for people with dementia
The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health is one of four sites awarded a total of $7.5 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct research that could lead to improved care in emergency departments for people with dementia.

Amy Fiedler named to class of 2020 Presidential Leadership Scholars Program
Amy Fiedler, MD, a cardiac surgeon and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, has been named to the 2020-21 cohort of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. She continues to develop her personal leadership project for the program, despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

UW study: Coverage for people with pre-existing conditions improved under the Affordable Care Act
Insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions increased during the first five years of Affordable Care Act implementation, a recent UW–Madison study revealed.