Stories indexed under: Biosciences

Total: 519   RSSRSS feed

  • Deer Common soil mineral degrades the nearly indestructible prion Jan. 14, 2009 In the rogues' gallery of microscopic infectious agents, the prion is the toughest hombre in town.
  • Harvesting switchgrass Nations that sow food crops for biofuels may reap less than previously thought Jan. 13, 2009 Global yields of most biofuels crops, including corn, rapeseed and wheat, have been overestimated by 100 to 150 percent or more, suggesting many countries need to reset their expectations of agricultural biofuels to a more realistic level.
  • Genetic change extends mouse life, points to possible treatment for ALS Dec. 9, 2008 There are many ways to die, but amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, must be one of the worst. By the time a patient notices muscle weakness, the neurons that control the muscles have already begun dying, in an untreatable process that brings death within two to five years.
  • Poll: Boaters and anglers taking steps to prevent spread of invasive species Dec. 9, 2008 The vast majority of Wisconsin residents say that preventing the spread of VHS fish disease and other aquatic invasive species to new lakes and rivers is very important, a recent statewide poll shows.
  • Stealth drug idea snags Gates Foundation support Nov. 12, 2008 A proposal to create a stealth drug, one that remains cloaked inside a cell until activated by a pathogen, has snared a high-profile $100,000 award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
  • Image form the 1998 Science paper Research on human embryonic stem cells marks 10-year milestone Nov. 6, 2008 Ten years ago today (Nov. 6, 1998), the publication in the journal Science of a short paper entitled "Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Derived from Human Blastocysts" rocked biology - and the world - as the all-purpose stem cell and its possibilities were ushered into the limelight.
  • Conference to celebrate a decade of stem cell research Nov. 5, 2008 The Wisconsin Academy, along with UW-Madison and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), will host a free, two-day event to highlight the accomplishments of stem cell research in the state and to examine future stem cell issues.
  • Wisconsin undergraduate team tackles biofuels challenges Oct. 30, 2008 Working on a current scientific issue with cutting-edge technology is unusual for an undergraduate. But not for the Wisconsin iGEM team, a group of 11 University of Wisconsin-Madison undergraduates researching biofuels for a synthetic biology competition.
  • Image of a crystal Sea urchin yields a key secret of biomineralization Oct. 27, 2008 The teeth and bones of mammals, the protective shells of mollusks, and the needle-sharp spines of sea urchins and other marine creatures are made-from-scratch wonders of nature.
  • President of Environmental Defense Fund to speak at Bioenergy Summit Oct. 20, 2008 Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund, will deliver the keynote address at the Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative's Bioenergy Summit on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. in Ebling Symposium Hall of the Microbial Sciences Building, 1550 Linden Drive.
  • Symposium looks at challenge of producing more food on a smaller carbon footprint Oct. 7, 2008 On the day before World Food Day, a group of agricultural leaders will gather to discuss how technology can be harnessed to meet the world's need for food, fiber and fuel while reducing their industry's carbon footprint.
  • Southern Pine Beetle Wielding microbe against microbe, beetle defends its food source Oct. 2, 2008 As the southern pine beetle moves through the forest boring tunnels inside the bark of trees, it brings with it both a helper and a competitor. The helper is a fungus that the insect plants inside the tunnels as food for its young. But also riding along is a tiny, hitchhiking mite, which likewise carries a fungus for feeding its own larvae.
  • 'Polymazing' image Science photo takes second in national contest Sept. 25, 2008 With a photograph that embodies the unexpected - and sometimes breathtaking - outcomes of science, University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student Jenna Eun has won second place in the 2008 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and Science magazine.
  • Q&A: A broad vision for cross-college biology education Sept. 24, 2008 As one who balances scientific interests in microbes and climate change with a passion for human development, associate soil science professor Teri Balser knows a thing or two about bridging diverse disciplines and perspectives. Who better, then, to lead the Institute for Cross-College Biology Education?
  • Photo of switchgrass Reseachers derive 'green gasoline' from plant sugars Sept. 18, 2008 Alternative energy doesn't always mean solar or wind power. In fact, the alternative fuels developed by University of Wisconsin-Madison chemical and biological engineering professor James Dumesic look a lot like the gasoline and diesel fuel used in vehicles today.
  • Monsanto supports UW plant breeding with $1 million fellowship gift Sept. 18, 2008 Monsanto Co. has made a $1 million gift to support plant breeding and genetics in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  • Great ideas sought for WID competition Sept. 11, 2008 To chart the direction of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID), the committee and campus leaders charged with formulating the vision for the new interdisciplinary institute have issued a call for research theme proposals from UW–Madison faculty.
  • Executive director named for Morgridge Institute for Research Sept. 11, 2008 A distinguished researcher from Purdue University with significant private and public sector experience will return to Wisconsin as the executive director of the new Morgridge Institute for Research, part of the twin Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.
  • World Stem Cell Summit comes to Madison Sept. 21-23 Sept. 10, 2008 Meeting stem cell experts from around the world, unique networking opportunities, and a public day of outreach await those attending the World Stem Cell Summit and related events Sept. 21-23 in Madison, Wis.
  • Photo of marmosets Baby's smell tamps down dad's testosterone levels Sept. 3, 2008 Does eau de infant make dad a better parent? It does, it seems, if you are a common marmoset, a New World monkey known for its collaborative approach to rearing offspring.