19822 Krakauer chosen to lead Wisconsin Institute for Discovery David Krakauer may have lofty plans for the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, but he believes that is exactly why he was chosen to be its first director. David Krakauer may have lofty plans for the <a href="http://wid.wisc.edu/">Wisconsin Institute for Discovery,</a> but he believes that is exactly why he was chosen to be its first director. “I’m ambitious, yes,” says Krakauer, a professor at the <a href="http://www.santafe.edu/">Santa Fe Institute</a> in New Mexico. “But the university built the building. They supported it. The vision from the beginning was grand and part of the Wisconsin idea” Krakauer will take over leadership of WID from interim director John Wiley in November, and bring hopes to elevate the institute to a status enjoyed by few such organizations around the country. “When people walk in, I want the feeling to be, ‘Wow, what is this? This is something completely different,’” he says. “The MIT Media Lab has that. The Santa Fe Institute has that. Bell Labs had that. I want it for the WID.” Much of that wow factor comes with an approach to problem solving that transcends traditional divisions by scientific discipline. Trans-science, as Krakauer and his wife and collaborator Jessica Flack refer to it, is a major tenet of the research they will bring from their Collective Social Computation Group in Santa Fe to WID and the university. “Jessica and David bring a unique perspective and a long list of accomplishments to campus,” says Martin Cadwallader, UW–Madison vice chancellor for research and dean of the <a href="http://www.grad.wisc.edu/">Graduate School</a>. “I am confident that with David’s leadership the Institute will achieve its full potential as a driver of trans-disciplinary research.” The world needs more organizations like WID, according to Krakauer, where it’s understood that society’s pressing problems never correspond with a single scientific discipline. “The future of research can not be restricted to something you would recognize as disciplinary,” says Krakauer, who has spent nine years at the Santa Fe Institute, including two as chair of the faculty. “You’ll recognize pieces of it – that’s genetics, that’s mathematics – but the whole will demand a wider view.” The institute’s newest scientists are well acquainted with that view. Flack will co-direct (with Krakauer) a center for complex systems analysis and collective computation that builds upon their work in Santa Fe, which looked at the evolution of adaptive systems. “Take the neurons in your brain,” Krakauer says. “One at a time, they’re useful enough. They perform individual functions. But when you aggregate many of them, billions of them, new capabilities emerge — vision, motion, even considering the past to make predictions about the future.” From genomes to human culture to computer networks, similar processes are at work. “The underlying mathematical description is shared by all of them. We’re interested in their algorithmic nature,” says Krakauer, who earned his doctorate in evolutionary theory and taught at Oxford and was a resident at Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study. Flack studied evolution, behavior and cognition at Emory before joining the faculty in Santa Fe, and her work on robustness, social niche construction and collective behavior has been featured in “The Economist” and in BBC programs. “Jessica’s approach brings together canonical ideas from social evolution, the study of networks, computation and pattern formation to study the emergence of multi-scale organization in biological and social systems,” Krakauer says. “Her trans-disciplinary approach is one I would like to see as much as possible at the WID.” The institute’s great strength is the incredible research resource at its doorstep, according to Krakauer. UW–Madison boasts such a wide pool of world-class science faculty, laboratories, social scientists and humanists. “I want to expand the WID to encompass elements of the social sciences and humanities,” Krakauer says. “I want them in the WID, because I don’t think you can make a meaningful contribution to society without incorporating the people who study society.” In Santa Fe, the task of mixing representatives from different sides of the academic fence was eased by the lack of laboratory walls. “Everyone there is a theorist. So there aren’t any labs,” creating an environment particularly conducive to blurring the line between disciplines, Krakauer says. “And this is where the WID is such an appealing challenge. Can this philosophy, looking for the intersections between our areas of expertise, could that be expanded and modified to suit Wisconsin, which is really the prototype of the large research university with the glassware and computers and large lab equipment? “It’s an opportunity to ask if a non-traditional approach would work at the larger scale,” he says. At the Santa Fe Institute, Krakauer introduced to the mix artists considered non-traditional even in their own fields — including author Cormac McCarthy’s turn as a research fellow. “People were asking me regularly, “Now, why is Cormac McCarthy here?’” Krakauer says. “But the same people are gushing. They’re so excited to have talked to this person at lunch about particle physics. They’re so amazed by their responses to his questions.” It’s a scene that completes the connections between Krakauer’s research, vision for trans-science and plan for WID: more neurons, bringing more expertise to the network, gives rise to new capabilities. Krakauer wants to establish new productive connections, and increase the energy and thought that goes into fostering exploratory research projects. “I view the theme leaders and myself as the hosts for the community as well as the research residents,” he says. “I think it’s going to be very exciting for people who might have been put off science. It won’t be narrow and doctrinaire, but open and conscious of the breadth of contributing lines of study.” And better equipped for leveraging the public-private partnership with the <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/morgridge/">Morgridge Institute for Research</a>. “On of the big challenges for the director is to make risk acceptable,” he says. “In that sense, WID will be more entrepreneurial. There is a kind of venture capital flavor to what I’m thinking, in which I’m willing to let people extend themselves and fail as long as we have a home run somewhere.” To be a productive research center is not enough. “If the science done at WID is comparable to the science going on elsewhere at the university, by normal metrics that’s great,” Krakauer says. “But that would be an unacceptable to me. I mean, why build this beautiful new building for business as usual?” Thu Sep 29 06:07:00 -0500 2011

Thu Nov 03 16:41:27 -0500 2011

98 Barncard Chris barncard@wisc.edu 19675 Wisconsin Science Festival highlights connection between science, art What happens when you mix one part Aldo Leopold, another part Frank Lloyd Wright and add a pinch of Indiana Jones? Anyone can find out with a visit to the first Wisconsin Science Festival, an educational and fun-filled exploration of science and art taking stage across several sites in Madison from Sept. 22-25. What happens when you mix one part Aldo Leopold, another part Frank Lloyd Wright and add a pinch of Indiana Jones? Anyone can find out with a visit to the first <a href="http://www.wisconsinsciencefest.org">Wisconsin Science Festival</a>, an educational and fun-filled exploration of science and art taking stage across several sites in Madison from Sept. 22-25. People of all ages can touch, taste, look, listen and discover the wonders of science and art through hands-on interactive exhibits and workshops, lectures, demonstrations and more with leading researchers and creative thinkers. This groundbreaking festival explores the natural world in new and exciting ways from cutting-edge biotech research to the science of ice cream, and from an artist's view of life on the nano level to the physics of football. The hub for most activities will be the Town Center at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, with select events taking place elsewhere at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and at the Madison Children's Museum. Sponsored by UW-Madison, the <a href="http://www.warf.org/">Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation</a> and about a dozen other local organizations as well as several corporate sponsors, the Wisconsin Science Festival seeks to inspire, educate, and cultivate global citizens while raising awareness and understanding of key scientific advancements. The four-day festival will kick off with an opening ceremony marking the UW-Madison transition from the Year of the Arts to the <a href="http://wisconsinidea.wisc.edu/yowi/">Year of the Wisconsin Idea</a>. It also will be the first designated "Arts Night Out" event of the 2011-12 academic year, and by incorporating dance, music and performance will introduce the interrelated nature of science and the arts. A variety of activities are planned to interest a wide range of people — from toddlers through Ph.D. scientists. Titles run from the quirky to provocative, including "iPhone and iPad Orchestra"; "The Science of Murder"; "Bioethics Trek: Star Trek"; "NOVA Workshops"; "The Physics of Football"; "Science Street Festival"; "Insect Art"; "Music and Neuroscience"; and "Startup Cinema: Conversation and Screening of 'The Social Network.'" Entry to the festival is free with only a few activities requesting nominal materials fees. Additional information and a current schedule of events are available at <a href="http://www.wisconsinsciencefest.org">http://www.wisconsinsciencefest.org</a> Thu Aug 25 12:40:00 -0500 2011

Thu Aug 25 13:07:14 -0500 2011

83 Kelly Janet jkelly@warf.org 19555 Rural Wisconsin high school students learn with stem cells, top UW–Madison researchers Twenty top science students from rural Wisconsin high schools have earned the opportunity to hone their laboratory skills and work alongside top researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison at a summer science camp focused on stem cells.   Hosted by the <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/morgridge/">Morgridge Institute for Research</a>, a nonprofit biomedical research institute affiliated with UW–Madison, the four-day summer science camp starts today (Monday, July 11) and will cover a variety of hands-on activities. Among them: nourishing and dividing colonies of stem cells and learning how the cells can be directed to grow into heart, nerve and other specialized cells.   Alexis Marvin, a student from Crandon High School and member of the Sokaogon Chippewa community, said the opportunity to participate in the Morgridge Institute program will help her explore career opportunities in health care and medical research fields. She is particularly interested in diabetes and heart disease—two diseases that are prevalent among Native Americans and Alaska Natives and are a current focus of stem cell research. Marvin and three other students from northern Wisconsin high schools are attending the camp in conjunction with efforts by the nonprofit Forward Service Corp.’s Educational Talent Search to expand education and skill-building opportunities for students in the region.   “This opportunity will really improve my knowledge of the stem cell research that is currently being done,” Marvin wrote in her application essay for the summer science camp. “Either route I take, becoming a researcher or becoming a practicing doctor, this will give me the bridge that is needed to make the team in health care more successful.”     Marvin and the other students will work with both human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Human embryonic stem cells are blank-slate, or pluripotent, cells that have the capacity to differentiate into any of the more than 220 cell types in the human body. The human embryonic stem cell lines or colonies used by the students were established approximately 10 years ago and continue to play a vital role in international research because of their flexibility and well-documented performance characteristics. Induced pluripotent stem cells derived from reprogrammed skin cells show some differences from human embryonic stem cells and also are the focus of much promising research for human health and pharmaceutical development.              The students participating in the camp, held July 11-14, are incoming seniors at schools and educational centers including Edgar High School; Forward Service Corp.; Mukwonago High School; Ripon High School; and Winneconne High School. The students earned the honor of attending through their classroom performance and dedication during months of preparatory study.   The stem cell science camp was designed to provide an enrichment experience in an advanced scientific field while introducing promising students to the variety of academic opportunities on the UW–Madison campus.                                                         “Through the camp, we are able to provide students with an in-depth opportunity to broaden their horizons in science, technology and medicine while highlighting the tremendous career opportunities in these rapidly growing fields,” said Rupa Shevde, a senior scientist and director of outreach experiences for the Morgridge Institute for Research. “The students benefit from learning about the cutting-edge research that is going on while at the same time gaining hands-on experience with stem cells and other critically important research tools. Introducing the students to stem cells allows us to teach a variety of concepts including the genetic aspects of human diseases and important ethical considerations for researchers.”   Students participating in the stem cell camp are: <ul> <li>Edgar High School: Deserae Hansen; Cash Johnsen; Kaitlyn Skrzypcak; Kelsey Steinke;</li> <li>Forward Service Corp.: Jasmine Crofoot, Rhinelander High School; Alexis Marvin, Crandon High School; Brittany Mischo, Wabeno High School; Christina Weyers, Wabeno High School;</li> <li>Mukwonago High School: Rachel Antonovich; Logan Beine; Lyndsy Gieche; Tyler McKeever;</li> <li>Ripon High School: J.J. Grinde; Andrea Lyke; Rachel Thorson; Lincoln Wurtz; and,</li> <li>Winneconne High School: Angoli Schroeder; Ryan Thyssen; Faith VanOss; James Votava.</li> </ul> Human embryonic stem cells were first isolated on the UW-Madison campus by James Thomson, who also was among the first to create induced pluripotent stem cells. Today, Wisconsin researchers are considered leaders in developing an understanding of these cells as they search for stem cell treatments and cures for diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s and heart disease.   Mon Jul 11 15:44:00 -0500 2011

Mon Jul 11 15:59:29 -0500 2011

19544 Retired Cargill CEO elected chair of private, nonprofit Morgridge Institute for Research Ernest Micek has been elected chair of the board of trustees for the Morgridge Institute for Research. Ernest Micek has been elected chair of the board of trustees for the <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/morgridge/">Morgridge Institute for Research</a>.   He succeeds Carl E. Gulbrandsen, managing director of the <a href="http://www.warf.org/">Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation</a>, who served as the founding chair of the biomedical research institution and will remain a member of the board. The private, nonprofit Morgridge Institute for Research is an affiliate of WARF, which provides service and support as part of its mission to promote, encourage and aid scientific investigation and research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.   “I look forward to working with the board, with Morgridge Institute executive director <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/morgridge/about-morgridge/leadership/sangtae-kim/sang-kim-home.cmsx">Sangtae “Sang” Kim </a>and with the esteemed researchers who lead our scientific challenge areas as we work to accelerate the discovery and delivery of scientific breakthroughs to improve human health and well-being,” Micek says. “We are particularly excited about current research that integrates cutting-edge technologies from multiple fields. We have already seen results in regenerative biology involving the correction of a gene responsible for a degenerative vision disorder and the creation of patient-matched cells that are free of the disease. We also are applying this approach to other fields, such as virology and medical devices. We believe this is just the beginning.”   Kim said Micek’s ties with the private sector also are expected to spur additional opportunities for collaboration and technology transfer.   “As a private, nonprofit research institute, we can operate nimbly in establishing relationships with industry on a variety of levels,” Kim says. “Our scientific challenge areas were chosen for their exceptional potential to advance basic science as well as the promise they hold in addressing some of the world’s most devastating diseases. We believe Ernie will help guide us as we work to cultivate industry partners capable of developing and commercializing the discoveries from our labs.”   The Morgridge Institute’s scientific leaders pursue research challenges and programming in regenerative biology; virology; medical devices; pharmaceutical informatics; education research; core computational technology; and education and outreach experiences.   Micek, a UW–Madison alumnus with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, started his career at Cargill in 1959 as a shift supervisor at a soybean processing plant in Virginia. During the course of his tenure with the company, Cargill grew from a grain trading company with earnings of about $5 million per year to one of the world’s largest privately owned businesses, providing food, agricultural risk management, financial and industrial products and services around the globe. Micek’s contributions to Cargill’s growth were recognized in 1994 when he was named president and again in 1995 when he was appointed chairman and chief executive officer, a position he retired from in 2000. In addition to his corporate leadership duties, Micek served as chairman of the Emergency Committee for American Trade, participated on the President's Export Council and is a past chair of the U.S. Trade and Technology Policy Group of the National Association of Manufacturers. He also was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve as one of three American business representatives with the forum for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation from 1999 through 2002.   Micek’s support for the university has been longstanding and he has received a distinguished service award from the College of Engineering as well as an honorary doctor of science degree. He also serves on the board of trustees for WARF. Wed Jul 06 15:30:00 -0500 2011

Thu Jul 28 15:54:52 -0500 2011

106 Sereno Jennifer JSereno@warf.org 19487 Morgridge Institute researchers release first educational game Researchers at the new Morgridge Institute for Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have released the biomedical research organization's first digital learning game created through collaborations among scientists and education researchers. Researchers at the new <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/morgridge/">Morgridge Institute for Research</a> at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have released the biomedical research organization's first digital learning game created through collaborations among scientists and education researchers. <div id="story_image_2685" class="inline-content photo right" style="width: 320px;"> <img src="http://www.news.wisc.edu/story_images/0000/2685/virulent.jpg" alt=" " /> Screen capture from ‘Virulent.’ </div> Virulent is an action and strategy game designed to teach key concepts in systems biology, an interdisciplinary research field that focuses on complex interactions in biological systems. Morgridge Institute researcher and game designer Nathan Patterson says the game, intended for people age 13 and older, allows players to experience what it takes to infect a cell, replicate and escape to infect other cells. The game is available for free download from iTunes as an iPad app and from the Morgridge Institute <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/morgridge/">website</a>. By the end of summer, all 15 planned levels of the game are expected to be available on iPads, Android tablets, web browsers and as a standalone program for Windows and the Mac operating system as well. More than 100 individuals from area schools and youth groups helped test the game. Additional feedback has been sought from participants at the Games+Learning+Society Conference taking place this week at UW-Madison, as well as from the general public. Patterson says early indications from student testers show the game is achieving its key objectives: It's fun to play and initial results suggest students understand the scientific concepts. The public can learn more about Virulent at the Saturday Science at Discovery learning series taking place Saturday, July 2, in the Town Center of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery. Patterson and his colleagues will talk about their work and invite learners of all ages to participate in hands-on gaming demos. In Virulent, players control "Raven virus" particles, or virions, modeled after the vesicular stomatitis virus. By defending their Raven virions from the cell and the immune system, players learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the body's own biological defenses as well as concepts that underpin the work of scientists in virology at the private Morgridge Institute for Research and systems biology at its public twin, the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. Virulent was developed by a team from the education research challenge area at the Morgridge Institute for Research as part of its mission to make scientific discovery accessible to the public. The team designs digital games for learning science that provide authentic windows into the scientific process. <a href="http://www.engr.wisc.edu/che/faculty/yin_john.html">John Yin</a>, systems biology theme leader at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and professor in the chemical and biological engineering department at UW-Madison, along with Collin Timm, a UW-Madison graduate student in Yin's research group, worked closely with the Virulent design team to establish learning goals for the players and optimize player interactions with the vesicular stomatitis virus. <a href="http://www.medmicro.wisc.edu/department/faculty/gumperz.html">Jenny Gumperz</a>, an associate professor in the UW-Madison Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, also worked to identify key learning goals and focused on the interactions between the Raven virus and cellular and immune system responses. Yin and Timm's expertise on the vesicular stomatitis virus, which they are researching as a tool to destroy some types of cancer, and Gumperz's expertise in immunology allowed the team to create a unique learning experience that engages players with content that fascinates researchers. "We focused on integrating educational content into the game mechanics instead of adding a layer of content to an already defined game genre. We then improved these mechanics using feedback from testers," Patterson says. "The result is a high-quality gaming experience that enables players to learn concepts provided by cutting-edge scientists. As a cross-disciplinary team, we've learned many things during Virulent development that we're excited to apply as we develop additional games in other scientific areas." In addition to Patterson, Yin, Timm and Gumperz, other researchers who worked on Virulent include Richard Halverson, an associate professor in education leadership and policy analysis at UW-Madison; Kevin Harris, a UW-Madison graduate student; and Morgridge Institute for Research artists and programmers Mike Beall, Ted Lauterbach and David Mann. For more information, visit these sites: <ul> <li>Education research challenge area: <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/morgridge/research/erca/erca.cmsx">http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/morgridge/research/erca/erca.cmsx</a></li> <li>Virulent demo: <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/morgridge/research/erca/projects/projects-home.cmsx">http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/morgridge/research/erca/projects/projects-home.cmsx</a></li> <li>iPad app: <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/virulent/id438485177?mt=8">http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/virulent/id438485177?mt=8</a></li> <li>Leave feedback about Virulent: virulent@morgridgeinstitute.org</li> </ul> Thu Jun 16 15:50:00 -0500 2011

Thu Jun 16 16:03:28 -0500 2011

18721 Slide show: Entering a state of discovery Thu Dec 02 20:30:00 -0600 2010

Thu Dec 02 20:32:39 -0600 2010

18688 Scientists ferret out a key pathway for aging A team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and their colleagues describe a molecular pathway that is a key determinant of the aging process. For decades, scientists have been searching for the fundamental biological secrets of how eating less extends lifespan. It has been well documented in species ranging from spiders to monkeys that a diet with consistently fewer calories can dramatically slow the process of aging and improve health in old age. But how a reduced diet acts at the most basic level to influence metabolism and physiology to blunt the age-related decline of tissues and cells has remained, for the most part, a mystery. <div id="story_image_2323" class="inline-content photo right" style="width: 240px;"> <img src="http://www.news.wisc.edu/story_images/0000/2323/aging.jpg" alt="Photo: mouse and molcule model" />   </div> Now, writing in the current online issue (Nov. 18) of the journal Cell, a team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and their colleagues describe a molecular pathway that is a key determinant of the aging process. The finding not only helps explain the cascade of events that contributes to aging, but also provides a rational basis for devising interventions, drugs that may retard aging and contribute to better health in old age. "We're getting closer and closer to a good understanding of how caloric restriction works," says <a href="http://www.genetics.wisc.edu/faculty/profile.php?id=87">Tomas A. Prolla</a>, a UW-Madison professor of genetics and a senior author of the new Cell study. "This study is the first direct proof for a mechanism underlying the anti-aging effects we observe under caloric restriction." The Wisconsin study focuses on an enzyme known as Sirt3, one of a family of enzymes known as sirtuins, which have been implicated in previous studies in the aging process, gene transcription, programmed cell death and stress resistance under reduced calorie conditions. In mammals, including humans, there are seven sirtuins that seem to have wide-ranging influence on cell fate and physiology. Sirt3 has been less studied than other members of the sirtuin family, but the new study provides "the first clear evidence that sirtuins have anti-aging effects in mammals," according to <a href="http://www.bmolchem.wisc.edu/faculty/denu.html">John M. Denu</a> of UW-Madison's <a href="http://www.discovery.wisc.edu/">Wisconsin Institute for Discovery</a> and a senior author of the report. The Sirt3 enzyme, Denu explains, acts on mitochondria, structures inside cells that produce energy and that are the sources of highly reactive forms of oxygen known as free radicals, which damage cells and promote the effects of aging. Under reduced-calorie conditions, levels of Sirt3 amp up, altering metabolism and resulting in fewer free radicals produced by mitochondria. "This is the strongest and most direct link that caloric restriction acts through mitochondria," says Prolla, who has studied the effects of reduced calorie diets on aging and health for more than a decade. "Sirt3 is playing a surprisingly important role in reprogramming mitochondria to deal with an altered metabolic state under caloric restriction." The lead authors of the new study are postdoctoral fellows Shinichi Someya, of UW-Madison and the University of Tokyo, and Wei Yu of UW-Madison. The work involved a mouse model that exhibits age-related hearing loss, a phenomenon associated with free radical damage to the cells of the cochlea, a structure in the inner ear that converts sound vibrations to nerve impulses. Age-related hearing loss is common in humans, and is newly exemplified by such things as ultrasonic cell phone ring tones that only the very young can hear as the cells that capture the highest frequencies are the first to go. "Hearing loss is associated with the loss of specific cell types in the cochlea," notes Prolla, whose previous work established a genetic link to cell death and age-related hearing loss. "And hearing loss is prevented through caloric restriction." In companion experiments in cultured cells and detailed in the Cell report, the Wisconsin team and their colleagues show that elevated levels of Sirt3 protect cells from cell stress and death caused by free radicals. "Sirt3 is sufficient to provide protection against oxidative damage," says Denu. Although sirtuins have been studied extensively and are believed by many scientists to play a role in aging, the new study is the first to conclusively link the enzymes to slowing the aging process in mammals. According to Denu, who is also a professor of biomolecular chemistry in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, knowing the molecular basis of how the sirtuin enzymes work may ultimately lead to the rational development of drugs that activate the pathways of enzymes like Sirt3 to slow down the process of aging. In addition to Denu, Prolla, Yu and Someya, authors of the study include William C. Hallows and James M. Vann of UW-Madison; Jinze Zu and Christiaan Leeuwenburgh of the University of Florida; and Masaru Tanokura of the University of Tokyo. The work was supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technologies of Japan; and the Marine Bio Foundation. Thu Nov 18 11:16:00 -0600 2010

Thu Nov 18 16:50:32 -0600 2010

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aging-t.jpg false 75 75 2819 17752 UW-Madison biochemists take a bead on gene-controlling code DNA may provide the blueprint for life, but scientists are learning more about the role of a chemical code that governs the way that blueprint is read. DNA may provide the blueprint for life, but scientists are learning more about the role of a chemical code that governs the way that blueprint is read. University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have developed a new technique for observing the proteins that operate by that controlling code — called the epigenome — and assembled a library of interactions between the proteins and key positions on packets of DNA. “There are all sorts of genes that do not play an active role in the life of a cell, but they are still there in the DNA,” said<a href="http://www.bmolchem.wisc.edu/faculty/denu.html"> John Denu</a>, UW-Madison biomolecular chemistry professor. “There are instructions signaling which genes will be active and which will not, and we have developed a method that matches the code readers to the epigenetic code.” In order to fit meters-long strands of human DNA into a miniscule cell nucleus, the DNA is spooled around proteins called histones to form a string of beads called nucleosomes. When the wound DNA must be read to guide cellular function, subtle differences in the chemical makeup of the histones guide the proteins that do the reading. “They’re scanning the DNA-protein complex for information, and they’re seeing on one nucleosome you’ve got one kind of chemical modification — say, phosphorylation — and this one you’ve got another — methylation,” Denu said. “Based on what they see, they bind in a certain way to the DNA. They’re taking those instructions and saying ‘OK, this is a gene we should express,’ or, ‘This is a gene that has been turned off.’” With UW-Madison graduate students Adam Garske, Samuel Oliver and Elise Wagner, Denu recreated a section of a histone called H3 that sticks out among the DNA beads. The H3 tail is a handy starting point for the protein readers, and has been singled out as particularly active in expressing or silencing genes. Strings of molecules that make up H3 were attached to tiny resin beads, each bead carrying one of 5,000 variations on the different chemical modifications that could possibly occur on the histone’s tail. The beads were doused with five different reader proteins active in human cells, with the full array of protein-binding preferences showing up as a range of blue coloring on the beads. The library of compatible epigenetic interactions included the revelation of a new chemical mark that draws the attention of reader proteins, and showed protein readers simultaneously interpreting multiple chemical marks. “They’re paying attention to what else is going on in that histone, and that’s how you can get the complexity of regulating gene expression,” Denu said. “The code on the histone can work like a switch, turning a gene on or off. It can also work like a rheostat, and decide whether that gene will be expressed a little bit or a lot.” The code-exposing method, published Feb. 28 in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, improves on tests that were able to examine just one or two protein-marker interactions at a time. Command of the epigenetic code could yield a new understanding of tumors and developmental diseases and provide a precise tool for counteracting or correcting the damage done by gene mutations. “If we know the code that is recognized by a particular code reader, we can design particular drugs that target that interaction,” said Denu, who worked with collaborators at the University of Colorado-Denver and Princeton University on the research, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health. The chemical markers at work in epigenetics can be altered even by diet or physical activity, making them far more malleable than DNA. “You can’t change somebody’s DNA,” Denu said. “If there’s a mutation that we find is over-expressed in certain types of cancer, there’s not a whole lot you can do to reverse that mutation. But if you could just turn down that over-expression, perhaps you could disrupt that disease specifically.” The histone library method will be key to the epigenetics research Denu will lead at the <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/discovery">Wisconsin Institute for Discovery</a> when the public-private labs open at UW-Madison in the fall. Tue Mar 02 11:15:00 -0600 2010

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Unknown-1.jpeg false 75 75 2222 16868 Five big ideas to fill out Wisconsin Institute for Discovery portfolio Capping an intensely competitive process, five proposals from University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty have been selected to form the intellectual heart of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID). Capping an intensely competitive process, five proposals from University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty have been selected to form the intellectual heart of the <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/discovery">Wisconsin Institute for Discovery</a> (<acronym title="Wisconsin Institute for Discovery">WID</acronym>). WID is the public half of the <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/discovery">Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery</a>, complemented by the private <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/morgridge">Morgridge Institute for Research</a>. Both entities will occupy the new interdisciplinary research facility now under construction in the 1300 block of University Avenue. Chosen from a final pool of 12 proposals, the five research themes and their faculty leaders selected for inclusion in the new institute are: <ul> <li>Epigenetics or how genes are activated or inactivated, led by <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/wisconsin/research/Epigenetics.cmsx">John M. Denu</a>, a professor of biomolecular chemistry in the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.</li> <li>Tissue engineering scaffold research, led by <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/wisconsin/research/Bionates.cmsx">Lih-Sheng Turng</a>, UW-Madison professor of mechanical engineering.</li> <li>Health Technology Design in the Living Environments Laboratory aimed at accelerating the development of personal care diagnostic and therapeutic technology, led by <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/wisconsin/research/Living%20Environments%20Lab.cmsx">Patricia Flatley Brennan</a>, who holds degrees in both engineering and nursing and is a professor of industrial and systems engineering and the first Lillian S. Moehlman-Bascom Professor of Nursing.</li> <li>Optimization in Biology and Medicine, a mathematical approach to minimize or maximize the variables of a given subject, led by <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/wisconsin/research/Optimization%20in%20Biology%20and%20Medicine%20.cmsx">Michael C. Ferris</a>, professor of computer science.</li> <li>Systems Biology, an integrated, "system level" understanding of living organisms, spearheaded by <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu/home/wisconsin/research/Systems%20Biology.cmsx">John Yin</a>, professor of chemical and biological engineering. </li> </ul> <div id="sideBar"> <h2>Related:</h2> Read more about the five <a href="http://www.news.wisc.edu/16869">Wisconsin Institute for Discovery research themes</a> </div> Interim WID Director John D. Wiley, who led the selection process with the WID Program Committee, says the selection of the five research themes to occupy the new institute is a key step in charting the long-term future of a novel interdisciplinary center. "It was a difficult selection process," Wiley notes. "We had 12 excellent proposals, and narrowing the list to a select few was hard. But we feel we have identified five areas of research that fit neatly into the mission of WID and will mesh with and enhance the goals and activities of the Morgridge Institute for research." The selection of the five WID research themes concludes a process that began nearly three years ago with a call for proposals for the Discovery Seed Grant Initiative, which jump-started WID programming by funding eight projects from a campuswide competition. The full WID research theme competition, according to Wiley, represented a rare chance for faculty to construct novel programs of research. A key goal of the new institute is to intermingle faculty, staff and students from across campus in interdisciplinary research that can be translated beyond academia and help underpin the future economy of the state. The selection process for the WID research themes, beginning with a call that elicited 26 pre-proposals, was intense and rigorous, Wiley explains. The WID Program Committee selected 12 pre-proposals for submission as full proposals. Submitted full proposals were peer-reviewed by internal and external expert reviewers, with each proposal receiving at least one external and two internal reviews. Final selection was then made by the WID Program Committee. "All 26 of the pre-proposals were excellent, so selecting 12 finalists was already a difficult process. Naming only five themes from among the 12 outstanding finalists was even more difficult," says Wiley, noting that the committee was convinced that many of the good ideas and proposed projects from the pre-proposals and final proposals will be engaged with WID and the Morgridge Institute, regardless of location on campus. The WID Program Committee included Chancellor Biddy Martin; Provosts or Interim Provosts Patrick Farrell, Julie Underwood and Paul DeLuca; Graduate School Dean Martin Cadwallader; WID Interim Directors Marsha Mailick Seltzer and Wiley; Morgridge Institute Director Sangtae Kim; College of Engineering Dean Paul Peercy; professor and chair of bacteriology Jo Handelsman; professor and chair of physiology Rick Moss; and professor of computer sciences Miron Livny. The successful faculty proposers will occupy space in the new WID facility, which is being constructed with support from the state of Wisconsin, UW-Madison alumni John and Tashia Morgridge and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. Wiley says the selection of the WID research themes caps a process set in motion by the visions of alumni donors John and Tashia Morgridge, Gov. Jim Doyle, the WARF and Morgridge Institute boards of directors, and WARF managing director Carl Gulbrandsen. "I would like to thank all of these people and the organizations that have helped to make this possible," Wiley says. "We are well on our way to establishing exciting new programs of research that will significantly enhance our research portfolio as well as the reputation of our university and state." Tue Jun 30 09:16:00 -0500 2009

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4 Devitt Terry trdevitt@wisc.edu 16776 Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery celebrate ‘topping out’ On May 26, the construction team of the new Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery held a “topping out” ceremony, traditional in the building industry for recognizing the construction milestone of placing and welding the last beam at the top of a building. On May 26, the <a href="http://wids.live.acumium.com/home/discovery/facility/construction-process/construction-team/">construction team</a> of the new <a href="http://discovery.wisc.edu">Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery</a> held a “topping out” ceremony, traditional in the building industry for recognizing the construction milestone of placing and welding the last beam at the top of a building. This event marks the completion of the external framework for the innovative facility, to be completed in December 2010. <div id="story_image_1403" class="inline-content photo right" style="width: 300px;"> <img src="http://www.news.wisc.edu/story_images/0000/1403/WIDs.jpg" alt=" " /> WARF Trustees John Morgridge, Joan Spero and Kathy Smith sign a beam before it is placed atop the new Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery at a ‘Topping Out’ ceremony held in May 2009. The facility, made possible by gifts from John and Tashia Morgridge, and WARF, will be completed in December 2010. <a href="http://wids.live.acumium.com/link.acux/fe8765c0-9cde-44c5-8b32-98cea5ab32fb/home/discovery/facility/construction-process/Topping%20Out%20Ceremony.cmsx">View and download more high-resolution photos</a> </div> The practice of “topping out” a new building has been traced to the ancient Scandinavian religious practice of placing a tree on the top of a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits of displaced ancestors. Members of the Findoff Mortenson construction crew signed the beam, painted white and adorned with a living tree, during a celebratory luncheon and then watched as the beam and tree were hoisted and welded into place atop the four-storey structure. Members of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) Board of Trustees participated in a similar ceremony (<a href="http://wids.live.acumium.com/link.acux/fe8765c0-9cde-44c5-8b32-98cea5ab32fb/home/discovery/facility/construction-process/Topping%20Out%20Ceremony.cmsx">see photos</a>) earlier in the month. Speakers shared some impressive facts about the facility with the approximate 200 workers who took part in the ceremony: • 98% of the materials removed during deconstruction of the prior buildings on the site has been recycled or reused • 564 miles of rebar have been used in construction of the facility • Each of the four floors (one below ground and three above) contains 2,200 yards of concrete and weighs 9 million pounds -- totaling nearly 9,000 yards and 36 million pounds of concrete • 2,200 pieces of structural steel and 210,000 man-hours have been used to build the facility • Worker safety is a top priority on the site with no current lost time due to injury • Construction of the project is on time and under budget Thu May 28 14:34:00 -0500 2009

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83 Kelly Janet jkelly@warf.org