UW-Madison launches Microbiome Initiative

We are not alone. Each of us carries a wide array of microbial species that outnumber our cells by ten-fold. Recent studies have shown that the complement of microorganisms, the microbiome, is an important determinant of human health and disease. The microbiomes of other animals, plants, soil, bodies of water, and the atmosphere play similarly important roles.

Our understanding of the diversity and roles of these microbiomes is limited, a fact that led the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to launch the National Microbiome Initiative (NMI) last year. Stakeholders, including UW-Madison, have responded with new commitments to develop a comprehensive understanding of microbiomes across all ecosystems.

UW-Madison’s Microbiome Initiative comes with $1 million in grant funding administered by the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education to support interdisciplinary research, infrastructure, and research community enhancements related to the microbiome.

To read the full press release go here.

Arboretum welcomes Journey North citizen science monitoring program

Having celebrated its 25th year in 2018, Journey North, one of North America’s largest citizen science programs, is celebrating another milestone this year by moving to the UW–Madison Wisconsin’s Arboretum.

Enter your best science images in the 2019 Cool Science Image Contest

To enter your cool science images or videos, visit the contest webpage for guidelines, submission requirements and a link to the entry form. The submission deadline is March 15.

Chris Bradfield named director of the Biotechnology Center

Bradfield, a UW-Madison Professor of Oncology, had been serving as the center's interim director since August 2018. He reports to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education. The Biotechnology Center was founded in 1984 by McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research emeritus faculty member Richard Burgess, who also served as director for its first 12 years.