The Latest

  • 2025 group photo from WID symposium

24 Hours with WID

The Wisconsin Institute for Discovery operates with a dynamic, around-the-clock energy, fostering an environment of constant innovation. From late-night breakthroughs to collaborative experimentation, and global knowledge sharing over zoom, our interdisciplinary hub is always abuzz with activity. Take a glimpse into the exciting work that takes place within a 24-hour period.

  • WID congratulates Nan Li, Discovery Fellow, Vilas Associate award

Discovery Fellow, Nan Li earns Vilas Associate Award

The Vilas Associates Competition recognizes new and ongoing research of the highest quality and significance. Recipients are chosen competitively by the divisional Research Committees on the basis of a detailed proposal.

  • Art work with two circles intersecting and constellation tree like in green are in the middle. It is an artist depiction of gene networks.Katherine Baldwin with minor edits using generative AI tools. The caption was fine tuned with Microsoft Copilot.

Deciphering the Regulatory Network of a Pathogenic Fungus

In a new study, researchers from the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID) have created a software tool that can help reveal biological pathways of a notorious pathogenic fungus. Aspergillus fumigatus, which is found worldwide, can infiltrate a human body and quickly overwhelm the immune system. In immunocompromised individuals, this fungus can cause major damage and has a high mortality rate. The new tool may eventually help researchers address the problems caused by A. fumigatus. 

  • Lucida logo representing starry night.Concentric layers in a circle that are gold with a dark background, words say Lucida Project

Researchers at UW–Madison Receive Major Grant to Study the Link Between Mental Health and the Microbiome

Long before science caught up, Vincent Van Gogh sensed a connection between melancholy and microbes. Now, 135 years later, the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, the Center for Healthy Minds, PRECISE, and MIT have launched a project that investigates the microbiome’s central role in human well-being and the power of interdisciplinary research. Combining genomics, data science, behavioral health, and international collaboration, the research project is advancing a global understanding of how microbes shape the mind.