Stories
New way to alter DNA, affect health circumvents gut bacteria
In a new study, the John Denu lab has learned that the fatty acids butyrate and propionate also activate p300, a crucial human enzyme that promotes the unspooling of DNA. This unwound DNA allows more genes to become active and expressed, which ultimately affects human health.
Bacterial “zorbing” reveals a new type of social movement
While studying the three-member model microbial community, nicknamed The Hitchhikers of the Rhizosphere (THOR), researchers from professor of plant pathology and director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery Jo Handelsman and professor of biomedical engineering and Discovery Fellow David Beebe’s labs noticed cells moving in unexpected, unique ways under the microscope.
A Driving Force of Industry-Shifting Innovations
Srikanth Pilla (former postdoc in the Turng Lab) works closely with automotive suppliers, helping them get more mileage from, secure safer rides for and enhance the sustainability of the products they put on the road.
University of the Air: The Science of Life’s Origin
David Baum discusses different theories that have been proposed to explain the origin of life and summarizes ongoing work in his laboratory and elsewhere with WPR's Norman Gilliland.
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24 Hours with WID
The Wisconsin Institute for Discovery is abuzz 24 hours per day. From “eureka” moments in the middle of the night to methodical pipetting in the middle of the day, to gathering diverse ideas from across the globe in the early evening, something is always happening in our interdisciplinary sphere. Enjoy a sampling of the important work we do in each of these 24 hours and please come back periodically as we refresh with new profiles.
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