WiSLiM

We are thrilled to have Dr Reji Babygirija join our efforts to develop novel treatments for AD!

Fantastic work!

Fasting is required for many of the benefits of calorie restriction in the 3xTg mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease - Nature Communications Caloric restriction improves Alzheimer’s Disease outcomes in mice, but this diet not only reduces calories, but imposes a prolonged fast between meals. Here, the authors show this fast is essential to...

"Fasting is required for many of the benefits of calorie restriction in the 3xTg mouse model of Alzheimer's disease" from first author Dr. Reji Babygirija and with our collabs including @wiscosurgicalmetab.bsky.social is now available online! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Already in the red, rural hospitals across the Midwest brace for Medicaid changes Changes and cuts to Medicaid in the so-called “big, beautiful bill” that President Donald Trump signed into law earlier this month have rural hospitals and health care advocates concerned.

Trump’s Big Ugly Bill will destroy access to healthcare in rural Wisconsin.
⬇️⬇️⬇️
“This represents the biggest rollback in federal support for health coverage ever.”

I am pleased to report our new manuscript from graduate student Mariah Calubag and collaborators and colleagues, "Tissue-Specific Effects of Dietary Protein on Cellular Senescence Are Mediated by Branched-Chain Amino Acids" is now available! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

We thank our many colleagues and collaborators including Isaac Grunow, Reji Babygirija, Michelle Sonsalla, @baileyknopf.bsky.social, @wiscosurgicalmetab.bsky.social and Dr. Adam Konopka who helped make this work possible!

a group of people are standing in a stadium watching a mascot . ALT: a group of people are standing in a stadium watching a mascot .

We are beyond thrilled to welcome Drs. Cameron Casson
@washumedicine.bsky.social (#AbWall) and Yatee Dave @urochestersmd.bsky.social (#Foregut #Bariatrics) to @wiscsurgery.bsky.social MIS!!

We are lucky to have Dr. Babygirija join us!

Glad to report that this tour de force from our collaborator Caroline Alexander (with a bit of assistance from our lab in the form of Michaela Trautman) is now out: "Dietary lipids are largely deposited in skin and rapidly affect insulating properties" www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Very cool. I think about this a lot when I have elderly patients or those already with some degree of cognitive impairment

Effect of preoperative rapamycin supplementation on perioperative clinical frailty and cognitive performance in a murine model undergoing anesthesia and surgery - Scientific Reports Scientific Reports - Effect of preoperative rapamycin supplementation on perioperative clinical frailty and cognitive performance in a murine model undergoing anesthesia and surgery

Another win for rapamycin: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

WiSLiM Lab Receives NIH Funding to Examine How Bariatric Surgery Affects Alzheimer’s Disease Risk - Department of Surgery Dr. David Harris, Assistant Professor in the Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery, received a two-year, $311,000 award from the National Institute of Aging.

Congratulations to Dr. David Harris, Assistant Professor in @wiscsurgerymis.bsky.social, for receiving a two-year, $311,000 grant from the National Institute on Aging. #ExceptionalPeople @wiscosurgicalmetab.bsky.social Read more: go.wisc.edu/7ampzw

The gutting of US biomedical research with loss of ~2,500 grants affecting research for cancer, Alzheimer’s, infectious disease, global health and much more
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Where was this important 1st randomized trial performed?
China
Where are 8 of the 10 most productive research institutions in the world as of March 2025?
China
nature.com/nature-index...
What country is radically defunding research and will lose its competitiveness?
USA

a badger mascot is holding a microphone and wearing a red and white striped shirt . ALT: a badger mascot is holding a microphone and wearing a red and white striped shirt .

Congratulations to Dr. Reji Babygirija who received the @uwmadison.bsky.social Distinguished Research Fellowship! So well deserved and welcome to WiSLiM! @wiscsurgery.bsky.social @warfnews.bsky.social @wiscsurgerymis.bsky.social

Finally received a notice of award from the NIA... no time like the present! looking forward to the future discoveries #onwisconsin @wiscsurgery.bsky.social

Arginine queen!

Hard saying goodbye to Julia! She’s been a WiSLiM rock from the beginning… good luck in Medical School. Your future patients are lucky to have you.

A true tour-de-force! Amazing work, Dylan

Proud to share the work of my forst ever PhD student and first author of this paper @dylanduerre.bsky.social!! Here, he summarizes it perfectly! #brownfat #metabolism #BCAA #heme @uwmadison.bsky.social @uofutahcihd.bsky.social

Congratulations to all those who matched this week!

Let's talk about the uncertain future of scientific funding. 🔬💰

A new blog post on The Academic Surgeon explores the challenges facing young investigators and the impact of recent NIH funding changes.

➡️ Read the post: buff.ly/QKrDO6p

Trump’s siege of science: how the first 30 days unfolded and what’s next The breakneck pace and devastating impact of the administration’s policy changes has researchers shocked.

The breakneck pace and devastating impact of the Trump administration’s policy changes has researchers shocked.

https://go.nature.com/3CMl75y

If we want any chance for insurance coverage of therapies for aging, we better start calling it a disease. We will be fighting the same fight as we
are for obesity

About Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | WARF Madison WI Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) supports scientific research with UW-Madison by providing support for invention licensing and patenting.

Born from a vision to fuel research at #UWMadison, WARF's founding principles remain steadfast: to promote, encourage and aid scientific investigation. This commitment to discovery has driven a century of innovation and continues to shape our mission today. #WARF100 https://www.warf.org/about-warf/

thanks to all our collaborators inside and outside the lab, including @wiscosurgicalmetab.bsky.social and Konopka Lab!

Hard to beat these moonlight office views! @uwmadison.bsky.social is the real point of optimization…

Congrats to Julia and Grace for excellent presentations today the UW department of surgery research day! #OnWisconsin

Thanks, Randy! Looking forward to future discussions and new open doors

Thanks UMich surgery, JustinDimickMD, NabeelObeidMD, @seeleyrj.bsky.social, NadejdaKramerPhD, Gifty KwakyeMD, and many others for a fantastic visit and thanks for letting me nerd out about metabolism. I’m looking forward to many future discussions and collaborations! #UWisconsinSurgery