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November 14, 2024

Research

AI-Assisted Genome Studies Are Riddled with Errors

The Scientist

Despite these advancements, GWAS studies have their limitations, which scientists have tried to address with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). However, in two studies published in Nature Genetics, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison identified pervasive biases these new approaches can introduce when working with large but incomplete datasets.2,3

Teenager infected with H5N1 bird flu in critical condition

Los Angeles Times

Nuzzo also pointed to a recent study published in Nature, led by Yoshihiro Kawaoka, an H5N1 expert at the University of Wisconsin, in Madison, that showed the virus that infected the first reported dairy worker in Texas had acquired mutations that made it more severe in animals as well as allowing it to move more efficiently between them — via airborne respiration.

Is It Time to Worry About Bird Flu?

TIME

That’s not to say respiratory spread is impossible, though. Two recent studies in ferrets—one by researchers at the CDC, and one led by a researcher from the University of Wisconsin-Madison—raised that possibility. The researchers isolated the bird flu strain that sickened the first person infected in the current outbreak and tested how infectious it was among ferrets. Although it wasn’t as contagious as the seasonal flu, the bird flu virus was capable of spreading among ferrets by droplets, the researchers found.

Higher Education/System

Campus life

TAA launches bioscience graduate worker campaign

Daily Cardinal

The University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate assistant’s union, the Teaching Assistant Association, launched a campaign to improve working conditions for graduate student workers in bioscience departments including genetics and microbiology.

State news

Health

Opinion

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