UW-led team awarded $1M bioelectronics innovation prize

An international team led by researchers at the Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering (CSNE) based at the University of Washington is one of three finalists in a race to produce an implantable wireless device that can assess, stimulate and block the activity of nerves that control organs.

For the GlaxoSmithKline Bioelectronics Innovation Challenge, the team is working on an implantable device that could help restore bladder function for people with spinal cord injuries or millions of others who suffer from incontinence.

Language learning changes your brain – even as an adult

Researchers from the UW Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) showed that adults immersed in a foreign language environment undergo brain changes.

Professor, researcher, detective – saving endangered animals

UW Professor Samuel . K Wasser “is a Sherlock Holmes of the wildlife trade. With modern biochemical tools and old-fashioned shoe leather, he sleuths out the merchants behind the market for poached animal products.”

‘Breaking barriers’: The BBC profiles President Cauce

In a recent feature, the BBC hailed UW President Ana Mari Cauce’s unique perspective and life experiences.

Innovative cup designed to save babies

Experts from the University of Washington and PATH have invented a special low-cost cup for feeding special needs babies. Each year in the developing world, millions of babies are born with health challenges that impair feeding and can lead to starvation. The $1 NIFTY cup provides a new solution.

US-India collaboration finds molecular signatures of severe malaria

The University of Washington’s International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research in South Asia — along with partners at the Center for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR) and Goa Medical College (GMC) of India — have discovered that specific types of parasite proteins, when combined with high parasite biomass, strongly predict severe malaria disease in adults. The discovery, published May 16 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is a significant advancement in understanding the causes of severe malaria. Quantitative characterization of disease presentations and biotechnology capabilities at the ICEMR lab at Goa Medical College combined with specialized assays for molecular host-parasite interactions and machine learning tools at the CIDR helped unlock the mysteries of what leads to the development of severe malaria disease.

A world of strength: international students and cultural resilience

International students will share stories of stamina, strength and ultimately success in the face of adversity from their home cultures and at the UW. There will also be opportunities for participants to reflect on the theme of resilience in their own story and context.

Wednesday, May 18, 5-7 p.m. in Alder Auditorium

Free and open to the UW community

Co-presented by International and English Language Programs, Housing and Food Services and FIUTS.

Study abroad safety: tips from experienced students and staff

UW Global Travel Security Manager Nicholas Hill and study abroad returnees offer important advice for students planning to study abroad to maximize health and safety. To learn more about resources available to the UW community, visit UW Global Travelers.

New tool measures lung function over the phone, from anywhere in the world

University of Washington computer science and engineering and electrical engineering researchers have developed SpiroCall, a new health sensing tool that can accurately measure lung function over a simple phone call.

Learn locally, speak globally: welcoming students to a world of language study

UW students can choose from 45 different languages. Videos created by Asian Languages & Literature introduce students to the study of Bengali, Indonesian, Hindi and Urdu, and offer tips on career opportunities and scholarships available to students of these languages.

Watch the videos…