Morgridge Institute for Research

How cold is cold? What is ? Can models accelerate the time-intensive drug discovery process? And why do some viruses cause ?

Morgridge supporters and their guests got a firsthand look at these and other questions at last week's Night in the Lab, hosted by the Rowe Center for Research in Virology.

The center, launched in 2018 through the philanthropic support of John W. and Jeanne M. Rowe, is home to the labs of Paul Ahlquist, Tim Grant, Anthony Gitter, and Megan Spurgeon, and takes a broad view of — in part because following these tiny little particles into cells teaches us so much about fundamental cell biology. 🦠🦠

A big thank you the supporters who make the work of these scientists possible and who came out last week. An evening exchanging scientific curiosity is an evening well spent!

Collagen fibrils encircling a mouse tumor, courtesy of the Bartels Lab. Collagen is...

>> The most abundant protein in the human body.

>> The main component of the extracellular matrix.

>> Remodeled and deposited in the extracellular matrix at abnormally high levels during cancer.

>> Showing up as the green structures you see here, captured by the Bartels Lab with a technique called second harmonic generation imaging.

Critically, second harmonic generation doesn't perturb the biological system under the microscope. Instead it relies on the natural structural properties of material like collagen (and others, from myosin to cellulose to potato starch). When two photons with the same frequency interact with these materials, they "combine" to generate a new photon with twice the energy.

That energy can appear as visible light — in this case, illuminating the tumor environment. 🌈💡🔬

Image credit: Dave Smith.

Come on an expedition with us and others in the UW-Madison STEM community on Saturday, April 11!

😴 Don’t miss our featured spectacular, "Dream Detectives: Solving the Secrets of Sleep" (rm. 1130), open to the public at 11:20 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 12:30 p.m.

🔬 And in hands-on Exploration Stations throughout the Discovery Building, you can engage with scientists and explore interactive STEM activities from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Science Expeditions is open to individuals of all ages and will be happening all across campus from April 10–12. Check out the calendar and map here: https://science.wisc.edu/science-expeditions/

A Rising Sparks round-up, featuring words of wisdom from the first three early-career researchers we profiled this year. 💥💥

CEO Brad Schwartz has announced plans to retire after 13 years leading the Morgridge Institute for Research.

Read more about his tenure at the institute: https://morgridge.org/story/morgridge-institute-ceo-brad-schwartz-announces-retirement

Check your inboxes for the newest issue of SPARK, our monthly newsletter highlighting the latest science stories and happenings at the Morgridge Institute for Research. 📥

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