Waisman CenterUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison

To advance knowledge about human development,developmental disabilities, and neurodegenerative diseases

throughout the life span.

Mission

What is a “Developmental Disability”?

•Onset is prenatal or early in life•Affects a child’s development in

multiple and significant ways•Lasts indefinitely

Examples…

•Autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy,fragile X syndrome, epilepsy, other types ofintellectual disability (formerly calledmental retardation)

What is a “Neurodegenerative Disease”?

•Onset can be at any point in life•Affects a person’s life in multiple

and significant ways•Lasts indefinitely and often is

the cause of death

Examples…

•Parkinson’s Disease, ALS(Lou Gehrig’s disease),Alzheimer’s Disease,spinal cord injury

The Waisman Center’s Overarching Goal –to discover the 3 “C’s”

◘ Causes (genetic,environmental)

◘ Consequences -- for theindividual, the family, andsociety

◘ Cures and treatments

The 3 C’s: The Example of Autism

◘ Causes

- What is the cause of the rising prevalence of autism?- What is the role of genetics in causing autism?

◘ Consequences- What is the lifetime cost of care for a person with autism?- What are the consequences for the family?- How do people with autism differ in brain function and

structure from people without disabilities?

◘ Cures and treatments- What targeted medical treatments and educational services

reduce the severity of autism?

Precursor to the Waisman Center - 1963

UW Orthopedic Children’s Hospital

•Addition built in 1963 for theJoseph P. Kennedy, Jr. MemorialLabs, funded by a grant fromKennedy Foundation.

•Dr. Harry Waisman, Director

Dedication of the

Joseph P. Kennedy

Jr. Laboratories ─

November 20, 1963

•Director of research at theJoseph P. Kennedy, Jr.Memorial Laboratories

•Pediatrician, biochemist,pioneer in research onchildhood disability

•Advocated for testing of allnewborns for geneticdiseases

•Role model for us today

Who was Harry Waisman?

•A Presidential Panelrecommended creation ofmultidisciplinary centers focusedon intellectual disabilities atmajor universities.

Construction of the Waisman Center

•Waisman Center becomes oneof those centers, opening in1973.

Fifteen Centers in the U.S.

•a multidisciplinaryresearch center

and•a clinical, service,

and outreach center

◘ The Waisman Center is the only one that houses both –

•Both are needed to translate research resultsinto treatments –translational research

Carolyn “Biddy”Martin, ChancellorUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison

Schools and CollegesAg & Life SciencesEducationEngineeringHuman EcologyLetters and ScienceMedicine/Public HealthNursingPharmacyVeterinary Medicine

The Waisman Center in the UW-Madison

Martin Cadwallader, DeanGraduate School and VC for Research

Marsha Mailick Seltzer, DirectorWaisman Center

Waisman Center Facts

• 55 faculty members from 27departments at the UW-Madison

• 600 faculty, staff, students payrolled

• 250,000 sq ft building complex

• 5,000 patient visits in 2009

• ~ 90 grants from the NIH

• Multiple “centers within the WaismanCenter”

The Waisman Center’s Four Major Activities

Research Training

Service Outreach

Research throughout the life span

Waisman Center research on early learning, andhow poverty affects learning and development.

Waisman Center Stem Cell Research Laboratories

The neural stem cellprogram of the UW-Madison.

•We have discoveredhow stem cells can beturned into neurons.

•We are working todiscover how neuralstem cells can bespecialized to treatdiseases of the nervoussystem.

▲ Early stage retinal cells

Waisman Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility

Production ofpharmaceuticalsfor early stagehuman clinicaltrials.

Waisman Center Brain Imaging Facility

Expanding ourknowledge aboutbrain developmentand function usingMRI and PETscanning.

A New Center within the Waisman Center

•Directed by Dr.Richard Davidson

•The Dalai Lamaparticipated inopening celebration,scientific meeting atthe Waisman Center

The Center for Investigating Healthy Minds

•Research on attention, mindfulness, and other healthyqualities of the mind.

Training Future Researchers and Clinicians

Since it opened in 1973, the Waisman Centerhas trained more than 9,000 undergraduateand graduate students.

Waisman Early Childhood Program

•National leader in “inclusive”earlychildhood education.

•The WECP serves100 children birthto age five.

•1/3 of enrollmentare children withdisabilities.

Waisman Center Clinics

- Genetics

- Autism

- Fragile X Syndrome

- Feeding

- Cerebral Palsy

- Speech Disorders

- Computer-AssistedCommunication

- Neonatal Intensive CareFollow-up

Family Village: A World-wide Website Resource

More than 3 million people from throughout the worldhave visited this award-winning website.

Dane County Regional Airport Art Exhibit

•50 artworks, all bypeople withdevelopmentaldisabilities

•Sponsored by theFriends of the WaismanCenter.

•Curated by TandemPress.

•July 2010 throughJanuary 2011.

“Art is therapy for me.It creates a wholenew world.”

The Biggest House My GreatGrandfather Ever BuiltPhillip H. Porter © 2006

Acquired through theWisconsin Arts Board’sPercent for Art Program

July 10, 2010: Rotary “Dine Around”Lunch and Tour

Recent Visitors…

Visit the Waisman Center!

◘ 1500 Highland AvenueLocated on the west campus, across from UW Hospitaland ClinicsCall us! 263-5940