The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association’s Fall Policy Forum brought together alumni, university leaders, researchers, and policy experts to discuss the crucial role of federal and state research funding at UW–Madison. Speakers highlighted challenges facing the university, including recent federal grant terminations and potential caps on indirect cost recovery, both of which threaten the infrastructure that supports campus research. The event spotlighted advances in Alzheimer’s disease research at UW–Madison, with speakers Sanjay Asthana, MD; Cynthia Carlsson, MD, MS; and Sterling Johnson, PhD describing recent advancements in the field and the effects of limiting its funding.
Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute Director Cynthia Carlsson, MD, MS described how pauses in funding in 2025 forced the program to halt dementia care projects temporarily, creating a stressful atmosphere for researchers, health care workers and people living with dementia.
“We’re at a very exciting time for Alzheimer’s research with new biomarkers and infrastructure to help bring those discoveries to clinical care,” Carlsson said. “But the federal and state funding pauses and the uncertainty have been leading to uncertainties about hiring new people, renovating labs, and moving forward with promising new initiatives.”
Read a full recap of the event on the Wisconsin Medical Association website: Fall policy forum highlights critical role of research funding at UW-Madison