Madison Reporter

University of Wisconsin–Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin announced the newest focus area for the Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative late last month. Named RISE-THRIVE, this initiative aims to advance health and improve lives.

The Wisconsin RISE Initiative, introduced by Mnookin in February, leverages UW–Madison’s research strengths to address significant challenges. The effort emphasizes accelerated faculty hiring, research enhancement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and student opportunities.

Following the initial focus on artificial intelligence with RISE-AI and environmental sustainability with RISE-EARTH, RISE-THRIVE will harness UW–Madison’s reputation in interdisciplinary health research. It aims to translate medical discoveries and innovative social science approaches into healthier lives for people globally. The initiative will focus on immunology and healthspan—the number of years a person remains healthy.

“UW–Madison is internationally known for our research on both the complex human immune system and on healthy aging,” says Mnookin. “RISE-THRIVE will strategically focus our investments in these disciplines to improve human healthspan.”

University leaders envision RISE-THRIVE as a hub for cross-disciplinary collaboration across campus. Ten UW–Madison schools and colleges will contribute expertise in areas such as stem cell biology; immune system-microbiome interactions; social, economic, and behavioral factors associated with health; genomics; epigenetics; and new technologies supporting health.

“Our ultimate goal is to develop an integrated approach to advancing healthspan,” says Robert N. Golden, dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

UW–Madison has a long history of leadership in health research across various disciplines. Researchers at the university pioneered embryonic stem cell research in the 1990s and have developed innovative approaches against pathogens like influenza and COVID-19. In 2023, the National Institutes of Health selected UW–Madison to lead a $150 million initiative on Alzheimer’s disease neurobiology.

“RISE-THRIVE will channel the depth and breadth of the university’s world-class research community,” says Eric Wilcots, dean of the College of Letters & Science.

Provost Charles Isbell notes that RISE-THRIVE will build upon existing strengths by introducing new collaborators with cutting-edge ideas. He emphasizes that addressing diseases affecting healthspan requires an interdisciplinary approach embodied by RISE-THRIVE.

Hiring for the initiative will begin immediately with approximately 80 hires over several years. Half will be centrally funded through RISE-THRIVE while half will match planned hiring by schools and colleges.