We will address the genetic proximity of swine to human — the overwhelming anatomical, physiological, and pathophysiological similarities — that makes swine the ideal preclinical model for studying human diseases and for developing safe and effective diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. Unlike most academic institutions where swine research is challenging, the availability of advanced swine facilities, resources, and expertise at UW–Madison — complemented by thriving biomedical and biotechnology research — has provided a clear direction for advancing a swine-centric translational research program. The recent successes in and notable efficiency of genetic engineering of swine at the UW has further refined this direction: patient-specific swine modeling (“precision research”) in the coming era of precision medicine.

About the Speakers

Dhanansayan Shanmuganayagam ’97, PhD’06 is an assistant professor and the director of the Biomedical & Genomic Research Group, which has the overarching mission of taking scientific discoveries and technologies developed by the group or its collaborators through preclinical development to clinical applications. His expertise and experience in developing and utilizing animal models in preclinical research span more than 20 years and have given him the appreciation for the translational nature of swine models. He currently leads the genetic engineering of swine at UW–Madison and utilizes the CRISPR-Cas9 platform to develop novel swine models for cancer, cardiovascular disease, xenotransplantation, and other areas of research.

Charles Konsitzke is the associate director of the UW Biotechnology Center, which focuses on campus by providing research services to hundreds of faculty members. Konsitzke has been administering and facilitating research on campus for 17 years. He has a passion for assisting the development of large-scale projects and advancing research.