Peptide Science Wisconsin

Peptide Science Wisconsin Blogging

Peptide Science Wisconsin has cultivated a remarkably robust peptide science ecosystem, anchored by the research excellence of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and bolstered by a growing network of biotechnology companies, manufacturing infrastructure, and clinical applications. From Nobel-caliber fundamental research into peptide folding and design to clinical-stage oral peptide therapeutics for autoimmune diseases, the Badger State has emerged as a significant player in the advancement of peptide-based medicine. This article explores the dynamic landscape of peptide science across Wisconsin.

Peptide Science Wisconsin Academic Research and Institutional Leadership

University of Wisconsin-Madison: A Global Epicenter of Peptide Science

The University of Wisconsin-Madison stands at the absolute forefront of peptide research, housing multiple laboratories whose work spans fundamental peptide chemistry, computational design, neurodegenerative disease therapeutics, and advanced analytical techniques.

The Gellman Lab: Pioneering Foldamers and Backbone Modification

Professor Samuel H. Gellman, the Ralph F. Hirschmann Professor of Chemistry at UW-Madison, has been described as setting “the pace” in peptide chemistry. His laboratory’s contributions include fundamental insights on the origin of protein folding preferences and pioneering studies of synthetic, biopolymer-inspired “foldamers”—synthetic molecules that mimic the shapes of natural peptides or proteins for biomedical applications.

Gellman’s work on backbone-modified peptides has led to tangible therapeutic advances. In one notable study, researchers in his lab altered a highly successful synthetic parathyroid hormone called teriparatide—used to combat severe osteoporosis—by swapping replacement parts into the peptide backbone. The resulting version resisted degradation in laboratory mice, demonstrating the power of backbone modification to improve peptide stability and pharmacokinetics. Gellman has assigned rights for this discovery to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), exemplifying the university’s commitment to translating academic discoveries into commercial applications.

The Tang Lab: Therapeutic Peptides for Neurodegenerative Disease

Professor Weiping Tang, Janis Apinis Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and director of the Medicinal Chemistry Center at the School of Pharmacy, is pursuing an ambitious approach to treating Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. With support from a UW Research Forward grant, Tang is partnering with colleagues to identify therapeutic peptides that can induce the degradation of pathogenic protein aggregates through autophagy—one of the body’s natural mechanisms for breaking down and recycling cells.

The project uses two recently identified Proteasome-Independent Targetable (PRINT) Degraders on tau proteins—one of the protein aggregates implicated in neurodegenerative diseases—and employs high-throughput screening to identify additional PRINT degraders. “It is extremely challenging to develop therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases,” Tang acknowledges, “but we’ll aim to make as much progress as possible”.

The Raman Lab: Peptide Treatments for Cancer

Biochemistry professor Vatsan Raman and his lab are investigating whether peptide-derived treatments can disrupt oncogenic protein-protein interactions inside cells. Supported by an award from The Badger Challenge—an annual fundraising race supporting cancer research at UW-Madison—the Raman Lab is targeting interactions associated with neck, colorectal, and lung cancers that currently lack FDA-approved therapeutics.

“There are dozens of protein-protein interactions directly linked to cancers,” Raman explains. “We wanted to come up with a method by which we could design peptide-based drugs to disrupt unwanted protein-protein interactions”. The researchers are screening hundreds of thousands of peptides at once to quickly narrow down candidates that could disrupt cancer-causing protein interactions.

The Li Lab: Mass Spectrometry and Neuropeptidomics

Professor Lingjun Li, a professor in the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy and Department of Chemistry, has spent decades developing powerful new ways to measure and map the molecular machinery of life. Initially focused on discovering nervous system biomolecules called neuropeptides, Li’s lab has expanded to studying a wide variety of biomolecules—proteins, peptides, lipids, metabolites, glycans—and their spatial distributions in tissues.

Li and her collaborators recently introduced a new imaging technology, reported in Nature Methods, that has the power to reveal biomolecular detail in tissues like cancer tumors in their native environments at unprecedented resolution. A major focus now is understanding how these molecules contribute to diseases like Alzheimer’s, work done in collaboration with the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Li’s contributions earned her a spot on The Analytical Scientist’s 2024 Power List and a Kellett Mid-Career Award from UW-Madison.

Machine Learning and Antimicrobial Peptide Discovery

UW-Madison researchers have also pioneered the integration of machine learning with peptide discovery. In a 2025 study, investigators demonstrated a generalizable approach integrating computation and experiment to accurately predict the selectivity of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) containing synthetic amino acids. The work identified new α/β-peptides that hold promise as selective antifungal agents to combat the antimicrobial resistance crisis.

Medical College of Wisconsin: Antimicrobial Peptides and Neurodegeneration

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) contributes significantly to peptide research. Professor Jimmy B. Feix, PhD, in the Department of Biophysics, has authored research on lysine-enriched cecropin-mellitin antimicrobial peptides with enhanced selectivity. MCW faculty are also investigating amyloid beta-peptides in neurodegeneration and using peptide arrays and machine learning to determine SIRT3 substrate specificity.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Sleep-Enhancing Peptides

Researchers at UW-Milwaukee, including Professor Alexander (Leggy) Arnold, are exploring the structural features of sleep-enhancing peptides derived from casein hydrolysates using chemometrics and random forest methodology.

Biotechnology Companies: From Discovery to Commercialization

Wisconsin hosts a growing number of biotechnology companies translating peptide science into clinical-stage therapeutics.

Nimble Therapeutics: Oral Peptide Innovation

Madison-based Nimble Therapeutics, founded in 2019, operates as a biotechnology company focusing on oral peptide therapeutics. The company’s proprietary technology enables the synthesis and screening of millions of peptides, including scaffolded natural and modified macrocyclic peptidomimetics. Nimble provides a platform for peptide drug discovery utilizing solid-phase synthesis, chemical and structural diversity, assays, and machine learning methods.

In December 2024, Nimble was acquired by AbbVie. The acquisition added Nimble’s lead asset—an investigational oral peptide IL23R inhibitor in preclinical development for psoriasis—and a pipeline of other novel oral peptide assets across autoimmune diseases. Importantly, AbbVie also acquired Nimble’s proprietary peptide synthesis, screening, and optimization platform, which enables rapid discovery and optimization of peptide candidates.

Vector Science & Therapeutics: Peptide Formulation and Delivery

Mequon-based Vector Science & Therapeutics develops novel biomechanical devices and active localized drug delivery platforms. In May 2026, the company announced a three-year development and manufacturing agreement with MPP Group LLC to develop and manufacture pharmaceutical-grade peptides and drug delivery devices.

The agreement supports Vector’s entry into the $80.8 billion peptide market with pharmaceutical-grade, shelf-stable formulations. Vector and MPP will jointly develop shelf-stable formulations for 22 peptides—including BPC-157, TB-500, PT-141, Sermorelin, CJC-1295, and others—designed to be stable for up to 24 months. “This agreement gives Vector direct control over the equipment, the formulations, and the manufacturing process with a pharmaceutical-grade partner located in our own backyard,” said CEO Bill Jackson.

GeneTel Laboratories: Peptide Synthesis and Antibody Services

GeneTel Laboratories, based in Wisconsin, provides quality reagents and kits for proteomic research, including peptide synthesis and antibody production services to the global life science research and biotech industries.

Manufacturing Infrastructure and Core Facilities

Peptide Science Wisconsin ecosystem is supported by robust manufacturing and synthesis capabilities.

cGMP Peptide Manufacturing

MPP Group LLC operates a modern 35,000-square-foot FDA-registered, cGMP-compliant facility in Mequon, Wisconsin, equipped with sophisticated analytical instrumentation. The facility represents approximately $6 million in capital expenditure. LSNE also operates a cGMP drug product manufacturing facility in Madison, Wisconsin.

Blood Research Institute Protein Chemistry Core

The Protein Chemistry Core Lab of the Blood Research Institute, established in 1988, offers custom peptide synthesis and purification utilizing both natural and non-natural amino acids.

Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)

WARF serves as the technology transfer arm for UW-Madison, managing patents and licensing for peptide-related inventions. These include α/β-polypeptide analogs of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) that retain agonist activity while resisting proteolytic degradation, as well as peptide modulators of quorum sensing in Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Clinical Applications and Peptide Therapy

Peptide therapeutics have gained significant traction in Wisconsin’s clinical landscape. Clinics across the state offer medically supervised peptide therapy for a wide range of conditions.

The Wisconsin Institute of Functional Medicine uses peptides to address autoimmune diseases, inflammatory conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, hormonal imbalances, obesity, osteoporosis, dementia, and metabolic issues. EVEXIAS Health Solutions offers peptide therapies specifically tailored to women’s health, providing targeted signals to enhance fat metabolism, stimulate collagen production, and improve deep sleep.

Clinics in Milwaukee, Waunakee, and Germantown offer peptide compounds including BPC-157, CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, Sermorelin, Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and others.

Conclusion

Wisconsin has established itself as a significant and growing hub for peptide science, with strengths spanning fundamental academic research, biotechnology innovation, and manufacturing infrastructure. The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s pioneering work on foldamers, backbone-modified peptides, therapeutic peptides for neurodegenerative disease and cancer, and advanced mass spectrometry-based neuropeptidomics represents a global contribution to the field.

The state’s biotechnology ecosystem—anchored by Nimble Therapeutics (now part of AbbVie) and Vector Science & Therapeutics—is translating academic discoveries into clinical-stage therapeutics with the potential to address autoimmune diseases, cancer, and other serious conditions. Supported by cGMP manufacturing infrastructure, core facilities, and the technology transfer expertise of WARF, Wisconsin’s peptide science community is well-positioned to continue advancing our understanding of these versatile molecules and their potential to transform medicine. As the field continues to evolve, Wisconsin’s combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, and strategic investment promises to keep the Badger State at the forefront of peptide-based biomedical research and development.