The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery is a visionary public-private partnership that is creating two world-class biomedical research institutes. Its partners include donors John and Tashia Morgridge, the state of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin (UW–Madison) and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).

WID will house several new research groups including a team led by computer science professor Michael C. Ferris. Professor Ferris' Optimization in Biology and Medicine group will explore mathematical approaches to minimize or maximize the variables of a given subject in biological and medical research.