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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? This would be the same Tim Hacker, the first line of whose curriculum vitae reads: “Professional runner, 1986-2000.’’ This would be the same Hacker who won the 1985 NCAA cross country championship — propelling the Badgers to the team title, as well — and was a nine-time All-American at Wisconsin. So how did Hacker get from Point A (Anxieties) to Point B (Biochemistry and Beyond)? And what puts a bigger smile on his face now that he has become so accomplished? When he’s introduced as Dr. Tim Hack- er, scientist? Or Tim Hacker, All-Ameri- can? “Scientist now; my ego has changed,’’ said Hacker, 48, who has a B.S. in bio- chemistry and his master’s degree and Ph. D. in exercise physiology. “I’d really like to be recognized as an intellectual.’’ Yet, he’s quick to note that running has been at the root of his success by citing the process in which “you push boundaries’’ as an athlete and if “you work hard, good things will happen.’’ Eventually, ideally, that is the case. What is the application to a scientist? Hacker said, “I try to keep working hard by thinking of ideas and reading one more article and trying one more thing; not leav- ing anything uncovered.’’ Coming out of Menomnee Falls North High School, none of this seemed plau- In taking the individual crown at the 1985 NCAA Championship, Hacker also lifted UW to its sible. Not then, at least; not when he was still looking to find direction as a student beyond his interest in the sciences. As a UW junior, Hacker took a biochem- istry class, and he was hooked. “I abso- lutely loved it,’’ he said, “and that sort of set me on course (as an undergrad). That really got me excited for the first time. “I just had a vague idea that I wanted to learn more,’’ Hacker said. “At that point, you start to talk about lim- its, and then I thought more and more about limits to human performance.’’ “There were four or five professors — in- cluding Hector DeLuca —who were amaz- ing teachers. They were passionate and it got me going. I loved the idea of what was happening inside of me. “As an athlete, I really wanted to under- stand what was going on to improve my performances and whether I could ma- nipulate those in some way to help me as an athlete.’’ In retrospect, Hacker admitted that “I was pretty naïve and really didn’t under- stand the process’’ when he arrived on campus. As a result, it took him a little bit longer to figure it out. “I just had a vague idea that I wanted to learn more,’’ he said. “At that point, you start to talk about limits, and then I thought more and more about limits to hu- man performance.’’ This was intriguing on a scientific and biochemical level, as well as an athletic level. “That’s what started to change my focus; I really wanted to find out what ulti- mately would limit me,’’ he said. Not much would be the correct answer; not much has limited Hacker. “To end up here,’’ he said of his current standing, “I go to work every day now and I can’t believe I get to do what I do.’’ It’s not so much what he’s doing today as it is his vision for tomorrow that reso- nates. “We’re working on a number of different things with stem cells, heart failures and arrhythmias,’’ said Dr. Hacker. “I feel like those problems are solvable in the next 15 to 20 years. “There will be therapies that we’re work- ing on now that will be used in the clinic; in fact, some of the things will be used long before then.’’ Hacker acknowledged that some people have been intimidated by his academic