news 2019

By identifying the genetic causes of susceptibility to endocrine disruptors, researchers from UNIGE and the HUG highlight a fundamental inequity towards the toxicity induced by these products that are found everywhere in our environment. Phthalates, one of the most common endocrine disruptors, are commonly used by industry in many plastic products - toys, clothing, baby bottles or even medical equipment - as well as in cosmetics.

New European data from IMAS survey show that people living with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) suffer a delay in diagnosis of over 7 years, potentially leading to an increase in work-related issues due to worsening disease burden   The experience of people living with axSpA, a long-term inflammatory spine condition as prevalent as rheumatoid arthritis , , needs to be better understood to help patients manage their disease    The Ankylosing Spon

Researchers at EPFL and the University of Lyon have developed a device for creating cell aggregates in a fully controlled manner. Their aim is to model tumors more accurately in order to test potential new treatments. When researchers develop new therapies, such as for cancer, they need to be able to test them on models that closely resemble human tissue.

The cholera bacterium uses a grappling hook-like appendage to take up DNA, bind to nutritious surfaces and recognise 'family' members, EPFL scientists have found. These discoveries will advance our understanding of how the bacterium that causes cholera adapts and survives in its natural environment.

It has been a mystery why REM sleep, or dream sleep, increases when the room temperature is "just right". Neuroscientists from Bern show that melanin-concentrating hormone neurons within the hypothalamus increase REM sleep when the need for body temperature defense is minimized, such as when sleeping in a warm and comfortable room temperature.

Researchers from UNIGE and HUG demonstrate how music specially composed for premature infants strengthens the development of their brain networks and could limit the neurodevelopmental delays that often affect these children. In Switzerland, as in most industrialized countries, nearly 1% of children are born "very prematurely", i.e. before the 32nd week of pregnancy, which represents about 800 children yearly.

Tumor stem cells from prostate cancer. The coloring with different fluorochromes highlights the extensive network of mitochondria (red/green) surrounding the cell nuclei (blue). A study by investigators at the Institute of Oncology Research (IOR, affiliated to USI Università della Svizzera italiana) reveals a new way to eliminate cancer stem cells (CSC) in prostate tumours and enhance treatment efficacy.

Cancerous tumors can be made to bioluminesce, like fireflies, according to the level of their glucose uptake, giving rise to a technique for quantifying metabolite absorption. The firefly imaging technique for sugar can be translated from cancer to many other metabolic diseases. EPFL scientists have invented a new way to quantify - in real-time - glucose metabolism of cancerous tumors by making them bioluminesce.

Researchers at UNIGE have carried out the first nationwide study on semen quality of young Swiss men. And their verdict? Only 38% of men have semen parameter values above the norms set by World Health Organization for fertile men. Over the last fifty years, a marked decrease in sperm count has been observed in the Western World.

By understanding how day-night alternation affects the effect of insulin in tissues, researchers at UNIGE are highlighting the role of circadian rhythms in diabetes. The disruption of our internal clocks seems to play a significant role in the explosion of metabolic diseases observed in recent decades, and particularly of diabetes.

UNIGE researchers have developed a cell co-culture platform that can reproduce a patient's tumour in 3D and test the best treatment combinations for its specific case in just five days. Why doesn't the same treatment work in the same way for every patient? How can a drug's performance be optimised without causing side effects due to an excessive dosage? In an attempt to answer these questions, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, have devised a cell co-culture platform that reproduces a patient's tumour structure in 3D.

Researchers from the Alberto Santos Dumont Association for Research Support (AASDAP) in Brazil, in collaboration with EPFL, have developed a non-invasive strategy that combines functional electrostimulation and a brain-machine interface to help people with paraplegia walk again. This rehabilitation approach was tested on two patients, who showed an improvement in their motor skills and a partial neurological recovery.

Protection by the malaria vaccine RTS,S is not only a matter of antibody quantity but also of quality. These are the findings of a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in collaboration with Swiss TPH and other partners. The research show for the first time that the higher the avidity of antibodies induced by the RTS,S vaccine, the greater the protection.

Neuroscientists at EPFL have discovered an area of the brain, the insular cortex, that processes painful experiences and thereby drives learning from aversive events. Acute pain, e.g. hitting your leg against a sharp object, causes an abrupt, unpleasant feeling. In this way, we learn from painful experiences to avoid future harmful situations.

In a unique experimental setup, Swiss researchers have investigated the effect of exhaust particles from aircraft turbine engines on human lung cells. The cells reacted most strongly to particles emitted during ground idling. The study also showed that the cytotoxic effect is only to some extent comparable to that of particles from gasoline and diesel engines.

Researchers have taken a critical look at how much we really know about our exposure to particles and chemicals transported by our clothing. His study concludes that further research is needed and opens up new areas of investigation. There is growing evidence that our clothing exposes us to particles and chemicals on a daily basis - and that this exposure could carry significant health risks.

The relay station of the brain, the substantia nigra consists of different types of nerve cells and is responsible for controlling the execution of diverse movements. Researchers at the University of Basel's Biozentrum have now characterized two of these cell populations more precisely and has been able to assign an exact function to each of them.

A study funded by the SNSF shows that in winter, weak sunlight prevents the Swiss population from producing sufficient levels of vitamin D. Too much sun increases the risk of skin cancer. But moderate exposure is required to produce vitamin D. This substance is essential for bone health and may also play a role in preventing respiratory infections, autoimmune diseases and certain types of cancer.

By deciphering the genetic programmes of neurons of the cerebral cortex, Swiss and Belgian researchers unravel the mechanisms controlling the genesis of cells in one of the most essential parts of our brain. The cortex is a complex brain region that allows us to perceive the world and interact with objects and beings around us.

EPFL researchers have discovered that cancer cells use exosomes to communicate with each other and send information through the bloodstream. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for the use of cancer immunotherapy techniques. "It was a huge surprise, we didn't expect to find so many melanoma cancer cell markers in blood exosomes," explains Hubert Girault, who heads up the Laboratory of Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry at EPFL Valais Wallis.