news 2019

Efficacy of Alecensa (alectinib) in people identified to have ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer using liquid biopsy is consistent with efficacy in those identified by tissue analysis in the pivotal Phase III ALEX study Roche will today announce positive results from a single-arm cohort of the Phase II/III Blood First Assay Screening Trial (BFAST), the first prospective study to use only blood-based next generation sequencing (NGS) to detec

Tiny particles that can fight cancer or that can easily pass through any interface within our body are a great promise for medicine. But there is little knowledge thus far about what exactly will happen to nanoparticles within our tissues and whether or not they can cause disease by themselves. Within an international research consortium, Empa scientists have now developed guidelines that should enable the safe development of nanoparticles for medical use.

By linking DNA replication failures in cancer cells to their genetic instability, researchers at UNIGE unveil a mutation mechanism that is essential for cancer development. When a cell divides into two daughter cells, it must replicate its DNA according to a very specific scenario. In the presence of some disruptive elements, however, cancer cells are unable to perform this operation optimally; replication then takes place more slowly and less efficiently.

The first results of the NAMSAL study, conducted by Swiss, French and Cameroonian teams, have enabled WHO to revise its AIDS treatment recommendations to better adapt them to the most diverse contexts. Until very recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended two drugs  - dolutegravir and efavirenz  - for the treatment of HIV infection.

An international team of researchers led by ETH has shown that antimicrobial-resistant infections are rapidly increasing in animals in low and middle income countries. They produced the first global of resistance rates, and identified regions where interventions are urgently needed. The world is experiencing unprecedented economic growth in lowand middle-income countries.

A fast and reliable machine learning tool, developed by the ARTORG Center, University of Bern and the Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital brings Artificial Intelligence (AI) closer to clinical use in Ophthalmology. The novel method published in Nature Scientific Reports on September 19, 2019 presents a tool that reliably extracts meaning from extensive image data.

Scientists at EPFL's Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research and University of Bern have discovered a signaling pathway that breast tumors exploit to metastasize to the brain. In 2018, breast cancer was the most common cancer in women worldwide, accounting for about a quarter of all reported cancers.

Scientists at EPFL's Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research have discovered a signaling pathway that breast tumors exploit to metastasize to the brain. Image: Breast cancer cells (blue) associate with glutamate-secreting neurons (red) to stimulate NMDA receptor-mediated signaling (green) of tumor growth (STED super-resolution microscopy).

Early combination treatment strategy with vildagliptin (Galvus ) and metformin was superior to standard of care in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients ,   The landmark VERIFY study is the first to investigate the long-term clinical benefits of this early combination strategy in type 2 diabetes (T2DM)   Novartis is committed to optimizing patient management of T2DM to achieve better glycemic control and favorable long-term clinical outcomes 

A reliable prognosis for coma patients in the intensive care unit is crucial. Improved transparency will boost the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support end-of-life decisions. For the first time, a research team has succeeded in identifying specific patterns in Electro-Encephalogram (EEG) analyses that the deep-learning network uses for making prognosis decisions.

By combining epidemiology, mathematical modelling and historical investigation, researchers in Geneva, Switzerland and France confirm Jeanne Calment's exceptional longevity, invalidating the conspiracy theories surrounding her. Jeanne Calment, who passed away in 1997 at 122 years and 165 days, still is today the human being who had the longest life.

EPFL scientists have helped develop a microscopic glass device that doctors could use to inject medicine into retinal veins with unprecedented accuracy. Their instrument meets an important need in eye surgery, delivering exceptional stability and precision. A team of researchers presented a breakthrough device for eye surgery at EPFL Neuchâtel's Research Day on 11 September.

By showing that the liver can produce glucose autonomously, researchers at UNIGE explain how type 2 diabetes can develop in overweight people even without insulin resistance. In Switzerland, more than 400,000 people suffer from type 2 diabetes, a serious metabolic disorder that is constantly increasing.

ETH researchers are involved in the development and implementation of a method to efficiently breed for disease-resistant beans in different regions of the world. Their work will help to improve the livelihood and food security of smallholders in developing countries. For many people in Africa and Latin America, beans are an important staple.

An international research team led by the Institute for Research in Biomedicine, affiliated to the Università della Svizzera italiana, has discovered why some patients with multiple sclerosis make an immune reaction that curtails the effectiveness of natalizumab, a therapeutic antibody used for the treatment of the disease and used this information to engineer a new version of the antibody that avoids this problem.

Two volunteers are the first above-knee amputees in the world to feel their prosthetic foot and knee in real time. Their bionic prosthesis, which was developed by an international team of researchers, features sensors that connect to residual nerves in the thigh. The resulting neurofeedback greatly reduces physical and mental strain for users of the prosthesis.

By decoding the genetic mechanisms that control the neurons of the visual system, researchers at UNIGE are unveiling the first steps in the construction of vision, paving the way for regenerative eye medicine.

Antibiotic resistance does not spread only where and when antibiotics are used in large quantities, ETH researchers conclude from laboratory experiments. Reducing antibiotic use alone is therefore not sufficient to curtail resistance, and should be done in conjunction with measures to prevent infection with resistant germs.

Although predisposing processes occur earlier, schizophrenia breaks out at young adulthood, suggesting it might involve a pathological transition during late brain development in predisposed individuals. Using a genetic mouse model of schizophrenia, researchers from the Caroni group at the FMI showed that, like in patients, characteristic network and cognitive deficits only emerge in adult mice.

By successfully rejuvenating brain progenitor cells, researchers at UNIGE reveal an unsuspected role of the environment in setting  cellular properties. The cerebral cortex acts as the control centre of our cognitive processes. During embryogenesis, dozens of types of neurons with distinct functions come together to form the circuits that drive our thoughts and actions.