news 2023

Parithera, an EPFL spin-off, has developed a system that lets doctors detect drug resistance in cancer patients early on, saving precious time and preventing the unnecessary use of treatments with onerous side effects. Drug resistance is a major problem in the treatment of cancer. Some cancer cells demonstrate resistance right at the start of a new therapy, while others develop it over the course of several months or years.

Around 45 percent of the Swiss population is considering moving. More than half of them would like more living space. This is shown by a study conducted by the ZHAW in collaboration with the Federal Office of Housing, the Fédération Romande Immobilière, the Swiss Homeowners Association and Raiffeisen Switzerland .

As we age, many of us will eventually need hearing aids. In some cases, the reason for this may be a signaling pathway that controls auditory sensory cell function and is downregulated with age. Researchers at the University of Basel are uncovering clues. Hearing loss eventually affects almost everyone: Loud noises or simple aging gradually cause the auditory sensory cells and their synapses in the inner ear to degenerate and die off.

Stimulating the brain with gentle sounds during deep sleep significantly enhances cardiac function, according to a new study. This discovery could have implications not only for cardiovascular diseases but also for competitive sports, among other areas. Sleep is a vital aspect of human life, with deep sleep being particularly crucial for overall health.

Researchers from Zurich have used machine learning to jointly create an innovative method. This new approach can predict how individual cells react to specific treatments, offering hope for more accurate diagnoses and therapeutics. Cancer is triggered by changes in cells that lead to the proliferation of pathogenic tumour cells.

Scientists at EPFL have synthesized the first ever metal-organic frameworks membrane with thickness of just one unit cell. The ultrathin film yields record-high separation performance of hydrogen-nitrogen. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials that contain nano-sized pores. These pores give MOFs record-breaking internal surface areas, which make them extremely versatile for a number of applications: separating petrochemicals and gases , mimicking DNA , producing hydrogen , and removing heavy metals , fluoride anions , and even gold from water are just a few examples.

Scientists at EPFL have synthesized the first ever metal-organic frameworks membrane with thickness of just one unit cell. The ultrathin film yields record-high separation performance of hydrogen. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials that contain nano-sized pores. These pores give MOFs record-breaking internal surface areas, which make them extremely versatile for a number of applications: separating petrochemicals and gases , mimicking DNA , producing hydrogen , and removing heavy metals , fluoride anions , and even gold from water are just a few examples.

Despite leaving behind thousands of deformed infants, thalidomide — and newer drugs derived from it — have proved effective cancer treatments. Researchers in the group of Nicolas Thomä at the FMI provided key insights into the mechanism of action of thalidomide-like drugs. Their work could help develop molecules that target and destroy disease-causing proteins, thus enabling the treatment of uncurable conditions.

When it comes to feeding a growing population at a time of conflict and climate change, Mother Earth has a lot on her plate. To build a sustainable future we'll need to return to a farm-to-table model, and that's opening up vast and exciting avenues of research for scientists in an array of fields. In this special report , we explore some of the developments taking place in research labs and out on the farm.

Researchers show in a new study that a short reflection exercise to boost self confidence increases job search success. This holds true even for the long-term unemployed and people over 50. For many people, losing their job is not only a financial burden but also a psychological one. They are stressed, worry about their social status and begin to doubt themselves.

Cell biologists at ETH Zurich describe a new organelle present in mammalian cells that is made of rings of DNA. This "mini-organ" could potentially play a role in autoimmune diseases, and it could help researchers to understand how cell nuclei evolved. Even the remarkably familiar can sometimes yield new discoveries: researchers at ETH Zurich recently identified a previously unknown compartment in mammalian cells.

Scientists at EPFL use cutting-edge imaging techniques to shed light on the progression of Parkinson's disease by studying how the main culprit, the protein alpha-synuclein, disrupts cellular metabolism. Parkinson's disease is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that leads to the deterioration of specific types of neurons in the brain, resulting in a number of motor and non-motor symptoms.

A team from the University of Geneva shows that disruptions to the circadian clock increase the risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease. Disturbances in sleep patterns and the internal biological clock are frequently associated with Parkinson's disease. However, the link between biological rhythm and neuronal degeneration remains unclear.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a suction cup that allows medications to be absorbed through the mucosal lining of the cheeks. This new approach could spare millions of patients the pain and fear associated with injections. Many of today's medications belong to groups of relatively large molecules such as peptides.

Isaac Newton's historic work on gravity was apparently inspired by watching an apple fall to the ground from a tree. But what about an "anti-apple" made of antimatter , would it fall in the same way if it existed? According to Albert Einstein's much-tested theory of general relativity, the modern theory of gravity, antimatter and matter should fall to Earth in the same way.

Biodiversity is greatest in the tropics. That fact that it is hot and humid there plays an important role. However, climate alone cannot explain the global biodiversity patterns well. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research have now tackled this old problem from a completely different angle - and identified a new, doubly important reason for high tropical diversity.

Through an innovative project in Sri Lanka, an EPFL researcher and a Sri Lankan researcher have demonstrated that construction practices in transition economies can operate more efficiently, sustainably and responsibly.

Scientists show that it is possible to make a femtosecond laser that fits in the palm of one's hand using a glass substrate. Is it possible to make a femtosecond laser entirely out of glass? That's the rabbit hole that Yves Bellouard , head of EPFL's Galatea Laboratory, went down after years of spending hours - and hours - aligning femtosecond lasers for lab experiments.

Although strict limits exist, batteries can still contain too many harmful ingredients such as mercury, cadmium and lead. The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has therefore launched a control campaign. Empa has laid the foundations for this with a specially developed method for analyzing heavy metals .

An international team co-led by UNIGE and HUG has decoded the only protein that can be used to ''see'' neuroinflammation. This discovery will improve the understanding of neurological and psychiatric disease mechanisms. Inflammation is the sign that our body is defending itself against an aggression.