news 2024

Rats release trapped companions, subsequently enabling them to collaborate for acquiring food. Experiments conducted at the University of Bern established this connection between obliging liberation behaviour and coordinated cooperation. These results may point towards a biological basis for empathy, presenting new perspectives on the evolutionary origins of compassionate behaviour.

An international team of researchers involving the University of Bern has investigated the consequences of deforestation and degradation of tropical forests. They were able to show that there are "winner" and "loser" species, whereby the displacement of the "losers" can lead to a decline in the ecological functions of tropical forests.

An interdisciplinary study from the University of Bern reveals that gut bacteria play a crucial role in converting arsenobetaine into toxic arsenic compounds. Results show that arsenobetaine, commonly found in seafood and previously considered harmless, is partly transformed into toxic arsenic compounds by the action of gut bacteria in the mammalian body.

Researchers have uncovered a serious side effect of using the CRISPR-Cas gene scissors. A molecule designed to make the process more efficient destroys parts of the genome. Genome editing with various CRISPR-Cas molecule complexes has progressed rapidly in recent years. Hundreds of labs around the world are now working to put these tools to clinical use and are continuously advancing them.

Understanding how proteins interact is essential to decoding cellular processes and communication. In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI) have explored how every possible mutation in a protein affects its ability to bind with its partners, shedding light on how mutations influence cellular functions and the evolution of proteins.

The discovery that an unexpected brain region is crucial for walking recovery in mice with spinal cord injuries has led a deep brain stimulation therapy in humans. The approach restored enough leg control in two individuals with partial spinal injuries to walk unaided and even climb stairs. Researchers at EPFL and Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), led by professors Grégoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch, have achieved a major milestone in the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI).

Since more and more deciduous trees are being planted in Swiss forests, whose wood is often burned directly, innovative ideas for a cascade use are in high demand in order to utilize Swiss hardwood more sustainably.

A study from EPFL reveals that the effectiveness of brain stimulation on motor skills is determined by an individual's learning ability rather than age, highlighting the need for a more personalized approach to neurorehabilitation. As we age, our cognitive and motor functions deteriorate, which in turn affects our independence and overall quality of life.

Scientists at the FBM-UNIL have identified a new role for the locus coeruleus in sleep and sleep disorders. This brain region enables the transition between sleep states and the maintenance of essential unconscious vigilance. Stress disrupts its functions and impacts sleep quality. Sleep disorders affect a growing number of people, with potentially serious consequences for their health.

Chimpanzees are known for their remarkable intelligence and use of tools, but could their cultures also evolve over time like human cultures? A new, multidisciplinary study led by the University of Zurich suggests that some of their most advanced behaviors may have been passed down and refined through generations.

Researchers at the Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI) have developed an innovative tool that maps how proteases—enzymes that process proteins—interact with their targets. This tool sheds light on the highly selective nature of proteases, which were previously thought to be indiscriminate in their function.

A study by the University of Fribourg suggests that turtles' shells are a major hindrance to their evolutionary development, which would explain the low number of species compared with other animal groups .

The Aztec skull whistle produces a piercing, scream-like sound. According to a study by the University of Zurich, this sound has a strong frightening effect on the human brain. It is assumed that the Aztecs used this effect specifically in their sacrificial rituals in order to influence the participants emotionally.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have discovered a mechanism behind the yo-yo effect: fat cells have a memory that is based on epigenetics. Anyone who has ever tried to get rid of a few extra kilos knows the frustration: the weight drops initially, only to be back within a matter of weeks - the yo-yo effect has struck.

A UNIGE study has uncovered an unexpected mechanism used by the protein interleukin-38 to form condensates, major drivers of skin renewal. The mechanisms underlying skin renewal are still poorly understood. Interleukin-38 (IL-38), a protein involved in regulating inflammatory responses, could be a game changer.

Researchers at ETH Zurich are utilising artificial intelligence to analyse the behaviour of laboratory mice more efficiently and reduce the number of animals in experiments. There is one specific task that stress researchers who conduct animal experiments need to be particularly skilled at. This also applies to researchers who want to improve the conditions in which laboratory animals are kept.

Scientists at EPFL have advanced their NeuroMechFly model, simulating fruit fly movement in the real world. With integrated vision and smell, it helps us understand brain-body coordination, setting a path for neuroengineering's role in robotics and AI. All animals, large or small, have to move at an incredible precision to interact with the world.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have combined two gene editing methods. This enables them to quickly investigate the significance of many genetic mutations involved in the development and treatment of cancer. In recent years, scientists have created a range of new methods based on CRISPR-Cas technology for precisely editing the genetic material of living organisms.

Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) contributes to research on sleep and related issues through the work and publications of Prof. Emiliano Albanese, Full Professor at the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at USI, and Prof. Mauro Manconi, Full Professor of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at USI.

Researchers at the University of Bern, in collaboration with international partners, have discovered that a 'gene desert' section of the genome plays an important role in the development of the embryo and the heart in both mice and humans. The study provides further evidence for the significance of gene-free DNA segments in gene regulation and offers approaches for early detection of cardiac diseases.