wire - news in brief

Bern, 23. On 23 August, the Federal Council approved the agreements on Switzerland's participation in the Eurostars-2 and the Active and Assisted Living research and development programmes.

Bern, 16. Switzerland and the European Union are preparing to link their emissions trading systems. The Federal Council approved the signing of the corresponding agreement at its meeting of 16 August 2017.

ETH spin-off Adaptricity has developed a piece of software that can be used to analyse the increasingly intelligent power grids.

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) commissioned an external evaluation of its funding category "use-inspired basic research" last year. Based on the evaluators' recommendations, it has now decided to introduce targeted changes in its processes. Based on a mandate from the federal government, the Swiss National Science Foundation promotes scientific research; the focus is on basic research.

Bern, 06. An event was held in Geneva on 6 July to mark the tenth anniversary of the European Research Council (ERC).

The 5 National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs) in the humanities and social sciences have achieved their goals: they have facilitated productive research and created professorships, chairs, institutes and partnerships.

Bern, 05. On 5 April 2017 the Federal Council entered into agreements with the Switzerland Innovation Foundation and approved guarantees for an initial CHF 150 million of funding for the Swiss Innovation Park.

Bern, 05. On 5 April 2017 the Federal Council approved the strategic goals for the ETH Domain for 2017-2020.

Bern, 29. On 29 March Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann, the head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), met his British counterpart, Jo Johnson, the Minister of State for Universities.

Media releases, information for representatives of the media Media Relations (E) Peter Messerli, Professor of Sustainable Development at the University of Bern, has been selected as co-chair to lead

Bern, 16. Switzerland has ratified the protocol extending the free movement of persons to Croatia.

Following the day-night cycle, the liver has its own metabolic rhythm. Using cutting-edge proteomics, scientists at EPFL and Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences have now identified over 500 liver proteins that change in abundance over the course of the day in the cell nucleus, opening a new dimension of metabolism.

Bern, 25. The second meeting of the Swiss-Australian joint committee for cooperation in the areas of science, research and cooperation was held today in Bern.

Christian Rüegg of the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI has been awarded a prestigious Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council (ERC).

Matthias Egger, internationally renowned epidemiologist and public health expert, will be the new president of the National Research Council of the SNSF as of 2017.

A significantly higher number of project proposals and the trend towards a more open research culture: against this dynamic backdrop, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) funded over 3200 res

Der Schweizerische Nationalfonds engagiert sich stark für Open Access, den öffentlichen und gebührenfreien Zugang zu Forschungsresultaten.

It is now easier to obtain a clear and transparent overview of the thousands of scientific research projects funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) welcomes the Federal Council's decision to sign the protocol on extending the free movement of people to Croatia.

Saudi Arabia wants to become a leading research nation, and has recently established a multi-billion dollar university.

China aims to reverse its brain drain by offering researchers ample salaries, lab animals and infrastructure.

The Dispatch on the Promotion of Education, Research and Innovation 2017-2020 is worrying higher education and research institutions.

Research infrastructure in Asia is catching up with the West. From here, the main challenge for the region is to manoeuvre research out of rigid policy and into higher quality.

Last week, the European Research Council (ERC) announced the winners of the Consolidator Grants for talented young researchers.

On 29 January, the Foundation Council of the Swiss National Science Foundation reelected Gabrielle Gendotti as president for a four-year term. At its constitutive meeting for the 2016-2019 period, it also reelected Professor Felicitas Pauss as its Vice President. In addition, it elected the fifteen-member Executive Committee of the Foundation Council and co-opted seven new members to the Council.

The SNSF introduces measures to encourage researchers in the humanities and social sciences to participate in ERC calls.

Micheline Calmy-Rey gave a public lecture at ETH Zurich last Monday in which she spoke about Swiss foreign policy and called for an active role in international nuclear disarmament negotiations.

Every Wednesday evening the art of free speech is exercised in the ETH Zurich Students' Debate Club.

A team of researchers at the University of Bern has managed to considerably prolong the lifespan of flies by activating a gene which destroys unhealthy cells. The results could also open new possibilities in human anti ageing research. Immortality has long been a dream for humans. For example, in many ancient mythologies, immortality is one of the traits that distinguishes humans from the gods.

The Bernese climate physicist Hubertus Fischer is awarded a grant of 2. Million Euro by the European Research Council for research on polar ice cores.

l. to r. Patrick Aebischer (EPFL), Roberto Balzaretti (EU Swiss ambassador), Carlos Moedas (EU, Head of Research and Innovation), Lino Guzzella (ETH Zürich).