news from the lab 2016

Many tourists returning from India were found colonized with multidrug-resistant 'superbugs'.

Scientists at EPFL and in the US have developed a robust method for characterizing human embryonic stem cells and their potential for medical applications.

For some pathogens, attack is the best form of defense - they enter immune cells of the human body. However, if they are detected in their hidden niche, the infected cell kills itself to re-expose the pathogens. In the 'EMBO Journal? a research group at the University of Basel's Biozentrum has reported that a protein called gasdermin forms permeable pores in the cell membrane and thus triggers the suicide of the immune cell.

Molecular biologists at the University of Bern have discovered a mechanism which enables a deadly toxin to penetrate and destroy human cells. Their findings can serve a rational framework for the design and development of new anti-toxin drugs. Pathogenic bacteria produce a variety of toxins in order to attack their hosts.

Pomegranates have proven their anti-aging potential: intestinal bacteria transform a molecule contained in the fruit with spectacular results. Although tests in humans are still underway, scientists have already published the initial promising results from animal studies Medicine. Are pomegranates really the superfood we've been led to believe will counteract the aging process? Up to now, scientific proof has been fairly weak.

Novartis today released new results from the largest global survey to date of people with psoriasis.

20. EPFL researchers have developed an innovative cardiac support system in the form of a small ring placed on the aorta.

14. Scientists at EPFL have found a way to starve liver cancer cells by blocking a protein that is required for their metabolism - while leaving normal cells intact. The discovery opens new ways to treat liver cancer. Primary liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with current treatments being very limited.

14. Scientists from EPFL and ETHZ have developed a powerful tool for exploring and determining the inherent biological differences between individuals, which overcomes a major hurdle for personalized medicine. One of the biggest obstacles in successfully treating metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, fatty liver etc, is the variation in the way patients respond to medication.

13. One of the major obstacles with treating cancer is that tumors can conscript the body's immune cells and make them work for them. Researchers at EPFL have now found a way to reclaim the corrupted immune cells, turn them into signals for the immune system to attack the tumor, and even prevent metastasis.

08. Light, wireless probes the size of a large pen have been developed to identify cancer cells and suspicious lymph nodes during surgery.

Media releases, information for representatives of the media Media Relations (E) In colorectal cancer, the presence of invasive tumor cells at the advancing edge of the tumor can provide valuable information on prognosis.

24. For the first time, EPFL researchers have used mobile phone records to reconstruct the spread of a cholera epidemic. While cholera has hardly changed over the past centuries, the tools used to study it have not ceased to evolve. Using mobile phone records of 150,000 users, an EPFL-led study has shown to what extent human mobility patterns contributed to the spread of a cholera epidemic in Senegal in 2005.

09. Looking into the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, scientists led by EPFL have found clues that could help doctors diagnose or even treat Alzheimer's disease in its early stages. A hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the appearance of plaques in the brain. The plaques are gradually made up by the aggregation of a small protein called amyloid-beta or "Abeta".

05. While studying worm infections, EPFL scientists have discovered a surprising ability of the immune system. In order to fight invading pathogens, the immune system uses "outposts" throughout the body, called lymph nodes. These are small, centimeter-long organs that filter fluids, get rid of waste materials, and trap pathogens, e.g. bacteria or viruses.

04. EPFL researchers have discovered that the human brain suppresses the sensory effects of the heartbeat. They believe that this mechanism prevents internal sensations from interfering with the brain's perception of the external world. This mechanism could also have something to do with anxiety disorders.

Exercise can have a positive influence on certain symptoms of multiple sclerosis: Patients who do yoga and aquatic exercise suffer less from fatigue, depression and paresthesia, as reported by researchers from the University of Basel and the Psychiatric University Clinics Basel in a joint study with colleagues in Iran.

28. By administering nicotinamide riboside to elderly mice, EPFL researchers restored their organs' ability to regenerate and prolonged their lives. This method has potential for treating a number of degenerative diseases. Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is pretty amazing. It has already been shown in several studies to be effective in boosting metabolism.

19. Following the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, EPFL is joining forces with Geneva University Hospitals and the University of Geneva to develop a new protective suit.

Media releases, information for representatives of the media Media Relations (E) Paracetamol did not show any clinically relevant efficacy in the most comprehensive analysis of pain relievers among patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis to date. In contrast, the medicine diclofenac is more effective than many newer pain relievers on the market.