news 2022

Humans make decisions based on various sensory information which is integrated into a holistic percept by the brain. But how do single cells make decisions? Much more autonomously than previously thought, as researchers from the University of Zurich have now shown. Cells base their decisions not only on outside signals like growth factors, but also on information they receive from inside the cell.

Thanks to genetic tools that allow computers to accurately count neurons from microscopy images, researchers have estimated with unprecedented accuracy the number of neurons and other types of cells in the brain of fruit fly larvae-and discovered that females have substantially more neurons than males.

As part of a new national research programme that aims to replace animal experiments in research, the National Science Foundation is supporting a project at Eawag. This opens up new possibilities for determining the toxicity of chemical substances based solely on tests with cultured cells and computer models.

A study published today in Nature Microbiology highlights the great advantage of wastewater monitoring as being rapid, unbiased and cost-effective: the detection of genomic variants of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater offers an early alert and can be based on fewer samples as compared to clinical samples. The bioinformatics tool developed by the groups of Niko Beerenwinkel and Tanja Stadler (ETH, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering) in collaboration with Eawag and EPFL identifies variants of concern even at low abundance.

A team from the University of Geneva reveals how the S100A9 protein improves metabolism of insulin-dependent diabetics by avoiding the deleterious effects of insulin. People with a severe form of diabetes, where the beta cells of the pancreas do not produce or no longer produce enough insulin, have no choice but to inject themselves regularly with artificial insulin in order to survive.

A study conducted by scientists at the Institute of Oncology Research (IOR, affiliated with USI and a member of Bios+) in collaboration with researchers specialized in veterinary oncology at the Universities of Turin and Bologna, identified the most frequent mutations in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), one of the most frequent tumors in both humans and dogs, opening new therapeutic opportunities.

Researchers found that in mice, long-lived embryonic macrophages in the lungs die upon aging and during infection and are replaced by inflammatory bone marrow-derived macrophages. This causes severe disease progression when infected with viral flu. Lung infections with the influenza virus or a coronavirus more frequently result in severe disease progression in older people.

Copper exposure in the environment and the protein alpha-synuclein in the human brain could play an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. A team from Empa and the University of Limerick was able to show how the protein takes on an unusual shape when exposed to large amounts of copper ions.

The latest CRISPR-based genome editing systems function more like molecular taxis rather than a pair of molecular scissors. This makes them much safer for patients who will soon benefit from gene therapies, as Eric Aird explains. This year we celebrate 10 years of genome editing with CRISPR. The system is often referred to as molecular scissors, and this designation is quite accurate for its first applications.

Biodiversity is beautiful, but it-s also vitally important. researchers are getting to the heart of how species diversity and genetic diversity evolve - and why we must fight to preserve them. Spring is synonymous with bright yellow dandelions, lush green fields and cloudless blue skies, a captivating combination of colours that sends many people into raptures of delight.

Researchers at the University of Bern have developed a therapy option that activates the body's own defense system against black skin cancer. Components of a bacterium are embedded in gel and applied directly to the area of the tumor. In the model, the gel was shown to reduce tumor growth, inhibit its spread to other organs and thereby prolong survival.

Using DNA data, researchers have examined seawater to find not only new species of bacteria, but also previously unknown natural products that may one day prove beneficial. The oceans are teeming with countless forms of life, from the world's largest creature - the blue whale - to miniscule microorganisms.

University of Basel researchers have discovered neutralizing antibodies which prevent bacterial infection or bring them to a halt. Only changes in the antibody docking sites on the bacterial cell surface enables the pathogen to evade this effective immune defense. Bartonella are bacteria that are transmitted from blood-sucking insects to mammals, including humans.

A team led by the UNIGE has identified a molecular mechanism that causes degeneration of the eye's photoreceptors, which can lead to blindness. Retinitis pigmentosa , a degenerative genetic disease of the eye, is characterized by progressive vision loss, usually leading to blindness. In some patients, structural defects in the photoreceptor cells have been observed, but the molecular mechanisms involved are not understood.

Researchers from , the United States and Uganda have identified the gene responsible for resistance in certain cassava cultivars against the devastating cassava mosaic disease. This is an important step for breeding virus-resistant cassava varieties. Cassava, also known as manioc, is a staple food for nearly one billion people and an important source of raw materials.

Scientists at EPFL and the Karolinska Institute have tested and confirmed a protocol for growing human embryonic stem cells into retina cells to treat eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration. As we age, so do our eyes; most commonly, this involves changes to our vision and new glasses, but there are more severe forms of age-related eye problems.

Scientists have discovered how an anti-cancer drug could be repurposed to improve memory. It does so by supporting the cell's ability to read the very genes that are important for learning. The epigenetic mechanism of the drug is shown in mice. If you are scared of spiders, you may soon benefit from a drug to enhance your ability to unlearn your arachnophobia, without any undesirable side-effects.

Intestinal flora plays an important role in health - including mental health. Researchers from the University of Basel and the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel (UPK) have shown that probiotics can support the effect of antidepressants and help to alleviate depression. When he was visited by what he called "the black dog", Winston Churchill could barely get out of bed.

Cryospheric ecosystems are some of the oldest on the planet. scientists have found that the microorganisms living in them have a unique genetic signature. They performed an inventory of the microorganisms in these ecosystems and complied the information into a database, which will be a useful resource for future studies on climate change microbiology.

A blood clot in the brain that blocks the supply of oxygen can cause an acute stroke. In this case, every minute counts. A team from Empa, the University Hospital in Geneva and the Hirslanden Clinic is currently developing a diagnostic procedure that can be used to start a tailored therapy in a timely manner, as they write in the current issue of the scientific journal Scientific Reports.