news 2023

Researchers have shown for the first time that microvehicles can be steered through blood vessels in the brains of mice using ultrasound. They hope that this will eventually lead to treatments capable of delivering drugs with pinpoint precision. Brain tumours, brain haemorrhages and neurological and psychological conditions are often hard to treat with medication.

EPFL and Harvard scientists have developed a pioneering new method that uses deep learning and a new technique called 'targeted augmentation' to track neurons in moving and deforming animals. Recent advances allow imaging of neurons inside freely moving animals. However, to decode circuit activity, these imaged neurons must be computationally identified and tracked.

Researchers at PSI and ETH Zurich have taken connective tissue cells that have been mechanically reprogrammed to resemble stem cells and transplanted them into damaged skin. In their laboratory experiment, they were able to show that this can promote wound healing. Mature somatic cells can be turned back into youthful, stem-cell-like cells by means of a surprisingly simple mechanical stimulus.

Protein-like aggregates known as amyloids can bind to molecules of genetic material. It is possible that these two types of molecules stabilised each other during the development of life - and that this might even have paved the way for the genetic code. How organisms develop from inanimate matter is one of the biggest questions in science.

A groundbreaking study reveals how Mycobacterium tuberculosis forms resilient cords within host cells, opening the way for a deeper understanding and innovative treatment of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a lung disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium (Mtb). According , tuberculosis afflicts 10 million people globally and claims 1.5 million lives.

With no visual organs, how can a plant know where light is coming from? In an original study combining biological and engineering expertise, the team led by Prof. Christian Fankhauser at the University of Lausanne, in collaboration with colleagues at EPFL, has deciphered a novel mechanism using the interface between air and water to generate a gradient of light "visible" to the plant.

Pregnancy and motherhood lead to brain remodeling. A research team at the University of Basel has now discovered through experiments with mice that distinct pools of stem cells in the adult brain are turned on during pregnancy. They give rise to specific types of olfactory bulb neurons, the team reports in "Science".

Global warming is causing extensive changes to peatland vegetation in Europe and Western Siberia, with consequences for soil composition and the peatlands' ability to sequester carbon. An EPFL-led study has examined the mechanisms behind these complex processes. Peatlands are significant carbon sinks, meaning they're potential time bombs when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have now shown that a previously unknown protein plays a key role in a congenital malformation of the heart. Their findings point the way towards new treatment options. Through the experiments on the genetically modified mice, her team determined which molecular switches are involved and how they need to be thrown to halt the malformations that damage the heart.

Biological computing machines, such as micro and nano-implants that can collect important information inside the human body, are transforming medicine. Yet, networking them for communication has proven challenging. Now, a global team, including researchers, has developed a protocol that enables a molecular network with multiple transmitters.

When bacteria build communities, they cooperate and share nutrients across generations. Researchers at the University of Basel have been able to demonstrate this for the first time using a newly developed method. This innovative technique enables the tracking of gene expression during the development of bacterial communities over space and time.

An international research group led by the University of Lucerne has developed novel approaches for medical imaging. These hold great potential for earlier diagnosis, more precise localization and a better understanding of many human diseases. Imaging procedures such as computed tomography (CT) or positron emission tomography (PET) are nowadays indispensable for the diagnosis and localization of many diseases.

Forschende klären auf, was geschehen kann, wenn Zellen ihre normale Grösse Überschreiten und seneszent werden. Die neuen Erkenntnisse könnten helfen, Krebstherapien zu optimieren. Growth is a fundamental biological process and a prerequisite for living organisms to develop and reproduce. The processes of cell growth (i.e.

Scientists have crafted a biological system that mimics an electronic bandpass filter, a novel sensor that could revolutionize self-regulated biological mechanisms in synthetic biology. Synthetic biology holds the promise of enhancing and modifying biological systems into innumerable new technologies for the benefit of society.

Understanding glare is important for improving visual comfort in the built environment. Specific pigments in the eye reduce perception of glare from a blue colored light source, but the pigments do not explain sensitivity to neutrally colored light, scientists show. What is glare? Simply put, glare is visual discomfort often leading to annoyance, fatigue or even headaches.

Scientists at EPFL have uncovered a cunning strategy that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, uses to increase its infectivity. SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus first identified in late 2019, has since spread globally, leading to the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected millions. As countries grapple with its health, social, and economic impacts, scientists and researchers worldwide have been working tirelessly to understand the virus better and develop effective treatments and vaccines.

Ensuring growth and development, sometimes sustained, without risking fragility. This is the delicate balance facing plants.

Unlike their relatives, individuals of the poison frog Allobates femoralis are not poisonous but are captivating due to their different behavioral profiles: They successfully reproduce with different strategies depending on whether they are bold, aggressive or explorative. In addition, certain character traits are already present in this species at the tadpole stage.

Neuroscientists and neurosurgeons at the EPFL/CHUV/UNIL, Inserm and the University of Bordeaux have designed a neuroprosthetic intended to correct walking disorders associated with Parkinson's disease.

A study by researchers at EPFL shows why only a subset of individuals exposed to trauma develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The research, centered on the body's stress hormone response, could pave the way for more targeted treatments for PTSD. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that arises after experiencing traumatic events.