news 2024

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.

The CRISPR tool is capable of repairing the genetic defect responsible for the immune disease chronic granulomatous disease. However, researchers at the University of Zurich have now shown that there is a risk of inadvertently introducing other defects. The CRISPR molecular scissors have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of genetic diseases.

Disfigured faces, impressively deformed. Wrinkles, swellings, parts of the lips that are no longer there, mouths and noses that have almost disappeared. These are the slow but inexorable effects of cocaine. Professor Matteo Trimarchi, Professor of Otorhinolaryngology at the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences of Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and Head of Otorhinolaryngology Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC ), spoke about these severe effects, even among the youngest, in an interview with La Domenica.

The hepatitis E virus affects the liver. But infected liver cells secrete a viral protein that reacts with antibodies in the blood and may form complexes that can damage the filter structure of the kidneys, as researchers from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich have proven for the first time.

Researchers have combined virtual reality, non-invasive brain stimulation and advanced brain imaging techniques to improve spatial navigation in healthy participants. The study is a first step in addressing dementia in an aging population without medication or surgery. As we age, it becomes more difficult to remember where things are-whether it's recalling where we left the keys or where we parked the car.

In common marmosets, the brain regions that process social interactions develop very slowly, extending until early adulthood, like in humans.

In dementia diseases such as Alzheimer's, incorrectly folded proteins accumulate in the brain. researchers have now resolved a particularly active species of protein fibrils with unprecedented precision. The formation of potentially toxic molecules on the surface of protein fibrils was studied from early to late stages spanning over a period of hours.

A new study by EPFL reveals that the notorious bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa must balance between effectively colonizing human airways and developing antibiotic tolerance to survive. Imagine trying to settle into a new home while constantly being attacked. That's what the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa faces when it infects the lungs, and it can't both spread and protect itself from antibiotics at the same time.

According to a new study, chimpanzees, like humans, must contend with a confined bony birth canal when giving birth. In humans, the problem was exacerbated by our unique form of upright walking since this led to a twisting of the bony birth canal, while the fetal head got larger. The "obstetrical dilemma" therefore evolved gradually over the course of primate evolution rather than suddenly in humans as originally argued.

Western gorillas move in groups, which means coordinating their movements in the forest between rest periods.

A team from the University of Geneva has discovered the physical properties that generate the grooves found on the noses of many mammals. The noses of many mammals, such as dogs, ferrets and cows, feature grooves forming a multitude of polygons. A team from the University of Geneva has analyzed in detail how these patterns form in the embryo using 3D imaging techniques and computer simulations.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have analysed down to the smallest detail the unusual arsenal of weapons that a predatory marine bacterium has at its disposal. Perhaps one day these weapons could also be put to use in medicine. Countless bacteria call the vastness of the oceans home, and they all face the same problem: the nutrients they need to grow and multiply are scarce and unevenly distributed in the waters around them.

Researchers at the University of Bern have developed a new model for the emergence of consciousness. The model suggests that one day artificial agents, i.e. systems which imitate human thought, could gain consciousness. To regulate our interaction with such systems, the researchers propose an agreement between humans and machines: the 'Human-AI Deal'.

Cancer causes mutations in cellular DNA. Detecting these mutations in a patient's blood enables the most appropriate and effective anti-cancer treatments to be prescribed. However, detection of these mutations is only possible in specialized centers, which is time-consuming and costly. To remedy this situation, scientists at the University of Fribourg have developed nanosensors for cheaper, faster detection of these mutations.

Tiny diatoms in the ocean are masters at capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the environment. They fix up to 20 percent of the Earth's CO2. A research team at the University of Basel has now discovered a protein shell in these algae that is necessary for efficient CO2 fixation. This groundbreaking discovery can provide ideas for bioengineering approaches to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere.

Researchers have developed a novel neural recording device called the "e-Flower" that gently wraps organoids in soft petals. Neural spheroids - 3D clusters of brain cells - are emerging as essential tools for understanding neural networks and studying neurological diseases in the lab. EPFL's e-Flower, a flower-shaped 3D microelectrode array (MEA), allows researchers to monitor the electrical activity of these spheroids in a way that was previously impossible.

Insects and spiders are important elements in the food webs of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. With declines in their biodiversity, the food supply for birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals is not only becoming scarcer, but also poorer in important fatty acids, as an international research team led by scientists from Eawag and WSL reports in the journal Science .

Using a new method, researchers at ETH Zurich can measure alterations in the social network of proteins in cells. This work lays the foundation for the development of new drugs to treat diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's. Inside cells, it's like in a packed dance club: hundreds are partying. Some keep to themselves, others make their way through the crowd, chatting to everyone they meet.

Blocking the enzyme ACMSD can significantly reduce damage caused by metabolic liver disease according to a study from EPFL. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) - previously known as "non-alcoholic fatty liver disease" - affects about 25% of the global population. Its severe form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), can lead to liver fibrosis and even liver failure.

The groundbreaking discovery at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) in Bellinzona, affiliated with USI, has revealed, through the study of DNA repair mechanisms, a function of a protein with the ability to fight specific cancerous formations. In Professor Petr Cejka 's laboratory, a team of ten researchers has been studying the mechanisms of DNA repair, a crucial process for preventing diseases such as cancer.