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Life Sciences - Health - 07:02 
How a highly unstable protein may lead to neurodegeneration
Scientists reproduce key features of pathological protein aggregates found in the brain of patients with Lou Gehrig's disease and other neurological diseases, providing insight into the underlying mechanism and offering promising avenues for new therapies. Several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Lou Gehrig's Disease aka Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are caused by proteins that go stray and start to aggregate into fibrils that accumulate in specific brain regions.
Health - Life Sciences - 31.05.2023 
How the flu virus hacks our cells
A team from the University of Geneva has discovered how the influenza A virus hijacks the mechanism for importing iron into cells to invade its host. Influenza epidemics, caused by influenza A or B viruses, result in acute respiratory infection. They kill half a million people worldwide every year. These viruses can also wreak havoc on animals, as in the case of avian flu.
Physics - Life Sciences - 30.05.2023
Life Sciences - Health - 26.05.2023 
4 new genetic variants associated with weight gain
A research group at the University of Lausanne has carried out the largest genome-wide study of weight gain induced by psychotropic drugs. This work has identified 4 new genetic variants associated with this metabolic disorder. Interindividual variability in psychotropic drug-induced weight gain The prevalence of metabolic disorders in the psychiatric population is a cause for concern, and particularly high among patients taking psychotropic drugs that induce weight gain.
Life Sciences - Health - 24.05.2023 
Thought-controlled walking again after spinal cord injury
Neuroscientists and neurosurgeons from EPFL/CHUV/UNIL and CEA/CHUGA/UGA report in the journal Nature that they have re-established the communication between the brain and spinal cord with a wireless digital bridge, allowing a paralyzed person to walk again naturally "We have created a wireless interface between the brain and the spinal cord using brain-computer interface (BCI) technology that transforms thought into action.", summarizes Grégoire Courtine, Professor of Neuroscience at EPFL, CHUV and UNIL.
Life Sciences - Health - 23.05.2023
Health - Life Sciences - 23.05.2023 
Supposedly rare diseases aren’t as rare as previously thought
Rare diseases are often caused by defects in genetic material. If children inherit only a defective gene from one parent, they often are asymptomatic -carriers or at least that was the previous assumption. However, a research team from the University of Basel and the University Hospital Basel is now reporting that such carriers can also suffer from life-threatening diseases - and that rare hereditary diseases are therefore probably more common than previously thought.
Life Sciences - Music - 22.05.2023 
Embryo-like models help map early stages of development
An organism's body plan arises through a process called gastrulation, during which the embryo forms three distinct layers of cells that will later give rise to all organs. Now, FMI researchers have mapped the development of three-dimensional clusters of cells that mimic aspects of gastrulation, providing important insights into the molecular mechanisms that regulate early embryonic development and cell fate determination.
Health - Life Sciences - 22.05.2023 
Under control to the very end - how our cells kill themselves
Every day, millions of cells die in our body. Other than generally assumed, cells do not simply burst at the end of their lives but rather, a specific protein serves as a breaking point for cell membrane rupture. Researchers at the University of Basel have now been able to elucidate the exact mechanism at the atomic level.
Life Sciences - 17.05.2023 
Scales or feathers? It all comes down to a few genes
A team from the University of Geneva shows how specifically modifying gene expression causes feathers to replace scales in the chicken. Scales, spines, feathers and hair are examples of vertebrate skin appendages, which constitute a remarkably diverse group of micro-organs. Despite their natural multitude of forms, these appendages share early developmental processes at the embryonic stage.
Life Sciences - Environment - 11.05.2023 
Plastic gobblers found in alpine and arctic soils
Scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL have discovered microbes that degrade plastic at cool temperatures. This opens up new perspectives for recycling certain types of plastic. Most known microbes require at least 30°C for their decomposition work. Microorganisms are great hope for the development of a circular economy for plastics.
Life Sciences - Environment - 11.05.2023 
A survey of genetic diversity among native Swiss living organisms
Switzerland is monitoring its biological diversity as part of a global effort to understand its changes and prevent further biodiversity loss. Researchers from ETH Zurich are working on a pioneering pilot study that includes the analysis of genetic diversity of native species. The world is not only suffering from a climate crisis but also from a biodiversity crisis.
Life Sciences - 11.05.2023 
Deployable electrodes for minimally invasive craniosurgery
Scientists have developed electrode arrays that can be funneled through a small hole in the skull and deployed over a relatively large surface over the brain's cortex. The technology may be particularly useful for providing minimally invasive solutions for epileptic patients. Stephanie Lacour's specialty is the development of flexible electrodes that adapt to a moving body, providing more reliable connections with the nervous system.
Life Sciences - Chemistry - 10.05.2023 
PeSTo: a new AI tool for predicting protein interactions
Scientists at EPFL have developed PeSTo, an AI model for predicting protein binding interfaces with proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, ions, and small molecules with high confidence. The model's low computational cost enables the processing large amounts of structural data, opening up opportunities for discovering new biology.
Health - Life Sciences - 09.05.2023 
Ultra-long protein fibrils give clues on dementia risk
During the course of Alzheimer's disease, protein fibrils appear in the spinal fluid of affected individuals. researchers, together with the Department of Neurology at the Cantonal Hospital in St. Gallen, have now visualized the wide spectrum of protein aggregates from oligomers, protofibrils to fibrils in the spinal fluid.
Environment - Life Sciences - 09.05.2023 
New Eawag spin-off advises wastewater treatment plant
Environmental engineer Wenzel Gruber and microbiologist Robert Niederdorfer - both Eawag postdocs - founded the spin-off Upwater together with two other partners at the beginning of November 2022. It offers measurements for wastewater treatment plants to support them in reducing process instabilities, greenhouse gas emissions as well as energy consumption.
Life Sciences - Health - 08.05.2023 
Detailed image of the human retina
Researchers from Basel and Zurich are creating a high-resolution atlas that depicts the development of the human retina. One technique they use is a new method that allows them to visualise more than 50 proteins simultaneously. What cell types are found in which human tissue, and where? Which genes are active in the individual cells, and which proteins are found there? Answers to these questions and more are to be provided by a specialised atlas - in particular how the different tissues form during embryonic development and what causes diseases.
Life Sciences - Computer Science - 04.05.2023 
Predict what a mouse sees by decoding brain signals
A research team from EPFL has developed a novel machine-learning algorithm that can reveal the hidden structure in data recorded from the brain, predicting complex information such as what mice see. Is it possible to reconstruct what someone sees based on brain signals alone? The answer is no, not yet.
Health - Life Sciences - 04.05.2023 
Gene responsible for severe facial defects identified
A team from the University of Geneva and Beihang University reveals that the FOXI3 gene, responsible for ear development, is involved in Goldenhar syndrome. Goldenhar syndrome is a rare congenital disease, affecting early foetal development. This syndrome includes malformations of varying severity, affecting different parts of the face.
Life Sciences - 04.05.2023
Life Sciences
Results 1 - 20 of 1274.
Scientists reproduce key features of pathological protein aggregates found in the brain of patients with Lou Gehrig's disease and other neurological diseases, providing insight into the underlying mechanism and offering promising avenues for new therapies. Several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Lou Gehrig's Disease aka Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are caused by proteins that go stray and start to aggregate into fibrils that accumulate in specific brain regions.
A team from the University of Geneva has discovered how the influenza A virus hijacks the mechanism for importing iron into cells to invade its host. Influenza epidemics, caused by influenza A or B viruses, result in acute respiratory infection. They kill half a million people worldwide every year. These viruses can also wreak havoc on animals, as in the case of avian flu.
An algorithm for sharper protein films
Proteins are biological molecules that perform almost all biochemical tasks in all forms of life. In doing so, the tiny structures perform ultra-fast movements. In order to investigate these dynamic processes more precisely than before, researchers have developed a new algorithm that can be used to evaluate measurements at X-ray free-electron lasers such as the SwissFEL more efficiently.
Proteins are biological molecules that perform almost all biochemical tasks in all forms of life. In doing so, the tiny structures perform ultra-fast movements. In order to investigate these dynamic processes more precisely than before, researchers have developed a new algorithm that can be used to evaluate measurements at X-ray free-electron lasers such as the SwissFEL more efficiently.
A research group at the University of Lausanne has carried out the largest genome-wide study of weight gain induced by psychotropic drugs. This work has identified 4 new genetic variants associated with this metabolic disorder. Interindividual variability in psychotropic drug-induced weight gain The prevalence of metabolic disorders in the psychiatric population is a cause for concern, and particularly high among patients taking psychotropic drugs that induce weight gain.
Neuroscientists and neurosurgeons from EPFL/CHUV/UNIL and CEA/CHUGA/UGA report in the journal Nature that they have re-established the communication between the brain and spinal cord with a wireless digital bridge, allowing a paralyzed person to walk again naturally "We have created a wireless interface between the brain and the spinal cord using brain-computer interface (BCI) technology that transforms thought into action.", summarizes Grégoire Courtine, Professor of Neuroscience at EPFL, CHUV and UNIL.
How cells feed on RNA
Scientists have discovered that cells can use RNA and its constituent uridine as alternative energy sources to sugar. For better or for worse, as shown by their publication in "Nature Metabolism ". Each cell contains the genetic material necessary for the activity of the organism. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is an important molecule for making proteins from the instructions contained in the genes.
Scientists have discovered that cells can use RNA and its constituent uridine as alternative energy sources to sugar. For better or for worse, as shown by their publication in "Nature Metabolism ". Each cell contains the genetic material necessary for the activity of the organism. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is an important molecule for making proteins from the instructions contained in the genes.
Rare diseases are often caused by defects in genetic material. If children inherit only a defective gene from one parent, they often are asymptomatic -carriers or at least that was the previous assumption. However, a research team from the University of Basel and the University Hospital Basel is now reporting that such carriers can also suffer from life-threatening diseases - and that rare hereditary diseases are therefore probably more common than previously thought.
An organism's body plan arises through a process called gastrulation, during which the embryo forms three distinct layers of cells that will later give rise to all organs. Now, FMI researchers have mapped the development of three-dimensional clusters of cells that mimic aspects of gastrulation, providing important insights into the molecular mechanisms that regulate early embryonic development and cell fate determination.
Every day, millions of cells die in our body. Other than generally assumed, cells do not simply burst at the end of their lives but rather, a specific protein serves as a breaking point for cell membrane rupture. Researchers at the University of Basel have now been able to elucidate the exact mechanism at the atomic level.
A team from the University of Geneva shows how specifically modifying gene expression causes feathers to replace scales in the chicken. Scales, spines, feathers and hair are examples of vertebrate skin appendages, which constitute a remarkably diverse group of micro-organs. Despite their natural multitude of forms, these appendages share early developmental processes at the embryonic stage.
Scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL have discovered microbes that degrade plastic at cool temperatures. This opens up new perspectives for recycling certain types of plastic. Most known microbes require at least 30°C for their decomposition work. Microorganisms are great hope for the development of a circular economy for plastics.
Switzerland is monitoring its biological diversity as part of a global effort to understand its changes and prevent further biodiversity loss. Researchers from ETH Zurich are working on a pioneering pilot study that includes the analysis of genetic diversity of native species. The world is not only suffering from a climate crisis but also from a biodiversity crisis.
Scientists have developed electrode arrays that can be funneled through a small hole in the skull and deployed over a relatively large surface over the brain's cortex. The technology may be particularly useful for providing minimally invasive solutions for epileptic patients. Stephanie Lacour's specialty is the development of flexible electrodes that adapt to a moving body, providing more reliable connections with the nervous system.
Scientists at EPFL have developed PeSTo, an AI model for predicting protein binding interfaces with proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, ions, and small molecules with high confidence. The model's low computational cost enables the processing large amounts of structural data, opening up opportunities for discovering new biology.
During the course of Alzheimer's disease, protein fibrils appear in the spinal fluid of affected individuals. researchers, together with the Department of Neurology at the Cantonal Hospital in St. Gallen, have now visualized the wide spectrum of protein aggregates from oligomers, protofibrils to fibrils in the spinal fluid.
Environmental engineer Wenzel Gruber and microbiologist Robert Niederdorfer - both Eawag postdocs - founded the spin-off Upwater together with two other partners at the beginning of November 2022. It offers measurements for wastewater treatment plants to support them in reducing process instabilities, greenhouse gas emissions as well as energy consumption.
Researchers from Basel and Zurich are creating a high-resolution atlas that depicts the development of the human retina. One technique they use is a new method that allows them to visualise more than 50 proteins simultaneously. What cell types are found in which human tissue, and where? Which genes are active in the individual cells, and which proteins are found there? Answers to these questions and more are to be provided by a specialised atlas - in particular how the different tissues form during embryonic development and what causes diseases.
A research team from EPFL has developed a novel machine-learning algorithm that can reveal the hidden structure in data recorded from the brain, predicting complex information such as what mice see. Is it possible to reconstruct what someone sees based on brain signals alone? The answer is no, not yet.
A team from the University of Geneva and Beihang University reveals that the FOXI3 gene, responsible for ear development, is involved in Goldenhar syndrome. Goldenhar syndrome is a rare congenital disease, affecting early foetal development. This syndrome includes malformations of varying severity, affecting different parts of the face.
Chimpanzees Combine Calls to Communicate New Meaning
Similar to humans, chimpanzees combine vocalizations into larger communicatively meaningful structures. researchers suggest that this ability might be evolutionarily more ancient than previously thought. A key feature of human language is our ability to combine words into larger compositional phrases i.e. where the meaning of the whole is related to the meaning of the parts.
Similar to humans, chimpanzees combine vocalizations into larger communicatively meaningful structures. researchers suggest that this ability might be evolutionarily more ancient than previously thought. A key feature of human language is our ability to combine words into larger compositional phrases i.e. where the meaning of the whole is related to the meaning of the parts.
