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Researchers at EPFL reveal how Drosophila's Turandot proteins protect against immune self-harm. The study is the first to identify some proteins that protect against antimicrobial peptides offering insights into cellular resilience mechanisms with potential therapeutic applications. In the constant battle between organisms and pathogens, our immune system plays the role of a vigilant guardian.

In a step toward nanofluidic-based neuromorphic - or brain-inspired - computing, EPFL engineers have succeeded in executing a logic operation by connecting two chips that use ions, rather than electrons, to process data. Memory, or the ability to store information in a readily accessible way, is an essential operation in computers and human brains.

EPFL neuroscientists have located single neurons in a deep structure of the brain that regulates the heart and the lungs, a first detection in humans. The results shed light on how the brain-body system self-regulates both vital bio-rhythms. The body self-regulates in a process known as homeostasis, and the brain is responsible for this as it is constantly monitoring all'of the body's vital signals.

A researcher at the University of Basel, in collaboration with a colleague in Austria, has developed a new model that provides a holistic view on how our brain manages to learn quickly and forms stable, long-lasting memories. Their study sheds light on the crucial role of interactions among neighboring contact sites of nerve cells for brain plasticity - the brain's ability to adapt to new experiences.

Bacterial lysates are widely used in the clinic to minimize the pathologic consequences of respiratory infections. Our new study shows how one such lysate, OM-85, works on human myeloid cells to trigger an immunomodulatory gene circuit. Bellinzona, March 21, 2024 - OM-85 is a bacterial lysate commonly used in clinical practice to reduce duration and frequency of recurrent respiratory tract infections.

By showing how a type of anticancer drug kills cancer cells and damages healthy cells, a team from the University of Geneva is paving the way for improved treatments. Some anti-cancer treatments not only target tumour cells but also healthy cells. If their effects on the latter are too strong, their use can become limiting.

A stem cell donation saves a leukemia sufferer's life. Five years later, the patient develops a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that occurs very rarely following a transplant. Researchers from the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel havestudied the case and are calling for more extensive genetic analyses in bone marrow donors.

A team from the University of Geneva has developed an AI capable of learning a task solely on the basis of verbal instructions. And to do the same with a 'sister' AI. Performing a new task based solely on verbal or written instructions, and then describing it to others so that they can reproduce it, is a cornerstone of human communication that still resists artificial intelligence (AI).

Contrary to common belief, not all vertebrates regulate their sleep-wake rhythm in the same way. University of Basel researchers have discovered that some fish - unlike humans - do not need orexin to stay awake. This molecule was thought to be necessary for normal wake and sleep rhythms in vertebrates.

EPFL neuroscientists have devised a way to alter our social perception and monitor specific types of hallucinations, both in healthy individuals and patients with Parkinson's disease. The test, which is also available online, provides the medical community with a tool to monitor hallucination susceptibility.

A team from the University of Geneva and the HUG has revealed the role of the microbiota in the increased risk of developing liver disease in the offspring of mothers suffering from obesity. Obesity, which could reach 50% of the population in certain developed countries by 2030, is a major public health concern.

In collaboration with University Hospital Basel, researchers from ETH are investigating the early stages of bladder cancer. Their findings show that future research should also focus on mechanical changes in tumour tissue. Dagmar Iber is Professor of Computational Biology at ETH's Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering in Basel.

From new tests and therapies to the fundamental principles of biology: five compelling examples of the benefits of new bioengineering technologies. Better cancer therapies Certain immune cells can attack tumours - but cells derived from donor blood can pose a risk to recipients. Now, a group of researchers led by ETH professor Sai Reddy has managed to modify the immune cells of donor blood to make them safe to administer.

Organoids grown from human stem cells can help provide answers to important medical questions. In a partnership that looks set to profit both sides, ETH professor Barbara Treutlein has teamed up with pharma giant Roche to advance research in this area. The clumps of cells are modest in size, ranging from just a few millimetres to a couple of centimetres - yet their impact on medical research could be huge.

The idea of ETH Zurich establishing a Department of Biosystems in Basel once seemed unachievable. Today, the department occupies a new building where the dividing lines between biology, computer science and engineering are blurred - and researchers increasingly focus on medical applications An impressive sight awaits first-time visitors to the new BSS building.

Each person has their own sleep profile, which can be identified by the electrical brain activity during sleep. Now, researchers from the University of Bern show that brain waves during periods of deep sleep in a specific area of the brain can be used to determine how cooperative and prosocial a person is in their everyday life.

Scientists at the University of Lausanne have succeeded in reprogramming a bacterium that can now detect a specific molecule in a bee's intestine and produce a fluorescent protein in response, which can be observed under a microscope. The microorganisms present in the intestine, known as the gut microbiota, play a key role in our development and health.

A team from the University of Geneva shows that our ability to produce dopamine - the 'happiness hormone' - is not correlated with increased vulnerability to drugs. Why do some people who try drugs struggle with substance abuse while others don't? This question has long puzzled scientists. A team from the University of Geneva explored the complex interplay between personality traits and brain chemistry.

Glacier-fed streams are undergoing a process of profound change, according to scientists in a paper appearing in Nature Geoscience. This conclusion is based on the expeditions to the world's major mountain ranges by members of the Vanishing Glaciers project. Microbial life will flourish in mountain streams because of ongoing glacier shrinkage.

Scientists at EPFL uncover the mechanism by which cells mark the protein cGAS for degradation, which is critical in preventing the immune system from mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues. A microscopic battle rages in our bodies, as our cells constantly fend off invaders through our immune system, a complex system of cells and proteins designed to protect us from harmful pathogens.