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University of Geneva
Results 61 - 80 of 358.
Pedagogy - 19.09.2023
Breaking in the black box of pedagogical authority
A team from the University of Geneva and HEP Vaud has developed an innovative method for studying teaching authority and assessing its effectiveness. How does pedagogical authority operate in the classroom? A team from the University of Geneva and the University of Teacher Education, State of Vaud (HEP Vaud) has produced one of the first in-depth field studies on this subject.
Health - Pharmacology - 15.09.2023
Understanding the ’’dance’’ of signalling proteins to stop inflammation
Inflammation is a normal response of our cells to fight stress, but too much of it can lead to a ''cytokine storm'' that can endanger life. A chain reaction of kinases activates the inflammatory response, like sequential switches. These enzymes have been heavily studied but little is known about their interactions, making it difficult to develop efficient drugs to target them.
Health - Pharmacology - 12.09.2023
Immunity to COVID-19 reduces contagiousness
A team from the University of Geneva and the HUG analysed the contacts of 50,000 COVID-19 positive cases. Immunity following vaccination provides better protection for those around you. Nearly one in three people exposed to SARS-CoV2 is infected, and as many as two in five with the Omicron variant. In the case of immunity — conferred by vaccination, infection or a combination of the two — this rate drops to one in ten.
Life Sciences - Health - 05.09.2023
Deciphering the ’highway code’ of our cells
A team from the University of Geneva has identified a key mechanism in the regulation of microtubules, the internal communication pathways of our cells. Cancers, degenerative diseases: deregulation of our cells' internal communication pathways is at the root of many conditions. Microtubules - microscopic protein filaments - play a crucial role in controlling these exchanges.
Earth Sciences - 31.08.2023
Two out of three volcanoes are little-known. How to predict their eruptions?
A team from the University of Geneva reveals how three easily measurable parameters provide valuable information about the structure of volcanoes. A step forward in risk assessment and preventive measures. What is the risk of a volcano erupting? To answer this question, scientists need information about its underlying internal structure.
Health - 22.08.2023
Cold air reduces croup symptoms in children
A study by UNIGE and HUG scientifically demonstrates that exposure to cold outside air is beneficial in reducing the symptoms of croup. For the first time, a scientific study shows that exposure to outdoor cold air is beneficial in reducing the severity of croup symptoms in children, particularly when symptoms are moderate.
Health - Pharmacology - 09.08.2023
Tau-PET : a window into the future of Alzheimer’s patients
A UNIGE-HUG team demonstrates the value of imaging to detect the presence of tau protein in the brain to predict cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease, one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, leads to progressive loss of memory and autonomy. It is characterised by the accumulation of neurotoxic proteins in the brain, namely amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
Health - 03.08.2023
A pair of genes could predict cancer progression
A team from the University of Geneva has identified two key genes whose expression influences cancer progression. Tissues, blood vessels, cells: tumours develop in a complex ecosystem known as the tumour microenvironment. While it is established that this environment differs from one patient to another and that it can have a positive or negative influence on the progress of the disease, the rules that govern tumour microenvironments are still poorly understood.
History / Archeology - 24.07.2023
New discoveries on the wreck of Antikythera
A team of Swiss and Greek archaeologists recently completed the third season of excavations on the wreck of Antikythera. The wreck of Antikythera was recently brought into the spotlight by the film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Far from the cinematic imagination, an international team of archaeologists, divers, engineers and physical and natural scientists is currently excavating the famous wreck.
Life Sciences - Paleontology - 20.07.2023
Coelacanths thrived in Switzerland after a mass extinction
Fossils of coelacanth discovered in Ticino reveal the existence of an unexpected diversification after the greatest mass extinction in the history of life. The study of a new species of coelacanth from the Middle Triassic period, with a strange morphology for these fish known as "living fossil", show the formation of several species in a short time, after a mass extinction that occurred 252 million years ago, with more than 80% of marine species disappearing.
Astronomy / Space - Computer Science - 29.06.2023
Unveiling the origins of merging black holes in galaxies like our own
Harnessing advanced simulation tools, a team of scientists from UNIGE, Northwestern University and University of Florida shed light on the enigmatic nature of these celestial "beasts". Black holes, some of the most captivating entities in the cosmos, possess an immense gravitational pull so strong that not even light can escape.
Physics - Chemistry - 28.06.2023
A ’magnifying glass’ to observe the appearance of life on Earth
Thanks to a new technique for observing chemical reactions in liquids, UNIGE and ETH are shedding light on one of the hypotheses about the chemical origins of life. What processes led to the appearance of life on our planet? Some scientists believe that urea played a key role. After being enriched in warm puddles, this small molecule is thought to have been exposed to cosmic rays to produce malonic acid, the source of RNA and DNA.
Health - Life Sciences - 27.06.2023
Antibiotic resistance: a patient saved by bacteriophages
A team from the University of Geneva and HUG has for the first-time used bacteriophages to successfully treat a patient suffering from an antibiotic-resistant chronic bacterial lung infection.
Astronomy / Space - Physics - 22.06.2023
Einstein and Euler put to the test at the edge of the Universe
A team from the University of Geneva has developed the first method for testing together Einstein's and Euler's theories for the accelerating expansion of the Universe and dark matter. The cosmos is a unique laboratory for testing the laws of physics, in particular those of Euler and Einstein. Euler described the movements of celestial objects, while Einstein described the way in which celestial objects distort the Universe.
Life Sciences - Health - 16.06.2023
Disorient the malaria parasite to prevent it from causing harm
Scientists have identified a new type of molecular sensor that enables the malaria parasite to infect human cells or mosquitoes at just the right moment. With almost 250 million cases a year, 621,000 of them fatal, malaria remains a major public health problem, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes and caused by a microbe of the genus Plasmodium.
Social Sciences - 06.06.2023
An immersive tactile book for blind children
A team from the University of Geneva has worked in an innovative concept for a book for visually impaired children. Children with visual impairment do not perceive the world in the same way as sighted people. As a result, they need specific educational tools, including children's books, that enhance their skills and senses.
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.
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.
Astronomy / Space - Campus - 11.05.2023
Celestial monsters at the origin of globular clusters
Researchers have found strong evidence that supermassive stars can explain the anomalies observed in large clusters of stars. Globular clusters are the most massive and oldest star clusters in the Universe. They can contain up to 1 million of them. The chemical composition of these stars, born at the same time, shows anomalies that are not found in any other population of stars.
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.