wire - news in brief

Chronicle of a catastrophic landslide
Dramatic developments have been documented at the Aletsch glacier, where the ice has retreated at such a pace that an adjoining slope has also started to move rapidly. With the help of a unique dataset, researchers are able to demonstrate a direct connection between the ice loss of the Aletsch glacier and the slippage of the Moosfluh slope.

Higher methane yield from bio-waste
Within Switzerland's bio-waste a huge amount of precious energy is hidden. That's because valuable methane, the main constituent of natural gas, can be obtained from it.

Immune Defense Without Collateral Damage
Researchers from the University of Basel in Switzerland have clarified the role of the enzyme MPO. In fighting infections, this enzyme, which gives pus its greenish color, produces a highly aggressive acid that can kill pathogens without damaging the surrounding tissue. In the human body's fight against bacterial pathogens, white blood cells are in the front line.

Cell fate regulation by LIN41: activity determined by binding location
Helge Großhans and his group at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) have elucidated the mode of action of the RNA-binding protein and stem cell factor LIN41. In an animal model, they showed that LIN41 silences four specific mRNAs, by two distinct mechanisms. They found that the choice of mechanism is determined by where on the mRNA LIN41 binds.

Hot on the heels of cement’s formulae
Bridges, houses, dams - for decades, cement has been a permanent feature of our urban environment. What is deemed a robust and lasting material, however, is actually fragile and highly complex on the inside.

Bringing energy-hungry buildings up to date
As buildings evolve from energy consumers to energy producers, architecture is seeing a major paradigm shift, with building renovations becoming a real challenge.

ETH Zurich at WEF 2017 in Davos: ‘Magic through Technology’
ETH Zurich is presenting its latest research findings in a public exhibition at the World Economic Forum 2017.

Work in the year 2050
How will digitalisation, artificial intelligence and robotics change the world of work? This question was discussed by numerous experts from business and academia at the ‘Global Talent Summit' before an audience of more than 300 in the Audi Max room at ETH Zurich.

On track to heal leukaemia
Media releases, information for representatives of the media Media Relations (E) The first clinical studies for a new type of immunotherapy for leukaemia are beginning at Bern's University Hospital and the Department of Clinical Research (DCR) of the University of Bern. Antibodies discovered in the laboratory should inhibit the growth of tumour cells.

Every Meal Triggers Inflammation
When we eat, we do not just take in nutrients - we also consume a significant quantity of bacteria. The body is faced with the challenge of simultaneously distributing the ingested glucose and fighting these bacteria.

Bhutan's happiness stems from its hydropower too
EPFL researchers are supporting this Himalayan country's efforts to expand its hydropower capacity. At a time when dams in Switzerland are up for sale, another small mountainous country intent on preserving its natural environment is looking to further tap into its hydroelectric potential.

Peter Messerli named co-chair of UN Global Sustainable Development Report
Media releases, information for representatives of the media Media Relations (E) Peter Messerli, Professor of Sustainable Development at the University of Bern, has been selected as co-chair to lead

Creating the tiniest structures on
Nanotechnology is regarded as the key technology of the 21 st century, delivering the fundamental methods, which allow objects just a few hundred nanometers in size to be produced in any required shape.

Jan S. Hesthaven appointed Dean of EPFL's School of Basic Sciences

Summer heat for the winter
Can thermal solar energy be stored until wintertime? Yes, this is possible, using a cheap material like sodium lye.

New insights into mechanisms of breast cancer development and resistance to therapy
Why does breast cancer develop and how come certain patients are resistant to established therapies' Researchers from the University of Basel have gained new insights into the molecular processes in breast tissue. They identified the tumor suppressor LATS as a key player in the development and treatment of breast cancer.

A highly paid award in the field of medicine

Novartis invests in next generation therapies to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with underlying lipid disorders
Novartis enters into an exclusive option agreement with Ionis and Akcea to license two investigational treatments expected to significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in patients living with elevated

Autoimmunity and Infections: When the Body Fights Itself
Basel-based doctors are on the trail of a possible connection between autoimmune diseases and infections: errors can occur when immune cells absorb certain proteins from pathogen cells. These It is already known that there is a connection between infections and autoimmunity – the inability of an organism to recognize parts of its own body as “self”.

Looking back at 2016 (2/2)
Slowing the aging process, improving data security, enabling paraplegics to walk again, transporting vaccines at room temperature to warm countries, creating jobs with the CHF 400 million raised by spin-offs - those are just some of the many areas where EPFL scientists have made a lasting contribution.

Chemically Modified Insulin Is Available More Quickly
Replacing a hydrogen atom by an iodine atom in insulin, the hormone retains its efficacy but is available more rapidly to the organism. Researchers at the University of Basel were able to predict this effect based on computer simulations and then confirm it with experiments. Insulin is formed in the pancreas and regulates the blood glucose level.