Research

Researchers at ETH Zurich have now shown that a previously unknown protein plays a key role in a congenital malformation of the heart. Their findings point the way towards new treatment options.

Knee operations on the meniscus cartilage are a frequent procedure on a particularly complex part of the human body. Empa researchers want to provide an improved basis for clinicians in order to reduce the risks of the operation. Using 3D models based on micro-computed tomography analyses in the laboratory, they are mapping the blood vessel network of the meniscus on a nanometer scale.

ETH-Forschende klären auf, was geschehen kann, wenn Zellen ihre normale Grösse überschreiten und seneszent werden. Die neuen Erkenntnisse könnten helfen, Krebstherapien zu optimieren.

Assessments by PSI energy expert Thomas J. Schmidt

A comparison of three Swiss lakes with the Great Lakes of North America show for the first time that the invasive quagga mussel is spreading on both continents with a similar dynamic. This gives Europe a glimpse into the future.

Scientists at EPFL have uncovered a cunning strategy that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, uses to increase its infectivity.

For the first time, researchers have succeeded in printing a robotic hand with bones, ligaments and tendons made of different polymers using a new laser scanning technique.

People living on the in low-lying coastal areas will be at even greater risk from cyclones in the future. Natural ecosystems offer protection, but this protection has decreased in recent years and is expected to continue to decline. This is a finding of a model study by an international team of researchers led by ETH Zurich.

Non-toxic and scalable water-based flow batteries would be a good solution for storing renewable energy in urban areas – if it weren't for their very low energy density. Empa researcher David Reber wants to remedy the situation with clever materials design.

New study estimates that natural forest recovery could capture approximately 226 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon, but only if we also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving these results requires community-driven efforts to conserve and restore biodiversity.

ETH researchers are developing a low-carbon cement with a significantly lower embodied CO₂ content than traditional cement. The Ultra Green Concrete project aims to make low-carbon, high-performance concrete widely accessible.

Over the next 20 years, Austria and Switzerland will be investing more than CHF 1.4 billion in flood protection and ecological enhancement measures on the Alpine Rhine. As well as protecting the Rhine valley against flooding, the aim is to promote careful management of groundwater resources. With a new method, scientists from Eawag and the University of Neuchâtel are providing support for International Rhine Regulation planners.

Modern supercomputers and artificial intelligence are helping to decipher the causes of diseases. That could help improve diagnostics and therapies.

Neuroscientists and neurosurgeons at the EPFL/CHUV/UNIL, Inserm and the University of Bordeaux have designed a neuroprosthetic intended to correct walking disorders associated with Parkinson’s disease. In a study published in Nature Medicine, the scientists set out in detail the process of developing the neuroprosthetic that has allowed a first patient with Parkinson’s to be treated, enabling him to walk comfortably, confidently and without falling.

A study by researchers at EPFL shows why only a subset of individuals exposed to trauma develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The research, centered on the body's stress hormone response, could pave the way for more targeted treatments for PTSD.