PSI

SwissFEL, the new large research facility at PSI, has been in regular operation since January 2019. And it turns out that this X-ray free-electron laser really is as compact, high-performance, and versatile as planned. "The Swiss Army knife of FELs" is what PSI researcher Henrik Lemke likes to call this large research facility. In an interview, he talks about the latest research successes.

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have studied for the first time how chemical reactions in clouds can influence the global climate. They found that isoprene, the dominant non-methane organic compound emitted into the atmosphere, can strongly contribute to the formation of organic aerosols in clouds. They published their results today in the journal Science Advances.

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have for the first time observed photochemical processes inside the smallest particles in the air. In doing so, they discovered that additional oxygen radicals that can be harmful to human health are formed in these aerosols under everyday conditions. They report on their results today in the journal Nature Communications.

To see, smell, taste, get excited, or mount a defence against an infection – in our bodies, G protein-coupled receptors mediate countless, often vital processes. This is why a better understanding of these proteins is relevant for the development of new drugs. An international team of researchers has now set up an online platform that makes simulations of these proteins usable for science. In an interview, PSI researcher Ramon Guixà-González, talks about how he brings proteins to life on the computer screen – and how this project should expedite drug development.