Biotechnology
We must face the ethical challenges of engineering life
Politics
ETH Zurich
Scientists have a duty to initiate a dialogue with the public on cellular engineering, says Daniel Müller. The discussion must be held now – before complex engineered cellular systems are ready for widespread use in humans.
Nanotubes illuminate the way to living photovoltaics
Research
EPFL
Scientists at EPFL have gotten bacteria to spontaneously take up fluorescent carbon nanotubes for the first time. The breakthrough unlocks new biotechnology applications for prokaryotes, such as near-infrared bacteria tracking and “living photovoltaics” – devices that generate energy using light-harvesting bacteria.
Monitoring gene activities in living cells
Research
ETH Zurich EPFL
Researchers from ETH Zurich and EPFL are expanding the emerging field of single-cell analysis with a ground-breaking method: Live-seq makes it possible to measure the activity of thousands of genes in a single cell without having to isolate and destroy it.
Hydrogel keeps vaccines alive
Research
ETH Zurich
Most vaccines require constant refrigeration during shipment to remain effective. An international research team led by ETH Zurich has now developed a special hydrogel that vastly improves the shelf life of vaccines, even without refrigeration. The development could save many lives and lower the cost of cold chains.
From cell fat to cell fate
Research
EPFL
A cell’s production of fat molecules can be a key factor in determining what that cell will become, show scientists at EPFL.
In the heat of the wound
Research
Empa
A bandage that releases medication as soon as an infection starts in a wound could treat injuries more efficiently. Empa researchers are currently working on polymer fibers that soften as soon as the environment heats up due to an infection, thereby releasing antimicrobial drugs.
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