news

Physics - 26.05.2023

Scepticism about Microsoft results
In March 2022, Microsoft published research results about the realisation of a special type of particle that might be used to make particularly robust quantum bits. Researchers at the University of Basel are now calling these results about so-called Majorana particles into doubt: through calculations they have shown that the findings can also be explained differently.

Health - Physics - 24.05.2023

New production process for therapeutic nanovesicles
Researchers at the University of Basel have developed an efficient method for the preparation of therapeutic nanovesicles, thereby fulfilling a key prerequisite for industrial production. The method also paves the way for research into areas such as immunotherapy treatments for cancer. Particles known as extracellular vesicles play a vital role in communication between cells and in many cell functions.

Health - Life Sciences - 23.05.2023

Supposedly rare diseases aren’t as rare as previously thought
Rare diseases are often caused by defects in genetic material. If children inherit only a defective gene from one parent, they often are asymptomatic -carriers or at least that was the previous assumption. However, a research team from the University of Basel and the University Hospital Basel is now reporting that such carriers can also suffer from life-threatening diseases - and that rare hereditary diseases are therefore probably more common than previously thought.

Health - Life Sciences - 22.05.2023

Under control to the very end - how our cells kill themselves
Every day, millions of cells die in our body. Other than generally assumed, cells do not simply burst at the end of their lives but rather, a specific protein serves as a breaking point for cell membrane rupture. Researchers at the University of Basel have now been able to elucidate the exact mechanism at the atomic level.

Health - Pharmacology - 22.05.2023

New vaccine concept against SARS-CoV-2 successfully tested
Researchers at the University of Basel have developed a new approach for a vaccine against COVID-19. This vaccine is based on a modified coronavirus that can enter body cells and trigger an effective immune response but cannot multiply in the body. In animal studies, the vaccine effectively protected against the disease and even prevented virus transmission.

Health - Pharmacology - 15.05.2023

Clinically relevant deficiency of the ’bonding hormone’ oxytocin demonstrated
The hormone oxytocin is important for social interaction and to control emotions. A deficiency of this hormone has previously been assumed in various diseases such as autism, but has never been proven. Now, for the first time, researchers from the University of Basel and the University Hospital of Basel have succeeded in demonstrating a deficiency of oxytocin in patients with a deficiency of vasopressin caused by a disease of the pituitary gland.

Politics - 25.04.2023

Voting rights without a passport: an opportunity for integration?
In Sweden, immigrants are allowed to participate in regional elections even if they don't have a Swedish passport. Researchers at the University of Basel recently investigated whether this affects naturalization numbers. Their findings could also be of interest for Switzerland. In most countries, the right to participate in the democratic process is reserved for citizens, so anyone who wants to be able to vote must first go through the naturalization process.

Life Sciences - Health - 18.04.2023

New embryonic brain circuit discovered
Researchers have identified a new brain circuit in mouse embryos that develops at an unexpectedly early stage. Their findings may provide new insights into circuit abnormalities in autism. A research team led by Professor Botond Roska at the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) and the University of Basel has studied circuits in the brains of living mouse embyros.

Chemistry - Innovation - 12.04.2023

Luminous Molecules
Twisted molecules play an important role in the development of organic light-emitting diodes. A team of chemists has managed to create these compounds with exactly the three-dimensional structure that they wanted. In so doing, they are smoothing the path for new and better light sources. They flash as a warning, glow red on standby mode, and light up your dinner table; light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have become indispensable in our daily lives.

Health - Pharmacology - 11.04.2023

Dietary supplement helps combat resistance in breast cancer
In advanced breast cancer, treatment often fails when the cancer cells become resistant to it. Researchers in Basel have now uncovered one mechanism behind this and found a possible solution to the problem: treatment in combination with a known antioxidant that is often used as an expectorant. Many cancer therapies do not produce the hoped-for results.

Health - Life Sciences - 28.03.2023

Adipose tissue as a culprit: How obesity leads to diabetes
A research team at the University of Basel has discovered that a high-fat diet alters the function of adipose tissue, thus impairing its ability to regulate blood sugar. This explains why a high-fat diet poses a significant health risk, particularly for diabetes. Diabetes is a medical condition in which the body is unable to keep blood sugar in a healthy range.

Physics - 21.03.2023

Scientists open door to manipulating ’quantum light’
Light particles, also called photons, do not normally interact with each other. An international research team has now demonstrated for the first time that a few photons can be manipulated and made to interact in a controlled manner. This could advance both medical imaging and quantum computing. Photons do not interact with each other in a vacuum; they can fly through each other undisturbed.

Health - 06.03.2023

The marathon runners of the immune system
When it comes to chronic infections and cancer, a particular type of immune cell plays a central role in our defenses. Researchers at the University of Basel have uncovered the key to the tenacity of these immune cells in coping with the marathon that is fighting a chronic infection. Their results lay the foundations for more effective therapies and vaccination strategies.

Health - Pharmacology - 21.02.2023

When is remdesivir effective for COVID-19?
Remdesivir was one of the first medications approved for treatment of COVID-19. Clinical studies evaluated its effectiveness, but did not generate conclusive results. A new analysis of the study data shows that a specific group of patients benefits the most from the drug. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and medical practitioners have made a massive effort to find effective treatments for the illness.

Health - Pharmacology - 06.02.2023

New biomarker for disease progression in multiple sclerosis
The autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis can take a variety of courses. Determining the current and future course of the disease is important in order to slow down its course as much as possible. Researchers at the University of Basel have presented a biomarker whose values in the blood allow such predictions.

Health - 02.02.2023

Avoiding burnout of white blood cells
A research group at the University of Basel has identified a gene that drives T lymphocytes to exhaustion. This finding opens up new approaches for more effective immunotherapies. A tough battle requires endurance. This is also true for white blood cells as they tackle cancer - or more specifically for T lymphocytes or T cells, a group of white blood cells involved in the immune system's fight against cancer cells.

Health - Pharmacology - 20.01.2023

Private patients receive treatment for heart conditions more often than those with basic health insurance
Patients in Switzerland with supplementary private health insurance are more likely to undergo cardiac procedures than those with only basic health insurance. This has been demonstrated in a study by researchers from the University of Basel and the Cantonal Hospital of Aarau. Switzerland has one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world.

Environment - Life Sciences - 19.01.2023

Tracing the flow of water with DNA
Environmental DNA analysis of microbial communities can help us understand how a particular region's water cycle works. Basel hydrogeologist Oliver Schilling recently used this method to examine the water cycle on Mount Fuji. His results have implications for Switzerland as well. Where does the water come from that provides drinking water to people in a particular region? What feeds these sources and how long does it take for groundwater to make its way back up to the surface? This hydrological cycle is a complex interplay of various factors.

Psychology - Health - 12.01.2023

Placebo reduces feelings of guilt
Guilt is an uncomfortable feeling and can be burdensome. Researchers at the University of Basel have shown that placebos can help reduce feelings of guilt, even when the placebo is administered openly. People don't always behave impeccably in relationship to others. When we notice that this has inadvertently caused harm, we often feel guilty.

Health - 09.01.2023

Excessive bed occupancy in hospitals leads to rising mortality
Researchers have long suspected a link between bed occupancy and mortality in hospitals. Now, a study by the University of Basel has provided the missing data, revealing that smaller hospitals reach their capacity limit much earlier.