Archive 2015 44 articles
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Review of the Year 2015
From Mother’s Milk to Rocket Launches
On an almost daily basis over the course of 2015, UZH News reported the latest news at Switzerland’s largest university. We take leave for this year by passing review on some of the biggest events of the past 12 months. As of January 2016, we will be ready to serve you again with the latest news, interviews, and videos. More …
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Open Access
Stories Can Wait – Science Can’t
Systems biologist Lawrence Rajendran has launched the ScienceMatters platform with the aim of revolutionizing science publishing. It’s designed to enable researchers to publish their data more quickly by making it available in phases. More …
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Wyss Translational Center Zurich
Bridge to Practice
On Monday evening the Wyss Translational Center Zurich was inaugurated in an official ceremony. The aim of the new development center, set up by the University and ETH Zurich with a donation from entrepreneur Hansjörg Wyss, is to translate innovative ideas from pure research more rapidly into practice. More …
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Gravitational Waves
Countdown to the Experiment of the Century
LISA Pathfinder is a satellite designed to help detect gravitational waves in space. The countdown to the launch of the rocket carrying the probe has started. UZH physicist Philippe Jetzer is involved at the forefront of this international experiment. More …
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Citizen Science
Research Tapping the Power of Citizen Science
Citizen science has become a firm feature of established research. The University of Zurich has joined forces with ETH Zurich and the University of Geneva in a call for universally binding guidelines and principles for citizen science. More …
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Physics
A new detector for dark matter
The new XENON1T detector in Italy is aimed at making dark matter particles visible. UZH Physics Professor Laura Baudis and her team played a significant role in the development and construction of this detector. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Programs (CRPPs)
Research Initiative Makes the Grade
External evaluators have given UZH’s Clinical Research Priority Programs the thumbs-up. The program, designed to support efforts at the interface of research and clinical practice, is now entering Phase 2. More …
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Quantitative Biology
New Trend in the Life Sciences
Cycler, a program for analyzing biological cells, has earned Gabriele Gut and Prisca Liberali the prestigious honor of publication in Nature Methods. This puts the increasingly important field of quantitative biology firmly in the limelight. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Program
When Oxygen Levels are Low
Low levels of oxygen can lead to aggressive tumor growth. Researchers on the Tumor Oxygenation Clinical Research Priority Program (CCRP) are pursuing various promising methodological, clinical, and preclinical approaches in an effort to find out why this is so. More …
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swissuniversities
“We don’t want a mishmash. We want clear profiles.”
UZH President Michael Hengartner has been elected the new president of swissuniversities, the conference of the rectors of Swiss tier-one universities, universities of applied sciences, and universities of teacher education. In this interview he explains his motivation for accepting this position. More …
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Academic Honor
Michael Hengartner Made Honorary Professor at Tianjin University
On Saturday, UZH President Michael Hengartner accepted an honorary professorship from Tianjin University in China. He also signed an agreement on student exchanges and a memorandum of understanding. More …
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North-South Collaboration
Medicine under the equatorial sky
A symposium will be held on 24/25 August devoted to the North-South Cooperation between UZH and Uganda. As part of the preparations, journalist Ruedi Küng went along on the trip to the Ugandan capital, Kampala, and reports for UZH News on his impressions. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Program
Riding to Success in Tandem
The Molecular Imaging Network Zurich – “MINZ” for short – has the goal of improving diagnostic and therapeutic imaging techniques. MINZ is one of the University of Zurich’s eleven clinical research priority programs (CRPPs). UZH News is presenting a series of features on these. More …
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Alumni
A New Chapter for the Nation’s Capital
The University of Zurich has a new alumni group in Washington, D.C. The chapter was inaugurated last week in a ceremony attended by ambassador and UZH alumnus Martin Dahinden and UZH president Michael Hengartner. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Program
Tracking down Viruses
The aim of the Viral Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Priority Program is to track down dormant human immunodeficiency viruses, and find unidentified pathogens that plague people with weak immune systems. This is part of a series of UZH News articles featuring the Clinical Research Priority Programs. More …
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Nobel Prize Exhibition
When You Get a Call from Stockholm
How do you win the Nobel Prize? At a discussion held at Zurich City Hall to mark the “Einstein & Co – Zürich und der Nobelpreis” exhibition, UZH president Michael Hengartner and Nobel laureate Rolf Zinkernagel talked about what makes for good research. More …
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Human Lactation Research
Breastfeeding is Healthy. But Why?
We still don’t know why breastfeeding protects children from illness and infection. But that’s about to change. Thanks to funding from the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation, the world’s first medical professorship for human lactation research is to be set up at UZH. More …
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Sociology
Global Nomads
So-called transnational mobiles live in more and more places around the globe. For her research, sociologist Claudia Vorheyer has interviewed people who have made being on the move a fundamental way of life. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Program
Rare Diseases: Not as Rare as You Think
The Rare Disease Initiative Zurich (radiz) is a CCRP revolving around developing improved treatments for patients with rare diseases. It’s one of the University of Zurich’s eleven clinical research priority programs. UZH News is presenting a series of features on these programs. More …
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Remote Sensing
“We’re very excited!”
It’s a big day for the team headed by Michael Schaepman, Professor of Remote Sensing at the UZH Department of Geography: This morning a Vega rocket was launched from French Guiana carrying Sentinel-2A, a satellite their team helped to develop. More …
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Startup-Competition
First Prize for “Cutiss”
Last week the prizewinners in the Swiss startup competition “venture” were announced. First prize went to “Cutiss,” a new company that aims to bring customized skin grafts to market using lab-grown skin developed at the University Children’s Hospital Zurich. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Programs
Getting to Grips with the Blood and Immune System
The Human Hemato-Lymphatic Diseases Clinical Research Priority Program (CRPP) is all about finding better therapies for serious blood disorders and infections. The CRPP is one of the University of Zurich’s eleven clinical research priority programs. UZH News is presenting a series of features on these programs. More …
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Vetsuisse Faculty
The Agrovet-Strickhof construction project is underway
UZH, ETH Zurich and the Canton of Zurich have permission to build the Agrovet-Strickhof, a jointly operated agricultural education and research centre in Eschikon Lindau. More …
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Cardiology
Broken Hearts
A ventricle that looks like a Japanese octopus trap, and symptoms resembling a coronary: Zurich cardiologists are researching the mysterious and dangerous “broken heart syndrome”. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Program
The Heterogeneity of Multiple Sclerosis
There are many different types of multiple sclerosis. The University of Zurich’s Clinical Research Priority Program on Multiple Sclerosis is trying to identify the different forms the disease takes as a basis for developing new treatments. More …
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Language Center
Learn German at turbo speed
The Language Center of the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich has developed a new, nine-month intensive German course. This highly practical course aims to open the way for better integration of doctoral students from outside Switzerland. The graduates of the first course have plenty of success stories to share. More …
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Alpine Groundwater
Exploring the Tiefen Glacier
In a project funded under the University of Zurich’s “Forschungskredit,” hydrologist Philipp Schneider and his team are looking into the quality, quantity, distribution, and storage patterns of alpine groundwater. More …
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Cancer Research
Outwitting the Immune System
An American biotech firm is developing a new antibody to combat cancer that also improves the patient’s feeling of well-being. Its work is based on research done by Zurich dermatologist Thomas Kündig. More …
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University Children’s Hospital Zurich
The Burning Issue of Poverty
The University Children’s Hospital Zurich is helping a hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul improve care for children with burn injuries. The premises have been renovated, and now it’s time to train the staff. More …
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RNA-Research
Cracking the Prion Puzzle
A multidisciplinary team around prion researcher Adriano Aguzzi is using small RNA molecules to gain deeper insights into disease processes. “Small RNAs” is one of the University of Zurich’s eleven clinical research priority programs (CRPPs). UZH News is presenting a series of features on these programs. More …
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Cooperation with Japan
Technology for Aging
Last week researchers from Japan and Switzerland met at a workshop in Tokyo to discuss ways modern technology could facilitate healthy aging. The co-organizer of the workshop, UZH gerontologist Mike Martin, talked to us about the background to the meeting. More …
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Hult Prize
Early Education for Kids in Urban Slums
Fully committed on all fronts: In the rare moments when they’re not busy with their research, Zurich PhD students Shan Krishnan, Nina Stojeva, and Marta Morawska are working hard to win a million dollars to help the poorest of the poor through early education in urban slums. In the video they explain how they’re going about it. More … 1 Comment
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Neurorehabilitation
Doctor on Your Wrist
It’s in the wake of paraplegia, a stroke or multiple sclerosis that the strengths of the brain really come into play: To some extent it can compensate for deficiencies. Physicians and engineers on the Neuro-Rehab Clinical Research Priority Program (CRPP) at UZH are investigating the brain’s plasticity and working on tailored training programs for the patients affected. More …
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Proteomics
Personalising medicine with proteins
Ruedi Aebersold, Professor of Systems Biology has developed the proteomics method together with a team of international researchers to such an extent that doctors and clinical researchers can now use this technique as a tool. In a conversation, the professor at ETH and the University of Zurich explains how information from proteins can advance personalised medicine. More …
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Robotics
Flying with Drones
Davide Scaramuzza is Assistant Professor of Robotics at UZH. He develops software enabling spaces and objects to be captured in three dimensions. The idea is to be able to teach drones to fly autonomously. His research will soon also be used by the game industry. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Program
New Therapies for Liver Cancer
The liver is the only organ in the human body that can regrow. The Liver Tumors Clinical Research Priority Program is looking into how this ability can be used to cure liver cancer. This is one of a series of UZH News articles featuring the eleven Clinical Research Priority Programs. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Program
Skin from the Petri Dish
UZH researchers are attempting to create skin substitutes that can be transplanted from the petri dish to people with burns and skin conditions. Their endeavors are bearing fruit, with the first usable skin grafts currently undergoing clinical trials. Skin Grafts for Zurich is one of the University of Zurich’s eleven clinical research priority programs (CRPPs). UZH News will be presenting a series of features on these programs. More …
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Swiss National Science Foundation
Four Consolidator Grants for Junior Researchers at UZH
Junior researchers at UZH have been awarded four of the Swiss National Science Foundation’s 21 Consolidator Grants. One of these researchers is microbiologist Anne Müller. She is investigating Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that can trigger gastric cancer, but also protects against allergies. More …
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Microbiology
Secret Weapon: Garlic
With bacteria developing resistance, it’s become harder and harder for antibiotics to penetrate their defenses. This is why microbiologists like Leo Eberl are looking for ways to trick the microorganisms, disrupting them as they speak and eat. More …
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Citizens Science
Citizens create knowledge
Search for asteroids, observe birds or make the computing power of your own computer available: through ‘citizen science’, citizens can participate in various research projects. At a workshop hosted by ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, scientists and other interested parties will discuss the conditions under which it can be achieved. More …
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Clinical Research Priority Programs
A Boost for Sleep Research
A hectic lifestyle has lead to sleep problems and a chronic sleep deficit for many people. Under its Sleep and Health Clinical Research Priority Program (CRPP), the University of Zurich is seeking more effective therapies for sleep disorders and trying to gain a deeper understanding of the functions of sleep. More …
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Neurosciences
Teach Them Young
Learning English can be child’s play for primary school kids, provided the teaching is intensive enough. Neuroscientists are now looking into how learning foreign languages affects the brain. More …
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Geography
Babies to Order
Surrogate mothers dream of a better life, while the prospective parents dream of a happy family. But the people who profit most from this business are the lawyers and the surrogate parenting agencies. More …
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Virology
Globetrotting Quick-Change Artist
Flu viruses mutate constantly, and can be very dangerous for humans. Virologist Lars Hangartner is working on a vaccine giving long-term protection against all potential flu viruses. More …