Archive 2021 36 articles
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Ethnology
Drinking Tea with Salafis
Mira Menzfeld has been meeting with members of the ultraconservative Salafi movement for eight years. The vast majority she has spoken to are peace-loving Muslims and present no danger whatsoever. However, many of their ideas do run counter to her own views, says the anthropologist. More …
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Precision Medicine
Targeted Therapies thanks to Biomedical Informatics
The LOOP Zurich, the new medical research center in Zurich, promotes patient-focused therapies. To achieve its goals, the center brings together specialist knowledge in the fields of biomedicine, bioinformatics and clinical research from the University of Zurich, ETH Zurich as well as Zurich’s four university hospitals. Two of The LOOP Zurich’s first research consortia have now started developing innovative treatments methods in oncology and neurorehabilitation. More …
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Psychology
In Praise of Pleasure
According to the famous marshmallow test, people who can postpone their needs are happier and more successful in the long run. Now psychologist Katharina Bernecker is turning this hypothesis on its head. Her findings suggest that enjoying pleasure in the moment promotes overall well-being. More …
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Neurosurgery
Brain Tumors under Attack
Is Marian Neidert taking a saw to the branch he’s sitting on? As a neurosurgeon, he operates on brain tumors; as a researcher he’s trying to teach the immune system to fight them itself. But it might be some time before immunotherapies make surgery superfluous. More …
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Agroecology
Planting Underpants
Biologist Marcel van der Heijden aims to increase agricultural yields – not just with artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and GM technology, but also fungi and other microorganisms. He's not afraid to resort to less conventional research methods, either. More …
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UZH Personnel Commission
“We discuss until we reach a consensus”
How will working from home be regulated in the future? How can a better balance be achieved between the demands of work and family life? The UZH Personnel Commission discusses issues like these. We sat down with Martin Kleinmann, who heads up the commission, to learn more about how the Personnel Commission works. More …
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UZH Magazin
The Next Generation
They’re young, dedicated and full of promising ideas. The latest UZH Magazin presents six UZH researchers who are embarking on a career in academia. We spoke with them about their research, their goals and the secrets of their success. More …
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UZH Alumni
Playful and Focused
After training as a musician, jazz composer Nik Bärtsch studied literature and philosophy at the University of Zurich. In this portrait he looks back on his student days at the UZH. More …
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FAN Awards 2021
New Microscope, Language in Old Age and Human Rights
This year’s FAN Awards have gone to Fabian Voigt, Minxia Luo and Angela Müller. In their outstanding PhD theses, the junior researchers explore a new specialist microscope, language use in old age and the extraterritorial application of human rights. More …
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Humanities Initiative
The Prerequisites of Freedom
The humanities are sorely needed in our rapidly changing world. We sat down with Tatiana Crivelli, Inga Mai Groote and Andreas Thier to find out what distinguishes their fields and makes the humanities so irreplaceable. More …
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UZH Startup
Home-Grown Talent
PolygonSoftware develops smart software solutions and relies on gifted programmers. The startup’s staff is made up entirely of students or alumni of the UZH Department of Informatics. The fledgling business has recently been granted the right to use the UZH Startup label. More …
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Media coverage
Animals, Medicine and Biodiversity
Last year, UZH issued some 90 media releases. Find out which research findings were picked up by the most media outlets in our 2020 top ten. More …
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New UZH Journal
Joined-Up Study
With its newly established School for Transdisciplinary Studies, UZH wants to encourage students to venture across disciplinary boundaries. The latest UZH Journal explores the appeal and benefits of transdisciplinary thinking, learning and collaboration. More …
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Exhibition
Showcasing the Natural Sciences
The new Science Exploratorium shines a light on research at UZH’s Faculty of Science. Current exhibitions provide visitors with insights into the collection of the UZH Botanical Museum, the field of particle physics, research on high-temperature superconductivity and a citizen science project on hydrology. More …
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Portrait
Explaining the World's Nebulous Machinations
As a journalist he searched in vain for experts who were examining the economic crisis from a historical perspective. Today Tobias Straumann is himself an award-winning specialist in economic history. More …
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CRISPR/Cas Gene Scissors
Enhancing Children – Custom Kids
The CRISPR/Cas gene scissors can be used to prevent congenital diseases. In theory, they could also allow parents to design their dream children. But molecular biologist Gerald Schwank has huge reservations about designer babies. More …
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International Relations
UZH Teams Up with Leading Australian University
The University of Zurich and the University of Queensland have entered into a strategic partnership, formalizing their long-standing cooperation in research and teaching – and paving the way for new joint projects. More …
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Astrophysics
Martian Moons Have a Common Ancestor
Phobos and Deimos are the remains of a larger Martian moon that was disrupted between 1 and 2.7 billion years ago, say researchers from the Institute of Geophysics at ETH Zurich and the Physics Institute at the University of Zurich. In collaboration with the U.S. Naval Observatory, they reached this conclusion using computer simulations and seismic recordings from the InSight Mars mission. More …
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Institutional Accreditation
A Look at the Inner Workings of UZH
Like all Swiss universities, UZH is required to undergo institutional accreditation to show how the university ensures the quality of its research, teaching and services. For this purpose, a self-assessment report was developed, which examines the mechanics of the higher education institution. More …
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Reproductive Medicine
Children Not Allowed – Sperm Donors and Surrogate Mothers
The new possibilities offered by reproductive medicine give rise to thorny ethical and legal questions: Should people be helped to have children? If so, under what conditions? More …
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Astrophysics
A New Way of Forming Planets
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Antibiotics research
How Bacteria Sleep through Antibiotic Attacks
Bacteria can survive antibiotic treatment even without antibiotic resistance by slowing down their metabolism and going into a type of deep sleep. A research team reveals the changes bacteria undergo to reach this "persister" state. Annelies Zinkernagel, an infectiologist at UZH, is main author of the publication in the scientific journal PNAS. More …
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Chemistry
Pringles and the Role of Chance
Chemists Michel Rickhaus and Fabian von Rohr specialize in looking for new materials that could play an important role in the electronics of the future. More …
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AAAS Meeting
UZH Involved in Top Science Conference
Next week, leading researchers from a variety of fields will come together at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The virtual conference will also feature a talk by UZH President Michael Schaepman on how remote sensing can help protect biodiversity. More …
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Anthropology
The Social Media of Hunter-Gatherers
Friends and social networks have made humans innovative and successful, says Andrea Migliano. The anthropologist studies traditional indigenous societies that live like our ancestors did over 10,000 years ago. More …
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Debate Law and Literature
Creon’s Dichotomy
Law is a cultural asset that has been fought for over centuries. Narratives help us bring order to communal life. Philosopher of law Matthias Mahlmann and author Lukas Bärfuss discuss the many connections between law and literature. More …
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New Vice President Research
Of Racing Bikes and Research
Elisabeth Stark is UZH’s new Vice President Research. A linguist and expert in Romance languages, Stark wants to refine UZH’s research profile and promote cross-disciplinary collaboration. More …
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UZH Spin-Offs
Seven UZH Spin-Offs Founded in 2020
Seven new spin-offs emerged from UZH last year. The fledgling businesses have rolled out innovative software for drones, a novel treatment for stress incontinence as well as a method that makes prenatal interventions safer, among other things. More …
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Astrophysics
The Importance of Theory in Exoplanetary Science
Scientists at the University of Zurich associated with the National Center of Competence in Research PlanetS reveal considerable uncertainties in the theoretical understanding of giant gas planets. This emphasizes the importance of further developing theoretical aspects of exoplanetary characterization. More …
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My Alma Mater
Journalism as Vocation
Celebrated alumni look back at their time at UZH. This time, we talk to journalist, broadcaster and writer Klara Obermüller. More …
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Tumor Research
Detailed Tumor Profiling
As part of a clinical study involving patients from the University Hospitals in Zurich and Basel, researchers are conducting a thorough and highly precise investigation into the molecular and functional properties of tumors. Their goal is to help physicians to better determine which treatment will best match every patient’s cancer and thus be most effective. More …
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Memorandum of Understanding
UZH Cooperating with King's College
The University of Zurich is stepping up its cooperation with King’s College London with a memorandum of understanding on the topic of gerontology and healthy aging. UZH President Michael Schaepman welcomes this closer collaboration. More …
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Media Research and Communication Science
Gut Feelings and Climate Crises
Conspiracy theories are a response to people’s fears and offer a way to make sense of the world in times of crisis, say media researcher Brigitte Frizzoni and communications scientist Mike Schäfer. We sat down with them to talk about dangerous claims, good storytelling and world views that are immune to reason. More …
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Social and Cultural Anthropology
The Silk Road’s Rougher Side
High-speed highways don’t just facilitate transport and mobility. They can cut through communities, disadvantage people and arouse false hopes. A team of social anthropologists have been studying China’s massive Silk Road project. More …
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In the Spotlight
Economist in the Ascendant
Economist David Dorn is one of the most prominent representatives of his profession. He owes his rise to fame to his analysis of trade with China. More …
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Reproductive Medicine
Making Babies – Existential Dreams
Since the first test-tube baby was born in 1978, reproductive medicine has made great strides. Although many couples with fertility problems have benefitted, the ability to have a child is still not guaranteed. More …