Biophysicist Ben Schuler will serve as a fellow at the Biophysical Society starting early next year. The US-based organization has recognized Schuler’s innovative contributions to protein research, marking the first time a researcher at the University of Zurich has received this honor. More …

Robotics professor Davide Scaramuzza and his research group finished in second place at the AlphaPilot international drone race. Among the nine finalists, the first three places were all won by university teams. More …

Does our academic performance have an effect on our personal development? A new study by UZH education evaluation specialists has investigated this interesting question. More …

With hormonal swings and changes in our social situation, life after forty presents distinct challenges. Psychologists Hannah Süss and Jasmine Willi examine the best ways of managing this phase of our life. More …

Jane Goodall visited UZH and looked back on her eventful life with wild chimpanzees. The famous 85-year-old primatologist remains an energetic campaigner for animal welfare and environmental protection, and considers young people to be the biggest hope for the future. More …

Men and women not only get sick in different ways, they also react differently to pharmaceutical drugs. UZH visiting professor Vera Regitz-Zagrosek gave a presentation on research into these differences in the field of gender medicine. More …

Severe emotional disturbances have until now mainly been associated with violent young men. But girls can also display anti-social behavior. Studies show that changes in the brain can play a role. More …

The University Medicine Zurich initiative presented its new flagship project Immuno-TargET at its annual event this week. The project combines the latest technologies in developing immune therapies for specific types of endocrine cancer. More …

Through heat, saline soil or aridity, the environment can directly influence the activity of genes. As the biologist Ueli Grossniklaus has demonstrated, in plants these epigenetic changes can sometimes be inherited. More …

Specialists at the University of Zurich are thoroughly investigating the topic of social egg freezing — whereby egg cells are frozen as a precautionary measure with a view to a pregnancy at a later date. Increasing numbers of women in Switzerland are also interested in the idea. Legal expert Andrea Büchler and physician Bruno Imthurn discuss reasons and benefits, but also the possible constraints of the new method. Their concern is that women should make well-informed decisions. More …

Frank Rühli is an evolutionary medicine expert who is conducting pioneering research on mummified entrails. He recently became the first person to study the Egyptian Museum’s collection of canopic jars from an interdisciplinary perspective. More …

In 2017, the University of Zurich bestowed an honorary doctorate on Sir Peter John Ratcliffe – today Ratcliffe, together with William G. Kaelin and Gregg L. Semenza, has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his research into oxygen supply in cells. More …

In the midst of their flight through the desert, the people of Israel received God’s commandments at Mount Sinai. That’s what it says in the Bible. No less dramatic is the historical background of this story. Biblical scholar Konrad Schmid is tracking it down. More …

Scientists at UZH and ETH Zurich are using artificial intelligence to improve the quality of images recorded through a relatively new biomedical imaging method. Their work paves the way for more accurate diagnoses and cost-effective devices. More …

Climate change and its consequences pose even greater challenges to developing countries than industrialized countries. But these countries are severely underrepresented in bodies assessing the relevant science. A training program for early career researchers at the Department of Geography takes counteraction. More …

The Swiss National Science Foundation’s PRIMA grants support outstanding female researchers on their way to obtaining professorships. Three recipients of the grant have chosen UZH as the host institution for their research projects. More …

Many anti-obesity drugs are not very effective or have unwanted side effects. One UZH spin-off wants to change this: EraCal Therapeutics is developing a potent and highly selective appetite suppressant. Animal models have shown that the therapy is twice as effective at reducing weight than current drugs on the market. More …

The internet and social media have become a battleground for the war between facts and fake news. How do we separate fact from fiction? And to what extent should operators of social media platforms and search engines be held responsible? More …

Tuberculosis is the world's most common fatal infectious disease, in particular among people with HIV. Tuberculosis therapy plays an important role in the fight against AIDS. Optimizing this treatment is one of the aims of the research partnership between the University of Zurich and the Infectious Diseases Institute in Uganda – with a highly developed analytical machine playing a key role. More …

Come and find out at the Scientifica festival from 30 August to 1 September. Get a sneak preview with our teaser video. More …