News and Events

In collaboration with the University Hospital Basel, researchers from ETH Zurich in Basel are investigating the early stages of bladder cancer. Their findings show that future research should also focus on mechanical changes in tumour tissue.

From new tests and therapies to the fundamental principles of biology: five compelling examples of the benefits of new bioengineering technologies. Research highlights from the D-BSSE in Basel.

Great honour for Tanja Stadler, Head of the Computational Evolution group: on 17 April, she officially received the membership certificate from Leopoldina, the German National Academy of Sciences. Leopoldina unites researchers with outstanding expertise in their respective fields, currently counting around 1'600 Academy members, being elected for their outstanding scientific achievements. Congratulations, Tanja!

As antimicrobial resistance increases globally, infections with resistant bacteria pose a major public health threat. In a new study in Nature Catalysis, a team of researchers led by Adrian Bunzel from the Bioprocess Laboratory at D-BSSE and Christopher Frohlich from the Arctic University of Norway revealed a novel mechanism for how resistances can emerge alarmingly fast. The discovery may help create antibiotics that are less prone to resistance and guide personalized health care.

Many aspects of how cells organise in a tissue are still a mystery. Researchers from the Computational Biology group of Dagmar Iber use computer modelling to unravel the cellular organisation that gives rise to tissue shape and function in development and disease. A new powerful computer programme presented in Nature Computational Science is a big leap forward. The team hopes to be able to dig much deeper into the biophysics of the fundamental building blocks of life than was possible before.

Organoids grown from human stem cells can help provide answers to important medical questions. In a partnership that looks set to profit both sides, D-BSSE professor Barbara Treutlein has teamed up with pharma giant Roche to advance research in this area.

Yaakov Benenson, Professor of Synthetic Biology, leaves the D-BSSE at the end of March to become a full-time entrepreneur at a biotech startup.

The latest issue of the GLOBE magazine of ETH Zurich has a focus on the D-BSSE and its connections and cooperations with institutions in Basel and beyond. Featuring numerous examples of cutting-edge research, the magazine reveals the department’s unique strengths in combining life sciences and data-driven engineering to target key medical challenges. A truly inspiring read!

Bioengineer Randall Platt engineers bacteria that can assess the state of our guts. It is hoped this non-​invasive technique could eventually be used to develop more effective interventions against malnutrition among children in the Global South.