D-BSSE News

We are happy to announce that the successful partnership of ETH Zurich with PubliBike from Zurich will now be extended to Basel. Staff and students of the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering can rent the Velospot bikes or e-bikes in Basel-Stadt free of charge for the first 15 minutes (each ride) for a period of 100 days from purchase.

Damla Ortac already had a job as a software engineer when she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science. But she began to have doubts about her chosen career and decided to do something totally different. Today she is a second-year Master's student in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics.

G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCR) are cell-surface receptors that detect molecules outside the cell and activate cellular responses. They regulate a large variety of pathophysiological processes and are therefore the target of extensive drug discovery efforts. In her Spark-funded project from the Swiss National Science Foundation, Asli Azizoglu from the Computational Systems Biology group will develop a technology platform that identifies very efficiently functional drugs that target GPCRs.

Launching in March 2024, the NCCR MSE is inviting Phd students and postdoctoral researchers to apply for the new art-science exchange programme: “Brigding Horizons - Art and Science’s Creative Collision”.

Bethany Allen and Marina Nikolova, two postdoctoral researchers at D-BSSE, and their team members won the first place at herHack, Switzerland’s largest hackathon for women. Competing with 31 teams, their project involved developing a concept to help Migros, the Swiss retail company, provide customers with sustainability data on their grocery shopping. The jury liked best that the team chose to adapt an existing app, which meant that the solution was more sustainable than other teams’ proposals.

On 28 November, the D-BSSE celebrated the successful moving into its new home BSS on campus Schällemätteli with a full-day retreat and party. Some 200 members started the day with Lightening Talks presented by research, administrative and technical groups. On the second half of the day, workshops on a large variety of topics were held, followed by a rally across the building. At the closing ceremony, the department head acknowledged the extraordinary efforts of every single D-BSSE member.

Two senior scientists receive rapid funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation for their novel and unconventional research ideas: Davide Eletto and Yingjun Liu. Their projects were selected for SNF spark grants in a double-blind reviewing process. Congratulations!

Moving a whole department to a new location requires extraordinary efforts in careful preparation and planning, and ongoing flexibility and response during execution. And it requires dedicated and forward-looking people who manage this demanding process. Interview with Niels Bürckert, Head of Facility Services for Science and Teaching (FaST) – and manager of the largest moving the D-BSSE has ever seen.

Jasper Janssens and Marius Lange, postdoctoral researchers in the Quantitative Developmental Biology group led by Barbara Treutlein, will use organoids to study regulatory mechanisms of the brain throughout evolution and human development. Congratulations, Jasper and Marius, on receiving the EMBO fellowships for advancing brain research!

Ombudspersons offer advice to members of ETH Zurich who find themselves in difficult situations. While they cannot issue instructions, they may point out solutions, establish contacts, and initiate processes. Interview with Jonas Nakonz who is ombudsperson at ETH Zurich since fall 2022.

The Romanian graduated in medical physics, nanosciences and chemistry and moved for her postdoc at D-BSSE into developing microfluidic systems for cancer diagnostics. She fell in love with Basel soon after her arrival and is a keen hiker exploring mountains.

Fostering exchange between different generations, scientific disciplines and cultures, one week at the international Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting leaves a profound impact on young scientists. Having spent six days at this meeting, equally exhaustive as exciting and inspirational, the postdoc Germán Camargo Ortega highly recommends participating in this networking event.

BSS, our new home is awaiting our move-in. Take a 360° look at this pentagon-shaped monument from glas, steel and concrete, imagine lively interactions in the think tanks, run along the lab corridors and virtually jump from the roof-top terrace…! The video is a project realised by film producer Gabriela D’Hondt from ETH Multimedia Services who tested the new 360° camera in our building - big thanks!

University teaching requires knowledge and knowhow and many more competences to meet the high quality standards and the students needs. Having received the Golden Owl for excellence in teaching in 2022, Roman Vetter in this interview shares his tipps, tricks and vision for teaching.

The German computational biologist joined the Quantitative Developmental lab of Barbara Treutlein to develop models of dynamic biological processes in organoids. Marius gladly found his expectations met by the interdisciplinary, international lab and great experimental facilities. Being a passionate outdoor person, he is looking forward to the summer season to explore water sports on the Rhine and hiking in the Basel area.   

Moving from mouse studies to stem-cell research, the Spanish postdoc will focus on the electrophysiological mechanisms of autism-spectrum disorders at the Bio Engineering Lab of Andreas Hierlemann. After many years in the field of neuroscience in the Netherlands, María moved to Switzerland to gain more experience in the field of electrophysiology and discover the Helvetic country.

The ETH Facility Services department and its team located at D-BSSE provide an exciting glimpse at our new home in Basel. Their report not only guides members of the D-BSSE community through the technical and operational details of BSS but also describes the many services they offer.

rETHink, the organisational development project at ETH Zurich, was launched in 2020. Three years later, on 23 March at the rETHink Switch event, ETH Zurich celebrated the conclusion of interpretation phase and kicked off the next phase that focuses on the implementation of the recommendations, initiatives, improvements. Interview with Roland Baumann, responsible for rETHink communications and core team member of Workstream 6 focussing on cultural development.

On 18 April, 5 PM, two D-​BSSE alumni will share their inspirational biographies with us and respond to questions on career choices, lessons learned, pitfalls and opportunities you must grasp: Software engineer Oliver Hilsenbeck and principal investigator Sonja Billerbeck. As usual: for D-​BSSE community members only!

On 21 March, Sven Panke and his group invited the public to learn about bioprocesses and synthetic biology. After a short introduction on the principles of evolution and some of today’s tools applied in bioengineering labs, the visitors to the fully booked tour saw some of the labs from inside and had the opportunity to discuss open questions with the young scientists.

The Portuguese biologist gathered lab experiences in other European countries before she moved to Switzerland for a PhD studying the toxicology of brain models. During her postdoctoral research at the Bio Engineering lab of Andreas Hierlemann lab, she is part of a larger consortium to bring her findings closer to the patient. For the upcoming summer season, she will get a ‘Wickelfisch’ and practices dancing Forró for one of the many open-air dance floors in Basel.

Sexual Harassment Awareness Day will take place on 23 March. Universities and research institutions throughout Switzerland will for the first time campaign jointly for an environment without sexism and sexual harassment. ETH Zurich is also taking a stand to show that such transgressive behaviour will not be tolerated.

Mohamed Mahameed, a postdoctoral researcher in the Biotechnology and Bioengineering group of Martin Fussenegger, did his doctorate at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. A fellowship from the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) then offered him the opportunity to transition from basic research to applied bioengineering. In his project, he investigated how to speed up the insulin secretion of genetically modified cells for diabetes therapies.

On 21 March, 6:15 PM, the D-BSSE opens the doors to the labs of the Bioprocess group led by Sven Panke. The group will introduce the public to the topic: How synthetic biology teaches evolution new tricks. Registration is required. Please note that this tour will be held in German.

Using single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, the Swedish postdoctoral stem cell scientist in the Beerenwinkel group is developing a computational method for cell lineage and gene expression analysis in humans to further our understanding of cell and tissue regeneration. Joanna likes the Rhine River and skiing in the alps.

The ETH student magazine Polykum dedicated one page to a feature on D-BSSE - thanks to the new VMB comms representative Anika John. Great to see this spotlight on our department in Basel!

On 30 November, 12 AM, two invited guests will share their inspirational biographies with us and respond to questions on career choices, lessons learned, pitfalls and opportunities you must grasp: Principal investigator Timm Schroeder and Juliane Klatt, postdoc, UN alumna, and almost-astronaut. Bring your lunch, dessert is provided. As usual: this event is for D-BSSE community members only!

On 16 November, 5 PM, two D-BSSE alumni will share their inspirational biographies with us and respond to questions on career choices, lessons learned, pitfalls and opportunities you must grasp: Software engineer Oliver Hilsenbeck and principal investigator Sonja Billerbeck. As usual: for D-​BSSE community members only!

Florian Schmidt, postdoctoral fellow in the Biological Engineering lab of Randall Platt, is awarded the Rainer-Rudolph Prize 2022 for his doctoral research on “Transcriptional recording by CRISPR spacer acquisition from RNA”, a non-invasive technology for transcriptional recording to understand biological processes in health and disease. In June, Florian's work was also honoured with the ETH medal 2022 for outstanding doctoral theses.

The neurobiologist from PR China dreams of a paradigm shift in neurodegeneration research to speed up technological advances in this discipline. Before he joined the Biological Engineering lab of Randall Platt he spent the past seven years at the University of Zurich working on brain aging and human prion disease. Yingjun is very enthusiastic about both his work and Basel, the ease of living, public transport and the different Swiss German dialects.

The Chinese materials engineer worked on supramolecular nanozymes before she joined Martin Fussenegger’s biotechnology lab for a postdoctoral training. She loves Basel’s international flair and vibrant energy – and feels extremely lucky to be now working at D-BSSE.

Celebrating the diversity at our department, the Scientific Staff Association VMB together with the Department and its Equality and Diversity Working Group, is organising an Intercultural Potluck Dinner on 5 October, 6PM. Please sign up and contribute with your favourite dish from your culture/country, help build the diversity calendar and enjoy music and games from different cultures.

The South-Korean bioengineer has worked on both, microfluidics and organoids, before she started her postdoc in the Quantitative Developmental Biology lab of Barbara Treutlein, focusing on neural tube organoids grown from human cells. Having lived in Switzerland for the past 6 years, JiSoo enjoys every possible sport activity offered in this country.

The German national specialised in immunology in Bern, Switzerland before moving to Italy to work as a postdoctoral researcher on liver diseases at a hospital in Milano. Now a postdoc in the Systems Physiology lab of Andreas Moor, Xenia shares her knowhow from medical research and immunology with the group. She likes Basel’s international and vibrant atmosphere and enjoys to explore Switzerland for its history and culture.

From 11-14 July, the art-in-construction project designed by Yves Netzhammer was installed at the new ETH-edifice in Basel. At the heart of this artwork entitled “Evasive manoeuvres of biological attraction” is a central cylinder of 16 metres height holding a robotic arm which keeps in motion three strings and several elements tied to them. The installation questions themes of morphogenesis and reflects with artistic means on the working and research context of the D-BSSE.

On 21 June, Barbara Treutlein and her group invited the public to learn about dermal cells that turn into mini-organs. After a short introduction on the advances in stem cell research and the use of human organoids in understanding diseases and developing personalised therapies, the visitors to the fully booked tour saw some of the labs from inside and had the opportunity to discuss open questions with the young scientists.

On 17 May, the department invited the entire D-BSSE community to a great summer party. 270 party enthusiasts (including partners and kids) enjoyed the open-air event. For many D-BSSE members who started during the pandemic it was the first time they met in-person with their colleagues from other departmental groups.

The new ETH Entrepreneurship group consolidates the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem within and outside ETH Zurich. In an interview, its head Marjan Kraak puts a spotlight on entrepreneurship at D-BSSE and gives advice on how to become an entrepreneur and which challenges might arise when spinning out a research collaboration with industry.

On 24 May, 5 PM, principal investigator Randall Platt and alumna Lekshmi Dharmarajan, principal scientist in industry, will share their inspirational bios with us and respond to questions on career choices, lessons learned, pitfalls and opportunities you must grasp. As usual: for D-​BSSE community members only!

In looking back on almost 100 days at the D-BSSE, HR representative Cornelia Käppeli is responding to questions on the departments’ work environment, challenges, and the way forward.

New university students have suffered particularly from the measures and restrictions during the coronavirus-pandemic. Kyriaki Karava and Florian Hugi, members of our new Biotechnology Master student cohort are reporting on their experiences at D-BSSE.

On 16 March, 6 PM, D-BSSE meets Industry is organising a hybrid event on the specificities of life sciences consulting and on how to transition from a PhD to a consulting career. Speakers from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) include D-BSSE alumnus David Greber and Ludwig Ruber, alumnus from the Friedrich Miescher Institute, as well as HR representative Michaela Wirth. Register via the D-BSSE meets Industry website!

The department is organising a “Welcome back, D-BSSE!”-Party on 17 May, 5-10PM, for all D-BSSE members and students. Being a great opportunity to unite, socialise and have fun, everybody is invited to team up with colleagues and friends and organise a fun party activity.

The Greek molecular biologist and geneticist has specialized in diverse techniques that allow to study 3-dimensional cell structures such as organoids. As a Junior Researcher in the lab of Dagmar Iber, he will study patterning and growth control mechanisms in tissues during their development. Nick gained experience in various institutions in Germany and Switzerland and is a keen skier.

Do you have an idea of the many talents at D-BSSE? A talent in logistics is Sebastian Moxon from D-BSSE Facility Services for Science & Teaching: He just completed a continuing education programme in logistics and achieved Switzerland-wide the best marks in his cohort. Big congrats, Sebastian!

Sanja Tunjic and Peter Ruppen, doctoral students in Sven Panke’s Bioprocess Laboratory, grasped the unique opportunity to support Lonza’s ramp-up of COVID-19 vaccine production in Visp. In an interview, they talk about their experiences in the industry, the skills they develop and their ultimate career goal.

Cornelia has been with ETH Zurich for almost four years as team leader of the HR section Consulting Services for Departments. Having worked both in the private sector and in the public sector, she has profound experience and expertise in all areas of HR management. In the future she will be regularly on site at D-BSSE in Basel and will be your contact person for all HR-related topics. In the meantime you can reach Cornelia via zoom and e-mail.

PCR saliva tests are now available at D-BSSE! As part of the ETH Zurich CoVMass testing strategy, ETH members can now be tested for COVID-19 at the new test station installed at the lobby on Mattenstrasse 26 in Basel. Simply register, pick up your testkit, sample at home, drop off your sample and get the result - for a safe working and learning environment.

D-BSSE members are invited to this year's ETH Silver Medal presentations on 21 December, 11AM, via Zoom. We have four candidates who will for sure value a large attendance. The ETH Medal honours outstanding Master's theses. The dial-in information has been sent to D-BSSE members by email and outlook invite.

Congratulations to our 2020/2021 graduates who received the Willi-Studer Prize: Konstantin Wolf (2020, MSc Biotechnology), Hana Rozhoňová (2020, MSc Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, CBB), Vinay Kamuju (2021, MSc Biotechnology) and Ainesh Sewak (2021, MSc CBB)! Josephine Yates, MSc CBB, was awarded the ETH Medal honouring the best Master’s thesis - big congrats!

We are thrilled to have been able to celebrate this year the graduates of 2020 and 2021 of our Master programmes in Biotechnology and Computational Biology & Bioinformatics. Big congrats to all graduates on earning your Master’s degree at D-BSSE! All the very best for a bright future! Stay connected!

D-BSSE members are invited to the next Townhall meeting on 30 November, 11 AM, to discuss the results from this year’s ETH-wide Employee Survey. The department leadership will first report on the most important findings and inform on the process of addressing priority areas. After this overview, a panel discussion with representatives of the professors, the Scientific Staff Association, administrative/technical staff and Human Resources will respond to questions. 

Bringing therapies to patients requires the engagement and education of many stakeholders in the medical community. On 17 November, 6 PM, D-​BSSE meets Industry is organising a webinar to learn more about how to advocate a company’s science to doctors, academics, and other stakeholders. Special guest is Arnaud Monnard, Medical Science Liaison at Novartis. Register via the D-​BSSE meets Industry website!

On 16 November, 5:15PM, our new faculty members Andreas Moor (head of the Systems Physiology group) and Georg Holländer (head of Developmental Immunology lab and co-director of the BRCCH) will give their inaugural lectures at ETH headquarters in Zurich. Don't miss these in-person science talks and the apéro afterwards!

Intervening in inappropriate situations requires courage. The current Respect Campaign of ETH Zurich shows how to "put a full stop, when others don't" and thus become an active "upstander".

Two ETH researchers argue whether researchers should get involved in political discussions. One of the two: Nicola Nuti, D-BSSE doctoral student.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of women obtaining the right to vote in Switzerland, NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering (with D-BSSE as leading house) joined forces with all the other NCCRs to introduce to some of the women working in Swiss research institutions. Three women present their work in D-BSSE labs, including PhD student Ariane Stucki, postdoctoral researcher Julia Boos and principal investigator Petra Dittrich. Watch their short research films.

Write comprehensibly about research, present results compellingly and convey a confident image to the media: starting in November, ETH Zurich’s Corporate Communications will share knowledge about science communication through a series of courses and webinars. The courses offered by the Communication Academy are aimed at doctoral students, postdocs and professors at ETH Zurich.

Engimmune Therapeutics develops T-cell receptor therapies that target various types of cancer. Interview with Rodrigo Vazquez-Lombardi on the many challenges during the start-up phase of a biotech company.

Currently, drug developers searching for new therapeutic antibodies use time-consuming experimental screening processes that can take years to develop a handful of candidates ready for clinical trials. Simon Friedensohn and his deepCDR co-founders combine gene editing, deep sequencing, and deep learning to accelerate the therapeutic antibody discovery process. An interview.

On 26 October, 5 PM, principal investigator Georg Holländer and alumna Alicia Kaestli, associate in company building firm, will share their inspirational bios with us and respond to questions on career choices, lessons learned, pitfalls and opportunities you must grasp. Be aware of the change of time! And, as usual: for D-​BSSE community members only!

After one year of COVID break, the highly anticipated Basel Science Cup made its return on 2 October, featuring the D-BSSE, the FMI, the Biozentrum, and the Uni Basel Chemistry Department. The D-BSSE football team came back stronger than ever and beat the reigning champions from the Biozentrum in the finals to win the title. Want to join in on the fun?

On 11 October, ETH Zurich will present the Spark Award to ETH-scientists for the most promising invention. The criteria for the evaluation are: originality, patent strength and market potential. The top 5 finalists from the Epigenomics group of Renato Paro at D-BSSE present a patent application on a long non-coding RNA which serves as a potent and specific cell death effector of cancer cells. Register for the Award Ceremony in Zurich!

Inherent to almost all the discussions circulating around the development of an institution are discussions on values and culture. This is also the case in rETHink, a participative, bottom-up process on the future development of ETH Zurich. At D-BSSE, two such cultural discussions took place over the past six months. What is the status of this process across the university, and what is a good cultural discussion? An interview with Martin Ghisletti.

Roche runs over a thousand clinical trials every year. On 6 October, 5 PM, D-BSSE meets Industry is organising a webinar to learn more about how such trials work, who is involved and how to make career in this growing and exciting field. Invited speakers are Drs Maitea Guridi and Angeliki Thanasopoulou from Roche. Register via the D-​BSSE meets Industry website!

On 4 and 5 September, ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich were inviting the public to #Scientifica, public research days, on the theme "Synthetic - naturally". With its expertise in synthetic and computational biology, members from the groups of Mustafa Khammash and Yaakov Benenson as well as Karsten Borgwardt contributed to the public dialogue with exciting activities.

With 36’000 m² of floor space and approx. 600 staff members on site, the new building BSS on the Schällemätteli campus in Basel will be substantially larger than current D-BSSE facilities. Too large for the current team. The facility and infrastructure team is therefore reorganising and scaling up to meet the growing demand in services and technical expertise.

On 4 and 5 September, ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich are organising #Scientifica, public research days, on the theme "Synthetic - naturally". D-BSSE will be present with four exciting contributions, including a Science Café on the question: "Why is COVID-19 not just a flu?", a workshop on the nature of gene technology, and two booths showcasing artificial intelligence for personalised health and how to control living cells by way of mathematics, engineering and synthetic biology.

From 4 until 14 August, five young researchers from the University of Basel and ETH Zurich and enrolled in the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering participated in the Festival’s Basecamp Laboratory of Ideas. Joining this year: Akanksha Jain, Eunhee Cho and Beichen Gao from D- BSSE. During 10 days, they talked science with audio visual artists and improved their personal science communication skills. They now made available their logbook, podcasts and the output of the project ‘Bio-signs’.

Martin Ackermann steps down as head of the Swiss National Covid-​19 Science Task Force. Tanja Stadler succeeds him in this responsible position. In this ETH podcast episode both ETH professors talk about what the pandemic taught them about the intersection of science and politics, how they cope with being people of public interest and also about how they hope the task force will become redundant in the future, even though the virus remains.

The “Art of Molecule” journey continues: for the second time in a row, five young researchers (PhD/postdoctoral level) from the University of Basel and ETH Zurich and enrolled in the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering have been invited to participate in the Festival’s Basecamp Laboratory of Ideas. Joining this year: Akanksha Jain, Eunhee Cho and Beichen Gao from D-BSSE. During 10 days, they will talk science with audio visual artists and improve their personal science communication skills.

The immuno-oncologist from Poland already obtained her doctoral degree in Switzerland before moving to Boston (USA), where she gained experiences in experimental immunology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Having started her post-doctoral position in the Systems Physiology lab of Andreas Moor on 1 June, Aleksandra is looking forward to the skiing season.

Sophie Herzog, doctoral student in the Biophysics group of Daniel Müller, did it again: on 27 June, she left behind all the other female athletes in the age category 25-29 at the 2021 European Triathlon Championship taking place at Challenge Walchsee, Austria. In just 4:40 hours, Sophie reached the finish line – after 1.9km of swimming, 90km of biking covering 1,100m of altitude difference, and 21km of running - big congrats!

Having gained extensive HR experience in the private sector including banking, energy and IT, Barbara Krcmar joined ETH Zurich in March 2021 and is responsible for all HR-related topics at D-BSSE and D-MTEC. She will soon come to her D-BSSE office at regular frequency; in the meantime, you can reach Barbara best via Email, Teams or Zoom.

Driven by a fascination for mathematical and physical concepts, Gotthold Fläschner ventured into biosystems research for his doctorate. What looked like “smooth sailing” in the beginning turned out to be rather challenging. Now, Gotthold was awarded the ETH Medal for his outstanding dissertation. In an interview, he elaborates on the ups and downs during his PhD, his decision to move into industry and why he considers D-BSSE a “very stimulating melting pot”.

The Italian synthetic biologist not only lived in half a dozen of different countries but also gathered experiences in both, academia and the private sector (including at Astrazeneca and Novartis, his first touch-down in Basel). The cosmopolitan now started his position as Research Assistant in the Synthetic Immunology lab of Sai Reddy.

As a doctoral student, Susanne Wegmann once helped to build up one of the labs at D-BSSE. Today she is a group leader at the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) based at the Charité, the University Hospital in Berlin. An interview with the alumna on the exciting early times, choices along the career path and why she enjoys participating in science slams.

On 16 June, 5 PM, principal investigator Daniel Müller and alumna Diana Ostos, management consultant, will share their inspirational bios with us and respond to questions on career choices, lessons learned, pitfalls and opportunities you must grasp. Be aware of the change of time! And, as usual: for D-​BSSE community members only!

Omne Possibile, a company co-founded by Sven Panke, pioneers the great potential of XNAs, i.e. xeno nucleic acids, in medical applications and a variety of fields. What exactly is the ETH spinoff producing, who are the customers and which type of experts are currently being recruited to build up the operational Basel team? An interview.

Founding a company requires additional skills, which are often not taught as part of the regular academic curriculum. The ETH Pioneer Fellowship aims to fill this gap. Former Pioneer Fellow Steven Schmitt explains the steep learning curve he experienced on his way from the idea to the company. An interview.

The programme ‘barrier-free at ETH Zurich’ is currently being rolled out. Romila Storjohann, Manager of this Programme, explains what the programme entails, which ‘design-for-all’ elements help everyone in work and study, and why introducing a culture of inclusivity is no top-down process. An interview.

With a background in chemistry, Carl Emerson spent more than two decades in the pharmaceutical industry until he founded his own consultancy for relationship management and facilitation. During the webinar on 5 May, 5 PM, he will talk about the transition from academia to industry and how it can often be traumatic. Register via the D-BSSE meets Industry website!

In case of inappropriate behaviour, which way is the way forward: the formal or the informal way? What process does each way kick off, and which people get involved? Interview with Monika Keller working for the ETH Advise & Conciliation Service.

One year ago, ETH teaching went virtual. Today, at D-BSSE online lectures are complemented by in-person experimental lab work. Many students only know by hearsay how sociable and lively the study and work atmosphere at D-BSSE used to be. How do students mentally prepare for the semester, and what do we take with us for the time after the pandemic? An interview with our D-BSSE Study Director Petra Dittrich.

As our move into the new building BSS is becoming more concrete D-BSSE is getting ready for the future! This process is going to be participative: the entire D-BSSE community is invited to get involved, share and conceptualise ideas, boost innovation and trigger the departmental development in order to make the D-BSSE robust, internationally competitive and fit for the future. Login to the Wiki-page and sign up before 19 March!

Luigi Serravalle, an experienced industrial engineer and facility manager at ETH Zurich, is now based in Basel at the D-BSSE, strengthening the facility management team responsible for the current campus on Rosental Mitte Areal and in particular, the new building BSS.

Construction works for the new home for D-BSSE are proceeding well according to schedule. For this new 8-storey building with a floor space of 36’000m², technical and operational assessment will start in November 2021. About 35% of the lab and 40% of office spaces are currently in the making. Watch the new time-lapse video and check the BSS website for recent photos.

On 3 March, 9 AM, principal investigator Michael Nash and alumna Laura Skylaki, scientist at a business information service provider, will share their inspirational bios with us and respond to questions on career choices, lessons learned, pitfalls and opportunities you must grasp. For D-BSSE community members only!

D-BSSE members are invited to participate in the weekly Zoom meetings happening every Tuesday at 11 AM. Responsibility for the organisation alternates between the department leadership and the Scientific Staff Association (VMB). The first "Digital Campus" is taking place on 16 February, featuring an address by the new head of department Daniel Müller, a keynote by Barbara Treutlein and an interview with the VMB Persons of Trust. Find the schedule on the internal Wiki.

ETH Zurich is launching "Point", a new community platform for all members of ETH Zurich, from staff to faculty members to students. It connects people, reveals diversity and expertise at ETH Zurich, and fosters exchange of ideas for a sustainable future. Key features include a marketplace, news on events, good-to-know tips and a team-up tool: www.point.ethz.ch.

Being a developmental biologist from South Korea, the postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Andreas Moor aims to develop de novo methods to analyze how the spatial position of RNAs is related to its function in homeostasis and pathophysiology, e.g. cancer. Despite starting during Covid-19 times she already established links with several D-BSSE labs and other expert groups in and around Basel.

On 20 January, 5 PM, D-BSSE meets Industry is organising its next (virtual) event on Flagship Pioneering, a Boston-based enterprise focused on the creation of breakthroughs in human health and sustainability. The enterprise has created companies such as Cellarity and Moderna. ETH-alumna Charlotte Nicod will present her own career path and the innovation- and enterprise-building at Flagship. Registration required!

Ulrich Weidmann, head of the ETH Coronavirus task force, provides an update on the situation at the university at the start of the year and explains how the Executive Board is dealing with it.

Get information on the new Read and Publish agreements with Cambridge University Press, Karger, Sage, Taylor & Francis and Trans Tech Publications.

An extraordinary year is coming to an end. To celebrate this occasion, D-BSSE members are invited to our next Townhall meeting dedicated to a review of 2020 and an outlook for 2021 on Thursday, 10 December, 1 PM. See you then!

On 10 December, 9AM, principal investigator Andreas Moor and alumna & scientist-​​in-​industry Juliane Siebourg will share their inspiring bios with us and respond to questions on career choices, lessons learned, pitfalls and opportunities you must grasp. For D-​BSSE community members only!

An increasing number of scientists at ETH Zurich are using open access to publish their research findings – meaning knowledge can be shared without restriction and used free of charge.

At the Swiss Finals of FameLab, an international science slam competition, two out of 10 final candidates were from D-BSSE: Selen Manioglu (Müller group) presented on how she is ‘Fishing harmful bacteria with delicious antibiotics’, and Beichen Gao (Reddy group) pitched about ‘The mountains and valleys of antibody engineering’. The 3-min presentations had to be easy to understand by laypersons and convince the jury. Selen’s performance was rated best by the (virtual) audience. Congratulations!

Daniel Bojar, former doctoral student in the Biotechnology and Bioengineering group led by Martin Fussenegger and now postdoc at MIT Harvard, receives the prestigious Branco Weiss Fellowship to advance his research on data science including machine learning and data mining techniques applied to the biology of glycans. The five-year fellowship also allows him to build a small team - anywhere in the world. Congratulations, Daniel!

On 13 October 2020, 3-5 PM, D-BSSE is organising its 1^st virtual Symposium around the question: "What do SARS-​CoV-2 genomes tell us about their evolution and spread?" On the invitation of the organisers Tanja Stadler and Niko Beerenwinkel, Katia Koelle, Associate Professor at the Emory University, Atlanta/GA, USA, will give the keynote address.