Researchers from the University of Basel and the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have developed a rapid test for Covid-19 with a novel functional principle. Although it requires further testing and improvements, the initial results are promising: As well as determining whether a Covid-19 infection is present, the test also promises to provide information on the status of the disease. It could also detect other diseases and different coronavirus variants.
Professor Verdon Taylor from the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel studies the development of the brain from stem cells, including using animal-free methods. Here, he explains which research questions can be answered using this approach – and why animal experiments are still needed.
Our working memory stores information for periods of several seconds and plays an important role in academic performance. According to findings from researchers at the University of Basel and Nagoya University, the development of this component of memory in children and adolescents is benefited by exercise – and particularly by types of exercise that require a lot of coordination.
The level of magnesium in the blood is an important factor in the immune system’s ability to tackle pathogens and cancer cells. Writing in the journal Cell, researchers from the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have reported that T cells need a sufficient quantity of magnesium in order to operate efficiently. Their findings may have important implications for cancer patients.
At the University of Basel, a large team of experts looks after the welfare of animals used in experiments. The aim is to minimize the stress placed on the animals. This is achieved by means of species-appropriate animal husbandry, careful planning of experiments and close monitoring of each animal.
Professor Philipp Sterzer has been appointed the new Professor of Translational Psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Basel; he will work at the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel (UPK). He conducts research in the field of cognitive neuroscience and deals with mental disorders, such as schizophrenia.
A large-scale study in the scientific journal Science reveals that the Epstein-Barr virus responsible for causing glandular fever is involved in the development of multiple sclerosis. Professor Jens Kuhle, who participated in the project, summarizes the results in an interview.
Computer algorithms can determine antimicrobial resistance of pathogens faster than previous methods. This is the result of a study by researchers at the University of Basel, the University Hospital Basel and ETH Zurich. This could help treat serious infections more efficiently in the future – a major step forward in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
How does our brain control sleep? A five-year European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant is enabling Professor Anissa Kempf at the University of Basel to investigate the molecular basis of sleep.
