The simultaneous use of antibodies based on two differing mechanisms of action leads to a more effective destruction of tumors. Patients who do not respond to current immunotherapy options could benefit most from this new treatment.
Researchers at the Biozentrum of the University have demonstrated how bacteria coordinate cell division with the replication of their genetic material. In an interdisciplinary study they explain why the current concept of the bacterial cell cycle has to be rewritten. The results were published in eLife.
Silicene consists of a single layer of silicon atoms. In contrast to the ultra-flat material graphene, which is made of carbon, silicene shows surface irregularities that influence its electronic properties. Now, physicists from the University of Basel have been able to precisely determine this corrugated structure.
The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) has approved the financing of three new assistant professorships at the University of Basel. The projects come from the fields of biomedical engineering, Middle East studies and eye research and receive an average of CHF 1.6 million in funding.
Antibiotic-resistant pathogens are an increasing threat to our health. "In order to develop innovative antibiotics, however, we must first understand the living conditions of the bacteria in the human body," explains infection biologist Prof. Christoph Dehio, head of the new National Centre of Competence in Research "AntiResist".
Silicon-based integrated circuits form the basis of modern-day computers. Professor Richard J. Warburton, physicist and head of the new National Center of Competence in Research SPIN, explains why this established material will play a key role in the development of quantum computers.
The University of Basel has received a grant for two new National Centers of Competence in Research (NCCR), focusing on antibiotic research and quantum technology. The federal government is providing total funding of CHF 34 million for the two programs in the first funding phase to 2024, bringing the number of NCCRs with the University of Basel as their “leading house” up to three.
In the call for proposals for National Centers of Competence in Research (NCCRs), the University of Basel put forward two projects – and both have been given the green light. The Biozentrum and the Department of Physics are the leading houses for these major initiatives. Vice President Torsten Schwede talks about the preparations that led to this successful outcome, and about the long-term goals of the two projects.
Children in low- and middle-income countries are receiving an average of 25 antibiotic prescriptions during their first five years of life. This excessive amount could harm the children’s ability to fight pathogens as well as increase antibiotic resistance worldwide, according to researchers from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
