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Archive All Categories 2024

191 articles

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  • Portrait — Onur Boyman

    Researcher, Founder, Helper

    Onur Boyman became a doctor because he wanted to help people. Now, having achieved a breakthrough with his research on autoimmune diseases, the UZH professor plans to bring a new therapy to market – and switch role from head of clinic to entrepreneur.
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  • Exhibition at the Ethnographic Museum

    Tales of Ginseng Cut in Radiant Red Paper

    Ginseng is treasured for the healing powers attributed to it. Its natural presence in the wilderness of Northeast China is rare, and it takes complex knowledge to search out and find it. Numerous tales accordingly entwine around the root and the quest for it. A papercut exhibition in the Ethnographic Museum at the University of Zurich devotes itself to those stories.
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  • Business Administration

    Working With More Emotion

    Digital technology will shape the way we work in future, but the focus must still be on human beings with all their feelings and needs. This is why companies need to become more emotionally intelligent, says business economist Jochen Menges.
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  • 2024 Koetser Award

    Eminent Neuroscientist and Violinist Honored

    Professor Klaus Toyka has received the 2024 Betty and David Koetser Award for Brain Research in recognition of his pioneering experimental and clinical contributions in the field of inflammatory diseases of the nervous system.
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  • Genome editing

    Use of Genetic Scissors Carries Risks

    The CRISPR tool is capable of repairing the genetic defect responsible for the immune disease chronic granulomatous disease. However, researchers at the University of Zurich have now shown that there is a risk of inadvertently introducing other defects.
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  • Semester Awards

    “For me, it’s about the animals”

    In her Master’s thesis, veterinary science student Natalie Miller-Collmann dared to take her own stand on a contentious research question, earning her a semester award.
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  • Medicine

    Unraveling the Link Between Hepatitis and Kidney Damage

    The hepatitis E virus affects the liver. But infected liver cells secrete a viral protein that reacts with antibodies in the blood and may form complexes that can damage the filter structure of the kidneys, as researchers from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich have proven for the first time.
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  • Evolutionary Anthropology

    Similarities in Brain Development Between Marmosets and Humans

    In common marmosets, the brain regions that process social interactions develop very slowly, extending until early adulthood, like in humans. During this time, all group members are involved in raising the infants, which contributes to the species’ strong socio-cognitive skills.
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  • Health and labor research

    Crafting Your Own Job

    People who have the freedom to shape their work are healthier, more satisfied and more motivated. In the future, everyone can benefit from this kind of “job crafting” – employees, businesses and customers.
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  • Biodiversity

    Plant Diversity Enhances Soil Carbon Retention

    A new study shows that increasing plant diversity in agriculture can be used to improve the carbon sequestration potential of agricultural soils. As the agricultural sector strives to reduce its carbon footprint, promoting biodiversity in agricultural practices could be the key to more sustainable and climate-friendly food production systems.
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  • UZH Representative Bodies

    “Good leadership can be learned”

    UZH is continuing to develop its leadership structure on a broad basis. What really matters from an employee perspective? A round table with delegates from the representative bodies and the leadership expert Klaus Jonas provides some answers.
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  • Open Science

    “Open science is a core competence”

    Open science is entering a new phase at UZH. From 2025 onward, UZH’s open science services will be consolidated in the Open Science Services office of the University Library Zurich.
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  • UZH Finances

    Clear Roles and New Career Paths

    UZH is revamping its financial organization. The changes will provide university staff with more scope for action when planning and shaping research and teaching.
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  • Evolutionary Medicine

    Birth: It’s a Tight Squeeze for Chimpanzees, Too

    A new study shows that chimpanzees, like humans, must contend with a confined bony birth canal when giving birth. The “obstetrical dilemma” therefore evolved gradually over the course of primate evolution rather than suddenly in humans as originally argued.
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  • Sustainable development and conservation

    Rapidly Increasing Industrial Activities in the Arctic

    More than 800,000 km2 of the Arctic were affected by human activity in 2013, according to an analysis of satellite-derived data on artificial light at night. On average, 85% of the light-polluted areas are due to industrial activities rather than urban development. This is crucial for sustainable development and nature conservation.
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  • Yearbook Quality of the Media 2024

    SRG is not crowding out private news media

    People who use the Swiss public broadcasting association’s (SRG) news also consume commuter, tabloid and subscription media more frequently than those who do not. Furthermore, the use of SRG news does not detrimentally affect people’s willingness to pay for online news. These are the findings of the Yearbook Quality of the Media 2024 published by the University of Zurich’s Research Center for the Public Sphere and Society (fög).
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  • Microbiology

    AI Helps to Detect Antibiotic Resistance

    In a pilot study, researchers at the University of Zurich have used artificial intelligence to detect antibiotic resistance in bacteria for the first time. This is an important first step toward integrating GPT-4 into clinical diagnostics.
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  • Medicine

    Deciphering Blood

    Brain tumors are difficult to diagnose and treat. Neurologist Tobias Weiss is researching a new method for detecting brain tumors that uses clues present in blood samples. His method utilizes cellular particles called extracellular vesicles, which have proven to be promising biomarkers.
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  • Travel medicine

    Novel App Tracks Travel-Related Illnesses

    About one in three people who travel gets sick, often with gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, a travel app developed by UZH researchers finds. The app could be used in the future to help detect outbreaks of contagious diseases at an early stage.
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  • Digitalization

    The Growing Importance of Expertise

    Workers need to have digital skills to succeed on the job market. But cognitive skills – like critical thinking and the ability to plan and organize – are even more important.
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  • Künstliche Intelligenz

    UZH Students Embracing AI Tools

    The use of AI tools as study aids has become widespread at university. The DSI conducted a survey among students to find out how they use AI tools, where they see benefits and what concerns they may have.
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  • Plant protection

    Reducing Herbivore Damage Using Biodiversity

    Pesticides aren’t always necessary: researchers at the University of Zurich have conducted a comprehensive field study showing that damage from herbivores can be reduced by using biodiversity within a plant species.
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  • Linguistics and Psychiatry

    Putting the Madness into Words

    Talking to other people about mental illnesses in day-to-day life is vital and will hopefully help people get better. An interdisciplinary research project is investigating the phenomenon with the aim of helping those affected.
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  • Artificial Intelligence

    Tech-Savvy Farming

    Intelligent sensors can help farmers cultivate their fields without the need for huge amounts of data and complex calculations. UZH neuroinformatics specialist Chiara De Luca is developing neural networks that can monitor the status of agricultural land and systematically regulate the use of water, fertilizer and pesticides.
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  • Studying and Teaching

    “Listen to your inner voice”

    Find out how 2024 Teaching Award winner Marc Thommen fosters interaction in his courses and why curiosity and enthusiasm are the best guiding lights to get students through their studies.
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  • Digitalization

    Less Inequality with AI

    Over the years, digitalization has led to the axing of many lower-skilled jobs, thereby polarizing the employment market. But AI could enhance some of the simpler jobs and reduce inequality.
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  • Behavioral economics

    Public Discourse Promotes Socially Responsible Behavior

    Public discourse campaigns often promote social responsibility, but do such discussions also impact our market behavior? Economists at the University of Zurich have published a new study that shows that engaging in public discourse increases socially responsible market behavior – regardless of participants’ social norms and values.
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  • Political Science

    “Switzerland is as deeply polarized as the USA”

    In many democracies, those on the left and right of the political divide are drifting further apart. Political discourse is increasingly spiteful and hostile. Silja Häusermann and Simon Bornschier from the Department of Political Science at UZH explain why this is the case and whether it poses a threat to democracy.
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  • UZH Magazin

    Brains and Bots

    AI avatars, co-creation, job crafting, emotionally intelligent companies – the new UZH Magazin explores how digital technologies are changing our work and what this means for us.
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  • Space Hub

    Space for New Ideas, Courage and Ambitious Goals

    The UZH Space Hub has relocated to Innovation Park Zurich. We sat down with Oliver Ullrich, the director of the Space Hub, to find out why space travel is about to experience a breakthrough and how we can pave the way for innovation.
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  • UZH Space Hub

    UZH Bolsters Its Aerospace and Aviation Research at Innovation Park Zurich

    The UZH Space Hub leverages its strong interdisciplinary research and international network to help advance the fields of remote sensing, astrophysics, space life sciences and autonomous drone navigation. By relocating to Innovation Park Zurich, it is enabling researchers to build a unique space ecosystem.
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  • Clinical translation

    Compact “Gene Scissor” Enables Effective Genome Editing

    TnpB is an ancestor of the well-known “gene scissor” CRISPR-Cas, but is much smaller and thus easier to transport into cells. Using protein engineering and AI algorithms, UZH researchers have now enhanced TnpB capabilities to make DNA editing more efficient and versatile, paving the way for treating a genetic defect for high cholesterol in the future.
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  • Experimental economic research

    Aversion to Inequality Drives Support for Redistribution

    As income inequality widens, debates around redistribution policies are heating up. An international research team shows that support for these policies stems not only from individuals’ financial situations but also from an inherent aversion to inequality. This offers valuable insights into predicting public support for future redistribution policies.
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  • Social Responsibility

    Equality, Diversity and Inclusion under One Roof

    The Office for Gender Equality and Diversity’s mandate has been expanded to include people with disabilities. As a result, the office has been renamed as the Office for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI).
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  • Gender Equality

    Childcare and Careers

    The University of Zurich can reflect on 35 years of work to promote gender equality: four women who champion this issue at UZH recount how they first got involved and what their experiences have been.
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  • Research Funding

    Three UZH Researchers Awarded SNSF Consolidator Grants

    The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) has approved Consolidator Grants for three projects at the University of Zurich. Additionally, 14 early-career researchers at UZH benefit from the SNSF funding program Ambizione.
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  • PORTAL UZH

    Building the Future at Irchel

    The 70s-era buildings on Irchel Campus are in need of renovation. The multipurpose building PORTAL UZH is at the heart of the university’s modernization plans.
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  • Astrophysics

    Life in Space

    A space mission called LIFE will survey planets beyond our solar system – with the specific aim of finding out if they could sustain life. Researchers from the University of Zurich made use of the Earth.
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  • UZH Entrepreneur Fellowships

    Getting Brilliant Ideas Market-Ready

    Seven early-career researchers were awarded UZH Entrepreneur Fellowships this year. The jury was impressed by their innovative product ideas and motivation to bring them to market as entrepreneurs.
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  • Earth System Science

    Coffee in the Shade

    Farming coffee can be both ecological and profitable at the same time, according to the research of Earth system scientist Maria J. Santos. The key is to combine the crops with trees.
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  • Evolutionary biology

    Colorful Traits in Primates Ease Tensions Between Groups

    Primate ornamentation plays a crucial role in communication not only within social groups but also between them, according to a new study. The traits may help reduce intergroup aggression by enabling quick assessments of potential rivals.
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  • Exhibition at the Ethnographic Museum

    Exhibiting Looted Artifacts from Benin: A Space for Nigerian Voices

    Why are objects from the Kingdom of Benin held in the Ethnographic Museum at the University of Zurich? What do they mean to different stakeholder groups? And how should institutions deal with them? The exhibition "Benin Dues" answers these questions.
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  • Medical Genetics

    Faulty Gene Makes Brain Too Big – or Too Small

    A gene called ZNRF3, known to be involved in cancer, also messes with the mind. The human brain relies on two copies of this gene to build a right-sized brain. If one of the copies is defective, the brain will be either too small or too large, leading to various neurological symptoms.
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  • Semester Preparations

    Looking Behind the Scenes

    Preparing a new semester is a lot of work. We asked seven members of UZH’s administrative and technical staff to take us through their pre-semester to-do lists, from feeding the course catalogue to casting actors.
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  • New Neighbors

    First Day of School at Irchel

    It was an unusual start to the new school year this week as Kantonsschule Zürich Nord relocated to two specially converted buildings on the Irchel Campus. We went to gauge pupils’ first impressions.
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  • Financial Engineering

    “Climinator” vs. Greenwashers

    Companies like to act “green” by publishing thick environmental sustainability reports replete with photography of pristine landscapes, but precious few of them keep their promises. Finance professor Markus Leippold is using AI-based tools to fight greenwashing.
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  • Artificial intelligence

    “Teaching is Set to Become More Interactive and Intensive”

    In the age of artificial intelligence, the emphasis in teaching is likely to shift from knowledge transfer towards interaction and reflection. Universities should also figure out which competencies and abilities cannot be replaced by AI.
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  • Summer quiz solution

    You’ve guessed it!

    The summer quiz prompted numerous participants to delve into new fields of knowledge to find the winning keyword – WISSENSREISE. Many congratulations to the winners.
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  • Paleogenetics

    Ancient Ailments

    Infectious diseases like the plague, leprosy and syphilis have made history and shaped humanity over a long period of time – are still doing so today. The paleogeneticist Verena Schünemann explores the evolution of pathogens and the question of why they have been able to survive for so long.
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  • Astrophysics

    Using Small Black Holes To Detect Big Black Holes

    An international team of astrophysicists with participation of the University of Zurich proposes a novel method to detect pairs of the biggest black holes found at the centers of galaxies by analyzing gravitational waves generated by binaries of nearby small stellar black holes.
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  • Psychology

    Political Campaigns Can Induce Stress in Minorities

    How did the 2021 national marriage equality referendum campaign in Switzerland affect the well-being of the LGBTIQ+ community? A team led by researchers at UZH has shown that LGBTIQ+ individuals and their cisgender heterosexual allies exhibited more stress hormones during the controversial campaign.
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  • Summer Quiz

    Test Your Summer Smarts!

    Our annual summer quiz takes you on a grand tour of research and campus life at UZH. We hope you enjoy it and wish you a relaxing summer break. We’ll be back in August to keep you informed and inspired.
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  • One Health

    Influenza viruses can use two entry points

    Most influenza viruses enter human or animal cells through specific pathways on the cells’ surface. UZH researchers have now discovered that certain human flu viruses and avian flu viruses can also use a second entry pathway to infect cells.
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  • Tumor biology

    Key Driver for Epithelial Cancer Development Identified

    A distinct signaling pathway called TNF-α drives the transformation of epithelial cells into aggressive tumor cells. During cancer progression, cells activate their own TNF-α program and become invasive - they spread into other organs.
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  • Genetic diversity

    Inheriting the Ability to Adapt

    Genetic diversity enables plants to adapt. Research conducted by plant geneticist Ueli Grossniklaus on the epigenetic inheritance of traits is opening up new opportunities for breeding crops.
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  • Linguistic diversity

    Languages Benefit from Biodiversity

    Linguistic diversity thrives best in biodiverse environments – such as a tropical rainforest. For the survival of the many small language communities in these areas, isolation is key. Linguist Balthasar Bickel explains the interesting parallels between biodiversity and linguistic diversity.
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  • Evolution

    Nature’s Sleeping Beauties

    According to evolutionary biologist Andreas Wagner, nature tirelessly produces new variations, many of which are not utilized. But when environmental conditions change, these dormant new talents spring into action.
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  • URPP Social Networks

    Values and Sustainability

    The way people behave in complex social relationships over time can now be analyzed in great detail thanks to methods developed by the URPP Social Networks.
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  • Mental health

    Striving for Perfection

    In our interview child and adolescent psychologist Dagmar Pauli talks about the influence of school and social media, boys with gaming addictions, and the problems facing transgender youth.
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  • Animal research and 3Rs

    UZH Researchers Win Swiss 3R Awards

    This year’s awards from the Swiss 3R Competence Centre all go to UZH scientists whose research contributes to replacing, reducing and refining animal experiments.
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  • Sociology

    Teacher bias

    A study involving over 14,000 ninth graders in Germany has uncovered significant grading biases associated with students’ gender, body size, ethnicity and parental socioeconomic status.
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  • URPP Global Change and Biodiversity

    "Biodiversity is our life insurance"

    Ecosystems are more stable and productive when they contain more species. This has been demonstrated impressively by researchers from the URPP Global Change and Biodiversity. The successful program is committed to ensuring that the value of biodiversity is better understood and appreciated in society.
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  • Financing Climate Risks

    Crucial Gaps in Climate Risk Assessment Methods

    Researchers from the Universities of Zurich, Vienna and Utrecht have uncovered significant flaws in current climate risk assessment techniques that could lead to a severe underestimation of climate-related financial losses for businesses and investors.
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  • Regenerative Medicine

    Tailor-Made Cells

    In a few years, we’re likely to see personalized stem cells being used in the first clinical trials for heart patients. But there are still a few hurdles to overcome on the way from the lab to the clinic.
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  • Cancer medicine

    Novel Blood Test Helps Improve Cancer Treatments

    UZH and USZ researchers have further developed a new blood test to analyze liquid biopsies of DNA fragments in the blood. The new method is fast and practical, without putting much of a strain on patients – and might help to treat cancer patients more individually in the future.
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  • Stem cell biology

    The Mechanism Behind Melanoma Resistance to Treatment

    In many cases of malignant melanoma, the effect of targeted treatment is lost over time. A research team from UZH and USZ has now discovered that a factor secreted by tumor cells is responsible for the resistance.
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  • URPP Financial Market Regulation

    “The next crisis can’t be prevented through regulation alone”

    Financial market law can’t prevent a bank going bankrupt – nor should it – but it should effectively limit the impact on systemic stability and stop contagion. This is the take-home message from the concluded URPP Financial Market Regulation. The program’s director Rolf Sethe takes a look back and reveals what he has found most surprising over the past 12 years of research.
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  • Gender medicine

    Strong Hearts

    The heart is our most vital organ. But the heart muscle cells are sluggish. The cardiologist Carolin Lerchenmüller is exploring how these cells are regenerated and how the heart can be strengthened and protected.
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  • Permanent professorship

    UZH to Create Chair of Allergology and Asthma in Davos

    The Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) in Davos is to be significantly strengthened with the creation of a Chair of Allergology and Asthma. An agreement on this was announced on 21 June 2024 by representatives of the Graubünden government and the UZH.
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  • Paul Karrer Medal

    “You have to be a champion of failure”

    Katalin Karikó visited the University of Zurich to accept the Paul Karrer Medal. The Hungarian-born biochemist has faced numerous setbacks in her groundbreaking mRNA research before winning the Nobel Prize in 2023.
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  • New issue of the UZH Magazine

    Tipping Points and Sleeping Beauties

    Climate change is putting a lot of stress on the Earth’s ecosystems. The potential collapse of these ecosystems will have serious consequences for life on our planet. The latest UZH Magazin explores the links between climate change and biodiversity and how nature’s ingenuity could help us adapt to the changing environment.
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  • URPP LightChEC

    “Making the catalysts work for us”

    “The scientific strides we’ve made will hopefully allow us to kick-start the long-awaited technology of producing energy from artificial photosynthesis,” says director Greta Patzke in describing what’s been achieved thanks to the URPP LightChEC.
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  • World Biodiversity Forum 2024

    “Climate change and biodiversity are closely connected”

    The third World Biodiversity Forum (WBF), organized by UZH, is taking place in Davos this week. In this interview, UZH earth system scientists Maria J. Santos and Gabriela Schaepman-Strub explain how biodiversity and climate change influence each other and what needs to be done to overcome the climate and biodiversity crisis.
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  • Animal research

    “We now have robust figures”

    Five percent of all therapies tested on animals end up being approved for use in human medicine. The Center for Reproducible Science at UZH has published a large systematic review study showing how well results from animal research translate into medical advances for humans.
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  • Psychology

    Gender Equality Linked to Men Eating More Meat

    In wealthier countries with greater gender equality, men are more likely to eat meat more frequently than women, a new study reveals. The findings could inform strategies for promoting plant-based and cultured meat as viable alternatives to traditional meat consumption.
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  • URPP Evolution in Action: From Genomes to Ecosystems

    “UZH is a leader in evolutionary biology research”

    How do organisms and pathogens evolve and adapt to the environment? This was the question that the URPP Evolution in Action sought to address. The program allowed UZH to put its considerable research competence in evolutionary biology to excellent use, says the initiator and former co-director Beat Keller.
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  • Speech Sciences

    Human Brains Can Tell Deepfake Voices from Real Ones

    Do our brains process natural voices and deepfake voices differently? Research conducted at the University of Zurich indicates that this is the case. In a new study, researchers have identified two brain regions that respond differently to natural and deepfake voices.
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  • Una Europa General Assembly

    Europe Visits UZH

    From 19 to 21 June, the University of Zurich (UZH) will become the heart of the Una Europa European university alliance. More than 250 participants from around Europe will come together for the Una Europa General Assembly, on the theme of One Earth, One Future. The aim is to break down barriers and to build a shared University of the Future.
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  • Brain research

    First Week after Birth Is Critical for Development of Senses

    UZH researchers have found that the maturation of the senses for smell and touch is closely linked in mice and that this strong interaction takes place within a narrow developmental time window. The findings underline the importance of environmental stimuli for brain assembly in early life and the interdependent development of the senses.
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  • Sociology

    Peers Crucial in Shaping Boys’ Confidence in Math Skills

    A study from the University of Zurich has analyzed the social mechanisms that contribute to the gender gap in math confidence. While peer comparisons seem to play a crucial role for boys, girls’ subjective evaluations are more likely to be based on objective performance.
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  • Summary of the completed URPP ‘Language and Space’

    Setting New Standards through Interdisciplinary Research

    Elvira Glaser, co-founder of the recently concluded University Research Priority Program Language and Space, takes stock and tells us what surprised her the most over the course of the 12-year research period.
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  • Reproducible Research

    Scientific Community Reflects on Fundamental Research Standards

    Reproducible research results is a key standard in the sciences. At the inaugural Swiss Reproducibility Conference, researchers will discuss the best ways to meet this requirement – including how to cope with growing data volumes and the pressure to publish.
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  • Conclusion University Research Priority Programs

    Time to Take Stock and Think Ahead

    UZH’s University Research Priority Programs tackle pressing societal problems. They enable researchers to apply their expertise in selected research fields and help them develop long-term solutions. The programs of the second series have now concluded, with an event marking the occasion last week.
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  • URPP Dynamics of Healthy Aging

    Leading the Way in Research on Aging

    The recently-concluded UZH University Research Priority Program Dynamics of Healthy Aging achieved some impressive results. The World Health Organization even adopted the healthy aging model developed in Zurich.
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  • Middle East Conflict

    “The basis is mutual respect”

    UZH President Michael Schaepman emphasizes the key role of differentiated, open dialogue in the Middle East conflict. In the interview he also talks about the importance of showing empathy.
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  • «UZH Accessible»

    UZH Reviews Its Accessibility at Various Levels

    The UZH Accessible project aims to significantly improve accessibility at UZH – in structural, digital and cultural-organizational terms. Physical obstacles in publicly accessible UZH buildings have already been recorded, while work is currently under way to remove digital barriers online and in documents.
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  • Science and Nature Festival

    Experience research up close and personal

    On Saturday, 8 June, the Science and Nature Festival will take place on UZH’s Irchel Campus. Keeping with the spirit of the event’s motto – Discover | Research | Celebrate Diversity – visitors can get inspired by the world of science for an entire afternoon.
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  • Computer vision and machine learning

    Bio-Inspired Cameras and AI Help Drivers Detect Pedestrians and Obstacles Faster

    Artificial intelligence (AI) combined with a novel bio-inspired camera achieves 100 times faster detection of pedestrians and obstacles than current automotive cameras. The new system can significantly improve the safety of automotive systems and self-driving cars, as UZH researchers show.
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  • Evolutionary Anthropology

    Cultural Networks of Central African Hunter-Gatherers Have Ancient Origin

    Extensive social networks between hunter-gatherers groups in the Congo Basin existed long before agriculture arrived in the region. This continent-wide interexchange preserved a cultural diversity that evolved thousands of years ago, as UZH researchers show based on musical instruments, vocabulary and genetic data.
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  • DSI Minor Digital Skills

    An Incubator for Ideas

    At UZH, students and researchers are learning to develop joint solutions to problems through challenge-based innovation.
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  • Biodiversity Day

    New Beech Trees for Switzerland’s Forests

    Climate change is afflicting indigenous beech trees in Switzerland. Researchers at UZH now want to find out what Swiss beech forests might look like in the future. To do that, they are taking an experimental approach, using spectral data to investigate the biodiversity of the beech forests.
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  • Robotics

    UZH Robotics Research Leads the Way

    Davide Scaramuzza has been awarded the IEEE Kiyo Tomiyasu Award. In the interview below, the professor of robotics and perception explains why a drone needs agility and low latency and which progress is needed to improve the autonomy of drones in the future.
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  • Gender medicine

    The Thing with Mice

    For many years, the male mouse was thought to be the measure of all things in pre-clinical research. Over time, scientists have come to realize that it is medically necessary to work with experimental animals of both sexes.
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  • History

    How Japan Reached Out to the World

    What role did Japanese migrants play in the emergence of modern Japan in the 19th century? Martin Dusinberre reconstructs the voyages of the Yamashiro-maru steamship and re-examines methods of historical scholarship.
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  • Gender medicine

    Protective Genes

    Men are more likely to develop and die of cancer, and most types of cancer affect more men than women. This is not only down to genes, but also behavior.
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  • Evolutionary Biology

    Limited Adaptability Makes Freshwater Bacteria Vulnerable to Climate Change

    Freshwater bacteria with small genomes frequently undergo prolonged periods of adaptive stagnation. Based on genomic analyses of samples from European lakes, UZH researchers uncovered the surprising evolutionary strategies. Understanding these evolutionary dynamics is key to safeguarding ecosystem services.
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  • Population Genetics

    The Roots of the Mapuche

    The ancestors of the Mapuche people settled in South America more than 5,000 years ago. For a long time, they lived in relative isolation and in defiance of the Incas and Spanish. A notable study aids our understanding of their genetic history, and that of South America.
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  • Precision Medicine

    Fighting Cancer with SMARTdrugs

    With “SMARTdrugs” a team of researchers from UZH with international partners aims to create a new class of therapies: “radiotheranostics”. These drugs combine diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides in a supramolecular compound with the purpose of imaging and treating tumors.
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  • Depression Therapy for Men

    Learn to cry

    Male sufferers of depression seek much less psychological counseling than depressed women do. That has to do with the gender roles that we learn as children, Andreas Walther says. The psychologist is developing a therapy for depression specifically tailored to men.
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  • Teaching award

    Flying High with Carl

    Marc Thommen was presented with the UZH teaching award at this year’s Dies academicus. With his interactive approach to teaching, the criminal law expert succeeds in creating a conducive learning environment that gets students to ask questions, engage in discussion and challenge ideas – even in large lectures.
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  • Dies academicus

    Honorary Doctorates for Four Women and Three Men

    As the University of Zurich celebrates its 191st anniversary this weekend, honorary doctorates are awarded to legal scholar Michal Gal, behavioral economist Iris Bohnet, veterinarian Polly Taylor, particle physicist Beate Heinemann, historian Oded Lipschits, economist Douglas Bernheim and sci-fi author Kim Stanley Robinson.
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  • Prix Schläfli (SCNAT)

    Giving Turtles a Voice

    For a long time, turtles were regarded as largely voiceless creatures. In his dissertation, Gabriel Jorgewich-Cohen has shown that they definitely do communicate acoustically. The postdoctoral researcher at the UZH Department of Paleontology has been awarded the Prix Schläfli in Biology.
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  • Musicology

    UZH Acquires Important Richard Wagner Manuscript

    The University of Zurich has made a spectacular acquisition of an important manuscript by Richard Wagner (1812 to 1883). In Eine Mitteilung an meine Freunde (“A Message to My Friends”), the composer takes autobiographical and artistic stock and looks to the future. The manuscript, which was written in Zurich, will now undergo further scholarly analysis at UZH.
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  • Representative Bodies

    Helping shape UZH

    On 24 May, UZH staff get to vote for their representatives on various UZH bodies. Applications can be submitted until 10 May.
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  • Sexual Harassment Awareness Day

    “We want to help raise awareness”

    The number of reported cases of sexual harassment has increased over the past few years, according to the statistics by UZH’s committee for the protection against sexual harassment. We met with professor of law Brigitte Tag to discuss why this is the case and what UZH is doing to combat sexual harassment.
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  • Updated Leadership and Management Principles

    Achieving Healthy Leadership Together

    UZH has updated its Leadership and Management Principles, providing all employees with a shared frame of reference for developing UZH’s leadership culture.
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  • Study program “Biodiversity”

    Master’s Program in Biodiversity to Launch in the 2024 Fall Semester

    The new Bachelor’s program in biodiversity – the first of its kind in German-speaking countries – launched at UZH last fall. Following its success, with more than 140 students enrolled, the Master’s program in biodiversity will be offered for the first time starting this Fall Semester.
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  • Business Administration

    CEOs’ Human Concern Translates into Higher Stock Price

    CEOs’ expressions of empathy correlate with positive stock performance, a study led by the University of Zurich shows. The researchers analyzed data from conference calls between CEOs and financial analysts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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  • Political Science

    Less Hate Online

    When wars break out in places such as Gaza or Ukraine, hate comments have a field day. They poison the debate on the internet and are a threat to democracy. Political scientist Karsten Donnay is looking into how to also establish social norms online.
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  • Psychology

    Culture-Specific Trauma Responses in Switzerland

    According to a new study, the culture-specific sequelae of trauma found in Switzerland align with the norms of a competitive and individualistic society. Post-traumatic coping strategies in Switzerland tend to involve closer connections to nature.
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  • Pharmacology

    Happy Mums, Healthy Babies

    One in 10 women suffer from depression during pregnancy. The illness often goes untreated and can have negative effects on the child. Now, in a large-scale international project, UZH researchers are analyzing the biological interactions at play and seeking treatment methods that are safe for mother and child.
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  • Innovative Teaching Projects

    Across Europe in Three Years

    The Una Europa joint Bachelor’s degree program in European studies enables students to study at up to three universities in Europe. UZH will take part in this unique study program starting in 2025.
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  • Ethnology

    New Dawn in the Land of Seven Rivers

    Market economy replaces socialism: in the booming seven rivers region of Kazakhstan, ethnologist Peter Finke is examining how new social structures and ownership conditions are emerging amid legal uncertainty and loss of trust.
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  • UZH Delegation in Washington D.C.

    On a Mission for Biodiversity Partnerships

    US institutions are among UZH’s most important partners in research and development. To foster academic exchange, the UZH President visited important cooperation partners with a group of scientists. The thematic focus was on the areas of global change and biodiversity.
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  • Institute for Eastern European Studies

    “Cultural war on the West”

    A new institute is being established at UZH to gain a better historical, political and cultural understanding of Eastern Europe. Slavonic studies scholar Sylvia Sasse and historian Jeronim Perović talk about the “Russian world” and the war in Ukraine and its impact.
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  • Loans for small businesses

    Closing the Microcredit Gender Gap in Ghana

    Small loans can help people establish and expand their small businesses. A field study in Ghana has now revealed that men ask for and receive more money from microcredit companies than women. However, if women are better informed, they are more likely to apply for higher amounts.
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  • Symposium on stem cells

    Strengthening Ties with Japan

    UZH and Kyoto University work together closely in the field of stem cell research. As part of this collaboration, a high-level conference is taking place in Zurich this week with researchers from both countries. The event was organized by stem cell researcher Melanie Generali.
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  • Gender Medicine

    The Right Medicine for Women and Men

    Many illnesses have sex- and gender-specific causes and symptoms, many of which have received little research attention thus far. That, however, is about to change. UZH has established the first professorial chair in gender medicine in Switzerland to advance research in this field.
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  • New UZH Magazin

    Healthy Women, Healthy Men

    Many diseases manifest differently in women and men. The symptoms for heart disease, stroke, depression and cancer can look very different depending on your sex. Researchers in the field of gender medicine are looking into these gender-specific differences and developing the right therapies. The new UZH Magazin shines a light on the significance of this field.
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  • IceAgeCam

    Experience Ice Ages and Climate Change Up Close

    The new IceAgeCam installation on Felsenegg gives an impressive demonstration of the human influence on climate change. Visitors can immerse themselves in an interactive experience of the changing glacial landscapes. It is the result of an interdisciplinary project involving researchers from UZH, the University of Lausanne and the Zurich University of the Arts.
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  • New Department

    University Steps up Data Science

    UZH is responding to the rise of data science by establishing the Department of Mathematical Modeling and Machine Learning. DM3L for short, it combines UZH’s strong basic research in mathematics with practical applications and will offer a new study program from fall 2025. Here are four examples.
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  • Interim Use

    Irchel Campus to Host High Schools

    This summer, Kantonsschule Zürich Nord will relocate to two renovated buildings on Irchel Campus, creating a coexistence of university and high school that is unique in Switzerland. This move will enable joint projects but also poses certain challenges. Members of the UZH community had the opportunity to learn more and ask questions at a town hall meeting.
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  • Cancer medicine

    An Immunotherapy to Overcome Resistant Leukemia

    Researchers at UZH and USZ have discovered why a specific mutation makes the cancer cells of an aggressive type of blood cancer resistant to CAR T-cell therapy. They also show that a concomitant pharmacotherapy or genetically improved CAR T-cells makes the immune therapy effective again.
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  • Innovative Teaching Projects – Part 5: Research-Based

    Teaching Turned Upside Down

    In the “City without Papers” project, students collaboratively investigate undocumented migrants’ precarious living conditions. This new type of teaching format is devoted to addressing current questions in urban studies research and in the process challenges traditional roles in science and teaching.
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  • Panel Discussion «Studying and Working with Disabilities»

    Studying without Barriers

    In a panel discussion at UZH on the topic of studying and working with disabilities, the kinds of everyday difficulties disabled students face were brought out in the open. The Executive Board of the University – represented by Vice President Gabriele Siegert – promised that specific measures would be implemented quickly.
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  • Paleontology

    Ancient Giant Dolphin Discovered in the Amazon

    Measuring between 3 to 3.5 meters, 16 million years old: Paleontologists from the University of Zurich have announced the discovery of a new species of freshwater dolphin in the Peruvian Amazon region. Surprisingly, its closest living relatives can be found in the river dolphins of South Asia.
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  • Initiative Sustainable Finance

    Building Bridges

    The Department of Finance at the University of Zurich has launched the "Initiative in Sustainable Finance". Its aim is to become a leading global center for research in this area and to promote dialogue between science, business, politics, and society.
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  • University museums / exhibitions

    UZH Opens New Natural History Museum with Four Dinosaurs

    The new Natural History Museum of the University of Zurich brings together zoology, paleontology, anthropology and botany under the same roof. The museum opens with four new dinosaur skeletons and various other additions that shine a light on how evolution and biodiversity have shaped life on our planet.
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  • School in Ghana

    Increasing Trust and Improving School Grades

    Mistrust between ethnic groups is a major problem for many African countries. Economist David Yanagizawa-Drott runs a project in Ghana that seeks to build up trust among ethnic groups and at the same time improve school teaching.
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  • International Rankings

    UZH to No Longer Provide Data for THE Ranking

    The University of Zurich has decided to withdraw from the Times Higher Education World University Ranking. The ranking is not able to reflect the wide range of activities in teaching and research undertaken by universities.
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  • Citizen Science Zurich

    A Safe Space for Delicate Topics

    The Seed Grants of the Citizen Science Zurich initiative support a range of pilot projects that bring together UZH researchers and members of the public. One such project, Hair SALON, aims to provide women in Lesotho with crucial sexual and reproductive health services in hair salons.
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  • INTeRCePT Research Project

    Better Prognosis for Blood Cancers

    Being handed a diagnosis of cancer often turns people’s lives upside down. When the cancer is blood cancer, the impact is even more dramatic. Although the chances of recovery have improved greatly in recent years, recurrences are still relatively common. A research team led by Thorsten Zenz is working on reducing the risk of relapse.
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  • Scientific Research Stations

    Researching in the Wild

    UZH’s Faculty of Science operates research stations in far-flung places, where researchers analyze the effects of climate change or observe mountain chimps and meerkats in their natural environment, among other things. Five of these stations are presented below.
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  • Innovative Teaching Projects – Part 4: Transdisciplinary

    Ready for the World of Work?

    In the new Master’s minor program in Digital Skills, launching at UZH in fall 2024, students will not only acquire technical affinity, but will also work with researchers on pressing questions surrounding the digital transformation. This new concept prepares students – and the university itself – to meet the challenges of the future.
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  • Astronomy

    Earth as a test object

    If a space telescope like LIFE were to observe planet Earth from a distance of around 30 light years, it would find signs of a temperate, habitable world. Physicists at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich reached this conclusion with the help of observations of our own planet.
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  • mTORUS

    Helpful Viruses

    Researchers at UZH and ETH Zurich have rediscovered a long-neglected treatment for urinary tract infections – bacteriophages. These viruses can be used to fight bacterial infections without the side effects caused by antibiotics. However, approval is still a long way off.
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  • Behavioral economics

    Combination of Group Competition and Repeated Interactions Promotes Cooperation

    How did cooperative behavior prevail in human evolution? Researchers from the Universities of Zurich, Lausanne and Konstanz have challenged two prevailing explanations – repeated interactions on the one hand or group competition on the other. Instead, both mechanisms synergistically contribute to fostering cooperation effectively.
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  • Biomedicine

    Cracking the Code of Neurodegeneration

    Scientists at UZH have developed an innovative neural cell culture model, shedding light on the intricate mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. Their research revealed a promising therapeutic target in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
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  • Collegium Helveticum

    Tax History

    Historian Madeline Woker is conducting research into tax (in)justice as a fellow at the Collegium Helveticum. Last Friday, she organised a panel discussion with the economist Gabriel Zucman, who has published the “Global Tax Evasion Report 2024”.
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  • UZH Life

    Bribery and Brutality

    Oliver Diggelmann has written about the upheavals in post-socialist Hungary, Felix Uhlmann about the logic of senseless violence. Both UZH legal scholars published a novel last year, which places them within a long tradition of writers with legal backgrounds.
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  • One Health

    Rabid Dogs in Uganda

    Every year, many people in Uganda die from rabies after being bitten by a dog. Veterinary epidemiologist Sonja Hartnack is working together with Makerere University in Uganda on ways to effectively combat the deadly virus.
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  • Plant science

    Asexual Propagation of Crop Plants Gets Closer

    When the female gametes in plants become fertilized, a signal from the sperm activates cell division, leading to the formation of new plant seeds. This activation can also be deliberately triggered without fertilization, which opens up new avenues for the asexual propagation of crop plants.
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  • FAN Award

    Heart Defects, the World of Work, and Algorithms

    Melanie Ehrler, Simon Walo and Regina Weder are being honored with this year’s FAN Awards in recognition of their outstanding research work. Their three topics of research are the development of children with heart defects, the future of work, and the legal conditions for the use of AI in public administration.
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  • Innovative Teaching Projects – Part 3: Engaging

    From Learners to Co-Creators

    Teaching staff at UZH are developing an online tool that prompts students to come up with possible exam questions based on their teaching materials. This helps students consolidate what they have learned and also supports teaching staff in creating their exams.
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  • World Health Organization WHO

    On such a full sea

    The University of Zurich maintains close ties with the World Health Organization. In a speech at UZH last week, the WHO’s chief scientist Sir Jeremy Farrar made an appeal for more social cohesion. For Farrar, universities have an important role to play here.
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  • Biomedical Technology

    Visualizing Multiple Sclerosis with a New MRI Procedure

    The loss of myelin sheaths in the brain is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis. Researchers at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich have now developed an MRI method that maps the condition of this nerve insulation layer more accurately than before.
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  • Public Lecture Series

    Religion, Reproduction and Crises

    From digitalization of religious practices through ethical questions around human reproduction to strategies for navigating crises or the challenges of sustainable development – the new public lecture series at UZH take an interdisciplinary deep dive into important issues of the day.
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  • Psychiatric diseases

    Stress Influences Brain and Psyche Via Immune System

    Under chronic stress, a particular enzyme found in cells of the immune system enters the brain. In mice, it causes them to withdraw and avoid social contact. This new connection between body and mind in stress-related mental illness could lead to new treatments for depression.
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  • Informatics

    Mining Coins

    Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin were created to circumvent the monopoly on money held by nation states and central banks. The digital currencies were to function more democratically and be widely disseminated. But the opposite has happened, blockchain researcher Claudio Tessone notes.
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  • Chinese Studies

    Utopias Made in China

    Chinese science fiction is thriving, with Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama counting themselves as fans. The Chinese government has recognized the genre’s potential and is ramping up the creation of utopias – which is impacting the country’s digital culture.
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  • Virology

    Alexandra Trkola Awarded US$3 Million Grant

    The renowned virologist from the University of Zurich receives the major award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for vaccine studies in well-studied groups of people living with HIV in Switzerland and South Africa.
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  • Brain research

    Firing Nerve Fibers in the Brain Are Supplied with Energy on Demand

    Specialized cells in the brain respond to the electrical signals of active nerve fibers and provide them with energy on demand. If this process is disabled in mice, the nerve fibers are severely damaged as the animals age – resembling the defects of neurodegenerative diseases.
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  • TRANSFORM

    Eastern Europe and Bioimaging

    UZH is pooling its research expertise in a variety of fields, including Eastern European studies and bioimage analysis. A new interdisciplinary institute for Eastern European studies and the recently established BioVisionCenter were made possible thanks to seed funding from the university’s TRANSFORM program.
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  • Una.Lecture

    University Autonomy is a Valuable Asset

    At Una Europa’s first public discussion in Switzerland, the leaders of the universities of Zurich, Leiden and Edinburgh were all in agreement: the academic, organizational and financial independence of universities must be fiercely defended against attempts to exert external influence.
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  • Sociology

    Young People from Poorer Families Make Fewer Friends

    A new study has found that children growing up in low-income families have fewer opportunities to make friends and to socially integrate at school. Researchers from the University of Zurich and the University of Stockholm examined data from over 200 school classes in Sweden and reached this conclusion.
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  • Space Research

    Green Light for LISA

    The ESA’s most expensive and complex mission, the LISA space antenna, has reached a major milestone: it has passed the stage of intensive testing by experts in the Mission Adoption Review process. Project member Professor Philippe Jetzer of UZH explains why this is such a significant step for the LISA consortium.
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  • alliance of universities

    Una Europa Boosts European Cooperation

    Una Europa is a unique alliance of 11 European research universities, including UZH. We asked Vice President Gabriele Siegert about how joining the alliance in 2022 has benefited research at UZH and its international outlook.
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  • Swissnex China & UZH

    Anthropocentric Arrogance

    The Museum of Contemporary Art in Shanghai presents the immersive exhibition "Mirror of Nature: Biodiversity through the Lens of Technology and Art" at its pavilion in People's Park. Organized by the UZH in collaboration with Swissnex in China, the exhibition is a transdisciplinary exploration of global biodiversity loss through art and science.
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  • Medicine

    Complement System Causes Cell Damage in Long Covid

    Long Covid patients suffer from chronic symptoms such as fatigue or shortness of breath. This is to some extent due to a part of our immune system, the complement system. UZH researchers identified a pattern in the blood proteins for better diagnoses and more targeted treatments.
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  • Innovative Teaching Projects – Part 2: Goal-Oriented

    A New Era in Medical Training

    The medical program at UZH is being given a fundamental overhaul: the development of clinical thinking and practical skills is to be prioritized over top-down teaching of theory.
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  • Laboratory Animals

    Less Stress, Better Research

    Urs Meyer, professor at the Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology at UZH, and his team have developed a new method of orally administering pharmaceutical substances to mice. The new method benefits both the animals and the researchers. The method will now be rolled out more widely as part of the National Research Programme 79, “Advancing 3R”.
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  • Global Health

    “We can only solve problems together”

    Infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance spread around the world via trade and travel routes. Together with partners in India and Uganda, the infectious diseases specialist Jan Fehr is looking for solutions to global health problems.
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  • World Economic Forum

    When the Private Becomes Public

    Next week, the elite of science and politics will meet at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to talk about current global challenges. Digitalization and data protection are high on the agenda. UZH law scholar Adrian Künzler is a consultant and member of the WEF Global Future Council on the Future of Metaverse.
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  • UZH in the Media

    Top Ten Media Releases 2023

    Stories about research at UZH resonated all over the world, with artificial intelligence (AI) proving a particularly popular topic in 2023. The greatest global media response, however, was triggered by the study on abuse in the Catholic Church.
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  • Zurich’s Senior Citizens University UZH3

    Seeing the World Anew

    Zurich’s Senior Citizens University UZH3 exercises the brain cells of adults over sixty. Combined with sport and social activities, lifelong learning is a health asset in people’s later years. Research carried out by UZH psychologist Burcu Demiray also backs this up.
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  • UZH Spin-Offs, Annual Round-Up

    From Lab to Market

    In the last year, eight new spin-offs were created at the University of Zurich to bring research-based ideas to market readiness. The new companies are developing innovative approaches for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, lead poisoning, blood cancer and endometriosis, the improvement of spinal surgery, better diagnostics in oral health, and simplification of satellite data analysis.
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  • Evolutionary medicine

    Early Primates Likely Lived in Pairs

    Primate social organization is more flexible than previously assumed. According to a new study led by UZH, the first primates probably lived in pairs, while only around 15 percent of individuals were solitary.
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