Laura de Smalen, PhD Student, Group Handschin Why did you decide to do a PhD? During my bachelor's in Nutrition and Dietetics, I developed a strong interest in the causes and mechanisms that underlie the human diseases that…

Odors, light, hormones and a tremendous variety of signaling molecules are recognized by a large family of cell receptors, known as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). They are located on the cell surface and transduce…

Cancer cells are characterized by uncontrolled growth and cell division. A glioblastoma is a particularly aggressive form of brain tumor, which results from uncontrolled growth of so-called glial cells. Glial cells surround…

In the course of evolution, the human body has developed diverse strategies to protect itself from harmful substances. In the intestine, the placenta and also in the blood-brain barrier are tiny transport proteins, which…

Cell signaling and dynamics in bacterial growth, adaptation, and persistence Our studies aim at understanding the molecular and cellular principles involved in the growth, differentiation and behavior of bacterial cells. We…

All organisms need energy to live. We get energy from various components of our food. Our body uses a part of this energy directly and stores the rest. While glucose serves as an immediately available energy source, fats are…

International Day of Women and Girls in Science February 11th is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This day was declared by the UN in 2015 in order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in…

A farewell event will be held on June 4, 2021, at 4 p.m. in honor of Martin Spiess, who has been Professor of Biochemistry at the Biozentrum since 1986. The program includes a welcome speech as well as words of thanks by the…

Motor circuit function Behavior is the common output of the nervous system. Despite their importance, the mechanisms by which neuronal circuits produce actions appropriately aligned with needs and intentions are poorly…

The past year was in every respect exceptional for the Biozentrum. And so it happened that “the move” coincided with the 50th Jubilee. The kick-off was the official handover of the new building to the University of Basel. In…