How the brain controls sleep Sleep is essential, yet its function remains one of biology’s biggest mysteries. A short or poor night of sleep is usually followed by longer and/or deeper periods of sleep. The existence of such…

How embryonic cells develop into complex organs Our body consists of 30 trillion cells that are organized into organs such as the liver, heart and kidneys. These specialized cells are generated in the embryo by a combination…

Nanobiology: Life signs at the nanoscale Nature has developed sophisticated biological machines that are fundamentally intriguing and technologically unprecedented. Here, we use quantitative nanoscience techniques and…

Signaling in bacterial infections Bacteria can rapidly adapt to their surroundings through the ability to sense and respond to different environmental conditions. This allows bacterial pathogens to successfully persist in…

NMR spectroscopy to unravel biomolecular mechanisms Proteins perform a wide range of essential biological functions, including signal transduction, catalysis, cellular homeostasis, metabolism and membrane transport. We…

Understanding biomolecular function All biological processes, for example cell division, infection or development of cancer, are based on specific interactions between biomolecules. These interactions are consequences of the…

Researching the principles that control gene regulatory circuits Genetic networks often rely on feedback control, chromosomal epigenetic process and regulation of RNA turnover to promote adaptation, cell decision and…

Motor circuit function An important function of the nervous system is the production of diverse motor actions. Motor behavior is guided by a combination of intentions and integration of many occurring stimuli. Complex…

Evolution of pathogenic bacteria The current antibiotic resistance crisis testifies that technological progress is lagging behind bacterial evolution. Understanding the general principles underlying the evolution of…

Evolution of viruses and bacteria Each year Switzerland experiences an influenza outbreak. Despite best efforts, the influenza vaccine sometimes offers only limited protection. The reason for this is that viruses and other…