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…

BioEM Lab In recent years, electron microscopy has developed to become the method of choice for structural biology research. The structural information obtained can be combined with insights from cellular level electron…

Uncovering the fundamental shapes of life Proteins are essential components of the fundamental processes of life. They carry oxygen in our blood, generate the energy we need, allow us to see and think, and are irreplaceable…

Biophysics Facility A growing range of techniques has been developed to characterise the physical properties of biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. These biophysical techniques enable us to…

Swiss High-field NMR Facility → For further details please visit the Swiss High-field NMR Facility website . NMR spectroscopy is the only method providing atomic level information on structure and dynamics of biomolecules in…

Quantitative biology of microbes Because bacteria are small and chemical reactions involved in gene expression are inherently stochastic, different individual bacteria display different properties – so called phenotypes –…