Misfolded proteins are non-functional and cause cell damage. In order to prevent this, there is a whole arsenal of proteins – called chaperones – that assist with folding and carry out quality control. In the bacterium…

Every single cell of our body contains hundreds of tiny power plants, the mitochondria, which produce the energy required by the body, whether it be for walking, digesting or to ponder ideas. This inevitably generates…

Cells are the building blocks of all living creatures. In order to form a complex organism and stay healthy, cells need to communicate with each other and integrate the response within themselves. A group of enzymes,…

IMCF OMERO Image Management System OMERO is a biological image data management system designed to support the vast amount of imaging data a scientist may work with and to provide easy ways of accessing, showing and working…

Testimonial of Patricia Marini University of Basel, Switzerland, Research Group Dirk Bumann Where are you from and what are you studying? I’m from Rheinfelden in Germany, just over the border, and study molecular biology at…

Roughly eight in every million children are born with a particularly severe form of muscle weakness known as LAMA2-related muscular dystrophy. In Switzerland, 18 cases are currently known. This rare hereditary disease is…

Proteins are the workhorses of our cells: They transport substances, digest nutrients and serve as building blocks. To perform this wide range of tasks, they must be folded correctly. This process is ensured by an arsenal of…

In certain infectious diseases, antibiotics are less effective than expected, as seen in infections caused by Salmonella bacteria, which can lead to illnesses such as typhoid fever. For many years, researchers believed that…

We are constantly exposed to a wide range of sensory stimuli, from loud noises to whispers. In order to efficiently process these diverse stimulus intensities, the brain needs to strike a balance in its responsiveness. An…

Autism occurs in about one percent of the population and is characterized by alterations in communication, repetitive behavior and social difficulties. There are numerous genetic factors involved in the development of…