A team of researchers at the Biozentrum, University of Basel, has discovered a new connection between a genetic alteration and social difficulties related to autism: A mutation in the neuroligin-3 gene reduces the effect of the hormone oxytocin. In the journal “Nature”, the researchers report on a treatment approach that could normalize social behavior in autism. They have already achieved promising results in an animal model.
The concentration of acetate increases particularly sharply at the site of an infection in the body. As reported in the journal Cell Metabolism by a team of researchers from the University of Basel and colleagues, acetate supports the function of certain immune cells and thus helps to eliminate pathogens safely and efficiently.
People who laugh frequently in their everyday lives may be better equipped to deal with stressful events – although this does not seem to apply to the intensity of laughter. These are the findings reported by a research team from the University of Basel.
A new study from researchers at the University of Basel demonstrates that a novel cancer immunotherapy, based on a locally focused activation of immune cells, could help to more efficiently eradicate tumor cells and reduce side effects.
Researchers at the University of Basel have a vision: an individually configurable robot will revolutionize surgical procedures and provide numerous benefits for patients. They have already taken the first steps in this direction. To further implement their vision, the Werner Siemens Foundation is now extending its funding for the “MIRACLE” project by CHF 12 million to a total of CHF 27 million.
A spin-off of the University of Basel is breaking new ground in the treatment of cancer by using live bacteria. The closing of the third financing round allows the company T3 Pharmaceuticals AG to start clinical testing of their bacterial cancer therapy. The new funds amount to more than CHF 25 million.
An international consortium of scientists has refined the map of caesium and plutonium radionuclide concentrations in soils in Switzerland and several neighbouring countries. Using an archive of European soil samples, the team led by Katrin Meusburger from the University of Basel, now at the WSL research institute, was able to trace the sources of radioactive fallout between 1960 and 2009. This study was published in Scientific Reports.
No year since weather records began was as hot and dry as 2018. A first comprehensive analysis of the consequences of this drought and heat event shows that central European forests sustained long-term damage. Even tree species considered drought-resistant, such as beech, pine and silver fir, suffered. The international study was directed by the University of Basel, which is conducting a forest experiment unique in Europe.
Metal-based nanoparticles are a promising tool in medicine – as a contrast agent, transporter of active substances, or to thermally kill tumor cells. Up to now, it has been hardly possible to study their distribution inside an organism. Researchers at the University of Basel have used a three-dimensional imaging method to take high-resolution captures inside zebrafish embryos.
