Silicene consists of a single layer of silicon atoms. In contrast to the ultra-flat material graphene, which is made of carbon, silicene shows surface irregularities that influence its electronic properties. Now, physicists from the University of Basel have been able to precisely determine this corrugated structure.
Antibiotic-resistant pathogens are an increasing threat to our health. "In order to develop innovative antibiotics, however, we must first understand the living conditions of the bacteria in the human body," explains infection biologist Prof. Christoph Dehio, head of the new National Centre of Competence in Research "AntiResist".
Silicon-based integrated circuits form the basis of modern-day computers. Professor Richard J. Warburton, physicist and head of the new National Center of Competence in Research SPIN, explains why this established material will play a key role in the development of quantum computers.
The University of Basel has received a grant for two new National Centers of Competence in Research (NCCR), focusing on antibiotic research and quantum technology. The federal government is providing total funding of CHF 34 million for the two programs in the first funding phase to 2024, bringing the number of NCCRs with the University of Basel as their “leading house” up to three.
Children in low- and middle-income countries are receiving an average of 25 antibiotic prescriptions during their first five years of life. This excessive amount could harm the children’s ability to fight pathogens as well as increase antibiotic resistance worldwide, according to researchers from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Chaperone proteins in human cells dynamically interact with the protein α-Synuclein, which is strongly associated with Parkinson’s disease. A disturbed relationship to these “bodyguards” leads to cell damage and the formation of Lewy bodies typical for Parkinson’s disease.
Health apps could be better tailored to the individual needs of patients. A new statistical technique from the field of machine learning is now making it possible to predict the success of smartphone-based interventions more accurately. These are the findings of an international research team led by the University of Basel and reported in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
In a general benefit-cost analysis of medical treatments, priority should be given to measures for those who are at the end of their life and those who are seriously ill. These are the recommendations made in a study by health economist Professor Stefan Felder from the University of Basel, published in the Journal of Health Economics.
When pathogens invade the cells, our body combats them using various methods. Researchers at the University of Basel’s Biozentrum have now been able to show how a cellular pump keeps such invading pathogens in check. This pump causes a magnesium shortage, which in turn restricts bacterial growth.