The gut does much more than just digest food. Researchers @biozentrum.unibas.ch have now discovered a surprising link between gut function, feeding, and sleep in fruit flies. Their study adds to growing evidence that the gut communicates with the brain and can influence behavior.

"Absolute poverty means having to manage on less than three dollars per day. It affects just short of 840 million people, primarily in Africa." Legal scholar Krista Nadakavukaren Schefer discusses the laws of poverty in an interview for the latest issue of Uni Nova.

The oldest coins in the Mediterranean were found in what is now western Turkey, but the circulation of coinage was not ubiquitous in the ancient world. Rather, bartering was the dominant economic system, particularly in times of crisis.

For decades, Alzheimer’s was considered incurable. Now, a shift is emerging: clinician and dementia researcher @marcaurelbusche.bsky.social explains why our understanding of the disease is currently undergoing a fundamental transformation.

Meningitis is rare in newborns but often dramatic. For the first time, researchers @biozentrum.unibas.ch & @ethz.ch have developed a preventive approach that stops harmful bacteria in their tracks before transmission even occurs. They harness one of its natural enemies: a virus that kills bacteria.

"Stories create a safe space in which you do not have to speak directly about yourself at first, but can begin by talking about the story." Literary scholars Moniek Kuijpers and Tina Ternes investigate how Shared Reading affects well-being. In an interview, they offer insights into their research.

Lakes remove excess nitrogen from the water. An international research team led by @unibas.ch & @eawag.bsky.social has now shown that climate change could weaken this natural purification process. This would have consequences extending all the way to coastal marine ecosystems.

Evolution runs through the gut: Researchers show, using highly diverse cichlids, how diet shapes the composition of intestinal tissue. @tschopplab.bsky.social @snsf.ch

Stem cell donation can help people with #leukemia. A pilot study suggests that blood stem cell donors may be able to donate more and better-quality blood stem cells through exercise.

Millions of people worldwide carry viral infections they acquired at birth, often for life. New research provides evidence that the immune system fights these infections more effectively than previously thought. @biomedizin.unibas.ch

The University Council has appointed Professor Samuel Allemann as professor of pharmaceutical care. Allemann's research aims to make medication in chronic and complex diseases safer, more effective and more suitable for everyday use. 👉 www.unibas.ch/en/News-Even...

In many diseases, dysfunctional mitochondria play a central role. Researchers @iobswiss.bsky.social have now developed MitoCatch, a system which delivers healthy donor mitochondria specifically to the cells that need them most urgently.

The #plague regularly affected the city of Basel. Excavations beneath Basel’s Stadtcasino uncovered graves from the 17th century, including plague burials. Analysis by researchers @unibas.ch shows that it was primarily young people from lower social strata who fell victim to the disease.

Treelines shift uphill with #climatechange, right? A new global study by @ecologybasel.bsky.social shows: it’s not that simple. 25% of treelines are now lower than 20 years ago. Besides warming, land use and fire also play a role. @oeaw.bsky.social 👉 www.unibas.ch/en/News-Even...

A square jaw, a ridged browbone, a prominent nose – facial features shape how we perceive gender. A Basel-based study is exploring whether these traits can be adjusted without surgery using reversible injections. A game changer for trans people? #uninova

"If you want to stop a virus, you have to catch it at the door." In the lungs, immune cells fight viruses on the spot. New findings by @immunologyking.bsky.social could pave the way for new inhalable vaccines against respiratory viruses such as influenza.

The University Council has appointed Prof. Gertraud Gradl-Dietsch clinical professor of child and adolescent psychiatry. She will also take over as director of the Clinic for Children and Adolescents at the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel (UPK). 👉 www.unibas.ch/en/News-Even...

AI makes treatment effects measurable: University of Basel researchers and colleagues show how AI can quantify skin changes in mastocytosis – an important step for clinical trials.

How does a tiny cluster of cells become an embryo? Researchers @biozentrum.unibas.ch mapped gene activity across the entire zebrafish embryo, creating a 4D atlas that links gene expression to cell movement & development. www.unibas.ch/en/News-Even...

Digital health apps are designed to help people take their medication correctly. However, a @unibas.ch study shows that digital assistants do not replace the need for personalized professional support. They have also not yet reached their full potential.

Do you feel more exhausted in the spring? A new study by @christineblume.bsky.social (@unibas.ch & UPK Basel) and Albrecht Vorster (@inselgruppe.bsky.social & @unibe.ch) suggests that spring fatigue may be more of a cultural phenomenon than a measurable biological one.

40 years ago, Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Christoph Gerber, together with Gerd Binnig and Calvin Quate, published a groundbreaking paper introducing the atomic force microscope — a milestone that transformed nanoscience. @nanoscience.ch

Until now, the history of Old Albanian has remained a mystery. A project at the University of Basel aims to change that. The search for linguistic clues also offers insights into social and cultural developments.

Researchers @biozentrum.unibas.ch have developed a gene therapy that could potentially treat a rare and currently fatal muscular dystrophy in children. In animal models, a single treatment was sufficient to halt disease progression. The challenge now: bringing this promising therapy into the clinic.

Lasers cut precisely and without contact – ideal for surgery. But in hard tissues such as bone, they are too slow and do not cut deep enough. Researchers led by Dr. Ferda Canbaz have now reported a breakthrough: They achieved cutting depths of up to 4.5 centimeters using a novel laser beam profile.

@dahoehmann.bsky.social has been interested in politics since his school days – less so in active participation and more in looking at political processes. Today, his research focuses on the question of how women are represented in politics. What drives his passion for this topic 👇

Ancient Egyptian religion and culture were informed by the concepts of demise and renewal. Rituals provided stability in times of upheaval, for example at the end of life. "People had to prepare in life for their later journey to the hereafter," explains Egyptologist Sandrine Vuilleumier.

Catalina Chaparro-Pedraza @ecoevodevolab.bsky.social has been awarded an ERC Starting Grant and will begin her research at the University of Basel on March 1. Her work will focus on how biodiversity responds to human-induced environmental changes. vist.ly/4rygx @eawag.bsky.social

Dr. Halyna Tsyhanenko fled Ukraine for Switzerland in 2022, and settling in was challenging. With support from @scholarsatrisk.bsky.social, she joined the University of Basel, where she was able to continue her social psychology research for two years. In this interview, she shares her experience.

In rural regions of Africa, high blood pressure often goes untreated. A new study shows: trained laypeople improve blood pressure control in their village community compared to normal treatment in healthcare centres. #TaskShifting #SolidarMed

The University Council of the University of Basel has entered the 2026–2029 performance period. At its inaugural meeting, the new University Council President, Prof. Dr. Aymo Brunetti, welcomed Markus Eigenmann, who represents the sponsoring canton of Basel-Landschaft on the Council.

Congratulations to @marcaurelbusche.bsky.social on receiving the 2026 Rainwater Prize for Innovative Early Career Scientists — one of the most prestigious international awards in neurodegeneration and dementia research. 👉 www.unibas.ch/en/News-Even...

Dr. Isabelle Wienand has headed the University of Basel's Research Ethics Committee since its inception. In an interview, she explains why universities need their own ethics board – and what matters most for responsible research.

How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect the mental health of people in Switzerland compared to other countries? A study by a team led by Prof. Christian Huber (UPK & @unibas.ch) suggests that well-being and mental health suffered less in Switzerland than in many other countries.

A Harley Davidson and an affair with a younger woman — classic signs of a midlife crisis. A typically male phenomenon? Science historian Professor Susanne Schmidt was surprised to discover that the midlife crisis was originally a feminist concept.

The University of Basel is taking on a co-lead role in National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) ‘Precision’, dedicated to cutting-edge research in high-precision measurements.

Researchers @unibas.ch & @ethz.ch have succeeded in changing the polarity of a special ferromagnet using a laser beam. "In the future, we will be able to use our method to optically write arbitrary and adaptable topological circuits on a chip," says Prof. Dr. Tomasz Smoleński.

A low-carb diet is considered a promising weight-loss solution. But does it really help to reach your dream weight? In a fact check for #UniNova, endocrinologist PD Dr. Eleonora Seelig explains that food quality matters more than cutting out carbohydrates.

#Fluoride is used worldwide to prevent tooth decay. However, health concerns are raised, particularly in places where fluoride is added to drinking water. An international research team involving the University of Basel has evaluated data from over 11 million births and reached a clear conclusion 👇

Entanglement is probably the most puzzling phenomenon observed in quantum systems. A research team @unibas.ch & @lkblab.bsky.social has now shown how entanglement of spatially separated quantum objects can be used to measure several physical parameters simultaneously with greater precision.

Researchers @unibas.ch have deciphered the diet of an important nomadic people in Eastern European history. By analyzing dental calculus, they have provided the first direct evidence that the diet of the Scythians included milk from various ruminants and horses. vist.ly/4nvc5

A research team @nanoscience.ch has accurately observed novel energy flow mechanisms in semiconductors, post-laser pulse excitation. The findings offer critical insight towards enhancing the efficiency of electronics and computer chips. www.unibas.ch/en/News-Even...

Environmental phenomena and their consequences can disrupt social structures and destabilize political systems. An interdisciplinary research team demonstrated this using the example of the late Tang dynasty in medieval China. vist.ly/4mzx3

Fiona Doetsch, Professor of Molecular Stem Cell Biology @biozentrum.unibas.ch has been awarded the 2026 Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine. She is recognized for identifying neural stem cells in the adult mammalian brain. The prize is endowed with 500,000 Swiss francs. 👉 www.unibas.ch/en/News-Even...

Researchers @biomedizin.unibas.ch report how the Epstein-Barr virus can initiate early multiple sclerosis-like damage in the brain. This offers a new perspective on how rare immune events may shape disease risk.

Short exercise sessions can help children build social relationships. This has been demonstrated by @unibas.ch researchers. An “active” short break could be a fun way to integrate these findings into everyday school life.

Some bacterial pathogens play dead to dodge antibiotics. A new test watches them closely—and helps choose drugs that finish the job. #AntibioticTolerance @biomedizin.unibas.ch @lucboeck.bsky.social

Catalysts speed up chemical reactions and are essential for industry; but there is still some room for improvement. Murielle Delley wants to make catalysts more efficient and more sustainable.

When do people engage in dialog across political divides? A new study by researchers @socpsychbasel.bsky.social shows that personal factors matter more than the controversial nature of a topic in whether people actually talk across divides.

Ovarian cancer reshapes the omentum, a fatty, immune-active tissue in the abdomen, early on. Even tumor-free areas may harbor cancer cells. A new study by researchers @biomedizin.unibas.ch suggests that wider removal may reduce the risk of relapse.