News EPFL

3D imaging of surface chemistry in confinement

Published:20.07.17 — EPFL researchers have developed an optical imaging tool to visualize surface chemistry in real time. They imaged the interfacial chemistry in the microscopically confined geometry of a simple glass micro-capillary. The glass is covered with hydroxyl (-OH) groups that can lose a proton – a much-studied chemical reaction that is important in geology, chemistry and technology. A 100-micron long capillary displayed a remarkable spread in surface OH bond dissociation constant of a factor of a billion. The research has been published in Science.

A uranium-based compound improves manufacturing of nitrogen products

Published:19.07.17 — EPFL scientists have developed a uranium-based complex that can allow nitrogen fixation reactions to take place in ambient conditions. The work overcomes one of the biggest difficulties to building more efficient industrial-scale nitrogen products like ammonia.

Smart walk assist improves rehabilitation

Published:19.07.17 — A mobile harness suspended from the ceiling is now equipped with intelligent motion analysis for tailored walking rehabilitation in people suffering from spinal cord injury, stroke and other neurological disorders affecting gait.

HOUSE 2 assembled in Malley

Published:19.07.17 — HOUSE 2, the temporary house designed and built by EPFL architecture students, is back from Zurich and headed for Malley. It will help liven up the largest vacant site in western Lausanne, which has been scheduled for development.

The genetics of severe illness in children with the common cold

Published:18.07.17 — EPFL scientists have discovered gene variants that make children life-threateningly susceptible to common-cold viruses.

Low-dose diazepam can increase social competitiveness

Published:18.07.17 — EPFL scientists have discovered how low-dose anxiolytics increase the social competitiveness of high-anxious individuals by boosting the energy output of mitochondria in an area of the mammalian brain that controls motivation and reward.

A new ligand extends the half-life of peptides from minutes to days

Published:17.07.17 — EPFL scientists have developed a ligand molecule that connects peptide drugs to blood-serum albumin and keeps them from being cleared out by the kidneys too soon. The ligand is easy to synthesize and can extend the half-life of therapeutic peptides from minutes to several days.