News EPFL

Biological roots to domestic violence?

Published:02.05.12 — In an experiment carried out with rats at EPFL, it was observed that aggressive behavior passed from one generation to the other, even without any contact between the parent and its offspring. Researchers are exploring several approaches to explain the results.

Modeling Avalanches: “We're still in the kitchen.”

Published:30.04.12 — Christophe Ancey warns against relying blindly on the output of computational avalanche models to evaluate the safety of alpine areas. Recent events prove him right.

Vibrant new building for EPFL's central services

Published:27.04.12 — A symbolic tree has been planted today in one of the atriums of the future EPFL central services building. Patrick Aebischer, President of EPFL, Dominique Perrault, founder of the Dominique Perrault Architecture agency, and Henry Muhr, CEO of Steiner SA, have attended this ‘foundation stone’ ceremony, less than a year before the building’s opening.

Two million Swiss francs for an allergy-detecting device

Published:27.04.12 — Abionic, an EPFL spin-off, has just brought its first round of financing to a close and was selected yesterday by Red Herring as one of Europe’s 100 most innovative companies. Using only a single drop of blood, the system developed by the company can pinpoint allergies in just 20 minutes. The device could be available by 2013.

EPFL Announces the Next Phase for its Center for Neuroprosthetics

Published:25.04.12 — Engineering the Nervous System to Improve Sensation, Cognition, and Mobility

A protein that regulates fat cell production and cell division

Published:23.04.12 — EPFL scientists have teased out the role that a protein known as SMRT plays in regulating the production of fat cells. And in the process, they made another, unexpected discovery; this protein also plays a critical role in the division of cells that ultimately store fat.

The presence of water changes the structure of an antibiotic

Published:20.04.12 — EPFL chemists have shown how the three-dimensional shape of an antibiotic changes when it is in an aqueous environment. This could lead to a better understanding of how drugs interact with biological molecules.