News EPFL

Isabelle Musy Award: 50'000 francs for the start up BioMe

Published:22.04.16 — EPFL’s Isabelle Musy Award was presented to Sandra Sulser this evening for her start-up project BioMe. The 50,000-franc award, funded by a private donor, is aimed at encouraging women to become entrepreneurs.

The gates of serotonin: cracking the workings of a notorious receptor

Published:22.04.16 — EPFL scientists have elucidated for the first time how a notoriously elusive serotonin receptor functions with atom-level detail. The receptor transmits electrical signals in neurons and is involved in various disorders, meaning that the discovery opens the way for new treatments.

Using turbulence to keep dams clean

Published:20.04.16 — Sediment builds up in reservoir water and can prevent dams from operating properly. EPFL researchers have come up with a method of keeping sediment in suspension and allowing it be flushed out.

Protective suit against Ebola and future epidemics

Published:19.04.16 — Following the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, EPFL is joining forces with Geneva University Hospitals and the University of Geneva to develop a new protective suit. The initiative is driven and supported by doctors working on the front lines.

Newly created Swiss Polar Institute to launch an Antarctic expedition

Published:18.04.16 — The Swiss Polar Institute will study the Earth’s poles and extreme environments. Its first project is ambitious: an international scientific expedition, comprising 55 researchers from 30 countries working on 22 research projects, will circumnavigate Antarctica.

A single-atom magnet breaks new ground for future data storage

Published:15.04.16 — Scientists at EPFL and ETH Zurich have built a single-atom magnet that is the most stable to-date. The breakthrough paves the way for the scalable production of miniature magnetic storage devices.

Nexthink raises 40 million dollars

Published:14.04.16 — EPFL spin-off Nexthink has just completed a round of fundraising that brought in 40 million dollars. The company, which specializes in analytical solutions for IT systems, plans to expand its R&D activities and go after the US market and hopes to be listed on Nasdaq within five years.