News

EPFL researchers have developed a device that can zoom in on previously invisible cells at the back of the eye. The technology could be extremely useful for ophthalmologists, in particular for detecting age-related macular degeneration early and assessing new treatment options.

Francesco Stellacci, a professor in EPFL’s School of Engineering, discusses his research in the field of nanomedicine and how it could help us get past the coronavirus crisis.

Researchers at EPFL School of Engineering have developed a nanodevice that operates more than 10 times faster than today’s fastest transistors, and about 100 times faster than the transistors you have on your computers. This new device enables the generation of high-power terahertz waves. These waves, which are notoriously difficult to produce, are useful in a rich variety of applications ranging from imaging and sensing to high-speed wireless communications. The high-power picosecond operation of these device also hold immense promise to some advanced medical treatment techniques such as cancer therapy. The team’s pioneering compact source, described today in Nature, paves the way for untold new applications.

Following the restrictions due to the Covid-19, the School of Engineering (STI) has decided to cancel the “E3 Program – EPFL Excellence in Engineering”. This year, the program should have welcomed 46 foreign students during the summer season in 33 of the school’s laboratories. 

The Tech4Dev program connects EPFL researchers with NGOs in order to develop technologies able to address specific needs in the global South and withstand local conditions. Four projects have been awarded grants following the first call for proposals.

New medical technologies hold immense promise for treating a range of conditions. Despite the pace of innovation in the medtech field, however, most discoveries never make it out of the laboratory. New research from EPFL could fast-track the route to clinical translation.

The fifth annual My Thesis in 180 Seconds competition was held behind closed doors last night because of the coronavirus. Out of a high-caliber field, two PhD students from the same laboratory took first and second place and will now go on to the national final.

The fifth annual My Thesis in 180 Seconds competition was held behind closed doors last night because of the coronavirus. Out of a high-caliber field, two PhD students from the same laboratory took first and second place and will now go on to the national final.

EPFL scientists have developed powerful tools to unmask the diversity of amyloid fibrils, which are associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. The scientists made the breakthrough by developing gold nanoparticles that combine with cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, to provide rapid and unprecedented images of fibrils.

EPFL has decided that classes with at least 150 students will be given online starting this Wednesday, 11 March 2020. This measure is part of our effort to protect people at especially high risk. Below you will find all necessary informations for teaching staff and students.

EPFL has decided that classes with at least 150 students will be given online starting this Wednesday, 11 March 2020. This measure is part of our effort to protect people at especially high risk. Below you will find all necessary informations for teaching staff and students.

What do you get when you place a thin film of perovkite material used in solar cells on top of a magnetic substrate? More efficient hard drive technology. EPFL physicist László Forró and his team pave the way for the future of data storage.

The Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology has announced the appointement of several professors at EPFL School of Engineering.

Researchers at EPFL School of Engineering have developed a novel way to increase fuel-cell efficiency and lifespan, using a recirculation fan driven by a steam turbine that runs on steam-lubricated bearings.

Researchers at EPFL have developed a novel way to increase fuel-cell efficiency and lifespan, using a recirculation fan driven by a steam turbine that runs on steam-lubricated bearings.

EPFL scientists have developed a new type of microscope slide that can boost the amount of light in fluorescence microscopy by a factor of up to 25. These new slides can both amplify and direct light, making them ideal for applications ranging from early-stage diagnosis to the rapid archiving of pathology samples.

EPFL scientists have developed a new type of microscope slide that can boost the amount of light in fluorescence microscopy by a factor of up to 25. These new slides can both amplify and direct light, making them ideal for applications ranging from early-stage diagnosis to the rapid archiving of pathology samples.

An experiment by EPFL researchers has confirmed a theory that has been used in mechanics for over half a century – despite never having been fully validated. The team could now use the theory in bolder and more innovative ways in their quest to develop ever better energy systems.

Professor Selman Sakar and professor Andras Kis from the EPFL School of Engineering, have been awarded prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept (PoC) Grants.

Researchers at EPFL have developed a new, high-precision method for 3D-printing small, soft objects. The process, which takes less than 30 seconds from start to finish, has potential applications in a wide range of fields, including 3D bioprinting.

The only therapeutic cancer vaccine available on the market has so far showed very limited efficacy in clinical trials. EPFL researchers are currently working on an alternative. They have developed a platform that allows a cancer vaccine to be delivered to a precise location and stimulate the immune system in a safe way – thereby overcoming one of the two obstacles to creating an effective vaccine.

Researchers at EPFL and MARVEL have developed a novel formulation that describes how heat spreads within crystalline materials. This can explain why and under which conditions heat propagation becomes fluid-like rather than diffusive. Their equations will make it easier to design next-generation electronic devices at the nanoscale, in which these phenomena can become prevalent.

EPFL and its electric single-seater racing car will take part in Formula Student motor racing competitions in Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany this summer.

CAR T-cell therapy is a highly promising treatment strategy for tumors, but is associated with life-threatening side effects. Researchers at EPFL, UNIL and CHUV have developed a new way to “switch off” the therapy when a cancer patient’s life is in danger, paving the way for safer immunotherapy approaches to target solid tumors.

First successful edition of a joint Masters course between STI and CDM to expose students to entrepreneurial challenges by designing a product to be marketed.

First successful edition of a joint Masters course between STI and CDM to expose students to entrepreneurial challenges by designing a product to be marketed.

Researchers at EPFL have developed a material that combines transparent properties with the moiré effect to produce images. The technology could have interesting decorative and anti-forgery applications.

New antiviral materials made from sugar have been developed by researchers from the University of Manchester, the University of Geneva and the EPFL in Lausanne. They can destroy viruses on contact and may help in the fight against viral outbreaks. Although at an early stage of development, the broad-spectrum activity of this compound could also be effective against new emerging viruses such as the recent coronavirus currently of concern in China.

EPFL researchers have developed a highly sensitive and portable optical biosensor that stands to accelerate the diagnosis of fatal conditions like sepsis. It could be used by ambulances and hospitals to improve the triage process and save lives.

EPFL startup hiLyte has developed an eco-friendly battery that will allow people in Sub-Saharan Africa to light their homes and charge their cell phones. The technology is currently being tested by families in Tanzania.

The Tenure Track Assistant Professor in EPFL’s School of Engineering, who is developing immunotherapy approaches to treat cancer, has been named to MIT Technology Review’s 2019 China list of the 35 most promising innovators under 35 years of age. This list is a who’s who of up-and-coming Chinese researchers poised to revolutionize our lifestyles and shape the future of technology and industry.

Yesterday evening, tiny robots developed by EPFL spin-off Foldaway Haptics were the center of attention at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The 33 “bionic flaps,” installed on a concept car from German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, moves bodywork parts in response to the driver’s decisions and interacts with the public.

Researchers at EPFL have patented a new concept that could cut trucks’ CO₂ emissions by almost 90%. It involves capturing CO₂ within the exhaust system, converting it into a liquid and storing it on the vehicle. The liquid CO₂ would then be delivered to a service station and where it will be turned back into fuel using renewable energy.

#EPFLWORLD

Researchers at EPFL have developed an ultra-light robotic insect that uses its soft artificial muscles to move at 3 cm per second across different types of terrain. It can be folded or crushed and yet continue to move.

EPFL School of Engineering’s Dominique Pioletti and Nikolaos Stergiopulos and Dr Kishore Sandu received a Sinergia Grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation of CHF 1’200’000 for their project to treat the tracheomalacia.

Researchers from NXMM, Neutrons and Xrays for mechanics of materials at EPFL School of Engineering, and PEM, photons for engineering and manufacturing at the Paul Scherrer Institute, both led by Professor Helena Van Swygenhoven, have developed an operando experiment for 3D printing while performing ultra-fast time-resolved X-ray diffraction at the Swiss Light Source.

Researchers at EPFL have developed a new way to predict a protein’s interactions with other proteins and biomolecules, and its biochemical activity, merely by observing its surface. The method, published in open-source format, opens up new possibilities for artificial protein design.

Professor Tobias Schneider from EPFL’s School of Engineering, has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant for his project “PERTURB”. These highly prestigious grants are designed to support outstanding researchers who have a solid track record and a top-notch research project.

Researchers at EPFL have discovered that the viscosity of solutions of electrically charged polymers dissolved in water is influenced by a quantum effect. This tiny quantum effect influences the way water molecules interact with one another. Yet, it can lead to drastic changes in large-scale observations. This effect could change the way scientists understand the properties and behavior of solutions of biomolecules in water, and lead to a better understanding of biological systems.

Congratulations to Postdoctoral researcher of the Microengineering Institute Jonathan Cottet who won the CENTRALP 2019 award in Lyon for his thesis titled “Développement de microsystèmes pour la formation contrôlée d’agrégats de cellules par diélectrophorèse”.

Four professors from the School of Engineering (STI) have earned the prestigious title of 2020 IEEE Fellows. IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. IEEE Fellow is a distinction reserved for select IEEE members whose extraordinary accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest are deemed fitting of this prestigious grade elevation.

For EPFL’s 50th anniversary, the School of Engineering is publishing a series of portraits of its female professors. Today we meet Hatice Altug.

An EPFL Bachelor’s student has solved a mystery that has puzzled scientists for 100 years. He discovered why gas bubbles in narrow vertical tubes seem to remain stuck instead of rising upwards. According to his research and observations, an ultra-thin film of liquid forms around the bubble, preventing it from rising freely. And he found that, in fact, the bubbles are not stuck at all – they are just moving very, very slowly.

The crew of the International Space Station has taken delivery of a haptic interface designed by EPFL spin-off Force Dimension. Astronauts could one day use the device, based on the famous delta robot developed at EPFL by Reymond Clavel, to control unmanned Martian and lunar rovers from afar.

Crafty engineering can help solve many problems, including those we face in our own kitchens. At EPFL’s Institute of Mechanical Engineering, students from three laboratories tackled some of the most common kitchen challenges as part of the first Kitchen-Inspired Engineering contest.

Researchers at EPFL have developed a new laser 3D-printing technique to manufacture metal components with unprecedented resistance to high temperature, damage and corrosion. The method has applications in fields ranging from aerospace to power-generating turbines.

Five researchers from the School of Engineering appear on the Web of Science’s 2019 Highly Cited Researchers list 2019.

Daniela Zöller, guest PhD student at the Medical Image Processing Laboratory, received the EDEE best Doctoral Thesis Award in Electrical Engineering, for her thesis ”Dynamic Organization of Human Brain Function and its Relevance for Psychosis Vulnerability”.

Congratulations to PhD Student of the Electrical Engineering Institute Ezequiel González Debada who won the 1^st best Student Paper Award at the 2019 IEEE Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC 19), held in Auckland, New Zealand.