Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR)

Media Release Archive

This is where you can read the current media releases about research of the Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern.

2023 | 2022 | 2021

2023

06.07.2023

Johanna Dürmüller-bol DBMR Research Award 2023 for project on the neural mechanisms involved in emotional processing during sleep

At the DBMR BioMedical Research on Wednesday, 5 July 2023, Prof. Dr. Volker Enzmann announced the winner of the Johanna Dürmüller-Bol DBMR Research Award 2023. The DBMR congratulates Mattia Aime, PhD, this year's winner, for his project “REM sleep and emotions: the missing link for a better life quality”.

Read more about the winning research project of the Johanna Dürmüller-Bol DBMR Research Award 2023.

06.07.2023

2022 Benoît Pochon Prize

At the DBMR Day of BioMedical Research on July 5 2023, PD. Dr. Michaela Medova announced Dr. Jana Remlinger as the winner of the Benoît Pochon Prize 2022 in recognition of her PhD thesis “Investigation of Antibody-driven Central Nervous System Autoimmunity with Focus on Involvement of the Visual Pathway”. The DBMR congratulates Dr. Remingler.

Read more about the winning PhD thesis of the 2022 Prize.

08.06.2023

A potential milestone in cancer therapy

Researchers from the University of Bern, Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, and the University of Connecticut have identified a previously unknown weak point of prostate cancer cells. The study was published in the journal Molecular Cell.

Read more.

2022

11.11.2022

Better understanding of the development of intestinal diseases

Bacteria in the small intestine adapt dynamically to our nutritional state, with individual species disappearing and reappearing. Researchers at the University of Bern and University Hospital Bern have now been able to comprehensively study the bacteria of the small intestine and their unique adaptability for the first time. The findings contribute to a better understanding of intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease and to the development of new therapeutic approaches.

Read more.

01.09.2022

Technological advances in cancer therapy

Researchers from the University of Bern and Inselspital provide an overview of the latest technologies in precision oncology. Translating these into clinical application is still a major challenge. With research projects, the Bern Center for Precision Medicine (BCPM) contributes to bringing technological progress to the patient.

Read more.

28.08.2022

Emerging Therapies and Therapeutic Targets in Prostate Cancer

Mark Rubin talks with Alicia Morgans, GU Medical Oncologist from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, about emerging therapies and emerging therapeutic targets in prostate cancer.

Read more.

06.07.2022

Johanna Dürmüller-Bol DBMR Research Award 2022

At the DBMR Day of BioMedical Research on 6 July 2022, Prof. Dr. Volker Enzmann announced the winner of the Johanna Dürmüller-bol DBMR Research Award 2022. The DBMR congratulates Emma Britt Hodcroft, PhD, this year’s winner, for her project “Investigating the impact of pandemic restrictions on circulation and genetic diversity of a respiratory virus”. Congratulation!

06.07.2022

Poster Prizes of the Day of BioMedical Research 2022

At the DBMR BioMedical Research Day on 6 July 2022, the following researchers were awarded a poster prize Liana Hayrapetyan, Maria Natalia Rojas Velazquez, Cosima Meret Schmid, Tim Rollenske, Chantal Bachmann, Charlotte Kern Congratulations!

05.04.2022

New paper: Alterations in homologous recombination repair genes in prostate cancer brain metastases

Congratulation to the DBMR Precision Medicine & Prostate Cancer Researcher! In the largest cohort of prostate cancer brain metastases yet studied, researchers at the DBMR led a pan-Swiss study that demonstrated that these metastases harbor common genetic alterations that may benefit from existing PARPi therapy.

05.04.2022

President's Presenter's Award for an outstanding Abstract effectively furthering the objectives of the Society

Congress Society of Reproductive Investigation, USA, March 2022 Congratulation to our researchers Patricia Renz, Anda-Petronela Radan, Mafalda Trippel, Valérie Haesler, Luigi Raio, Daniel Surbek who received President's Presenter's Award for an outstanding Abstract effectively furthering the objectives of the Society. Title: Immunohistochemical evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in the placenta after infection during pregnancy: A prospective case-control study.

05.04.2022

Award for Best New Investigator Poster Presentation

Congress Society of Reproductive Investigation, USA, March 2022 Congratulation to our researchers Amanda Brosius Lutz, Patricia Renz, Valérie Haesler, Vera Tscherrig, Shane Liddelow, Andreina Schoeberlein, Daniel Surbek who received an award for "Best New Investigator Poster Presentation". Title: Investigating reactive astrocytes as therapeutic targets in acute perinatal white matter injury.

29.03.2022

Johanna Dürmüller-Bol DBMR Research Award 2021

At the Opening Symposium of the DBMR on 18 March 2022, Prof. Dr. Anne Angelillo-Scherrer announced the winner of the Johanna Dürmüller-Bol DBMR Research Award 2021. The DBMR congratulates Dr. Joel Zindel, this year’s winner.

29.03.2022

Nuovo-Soldati Foundation for Cancer Research

Congratulations to Dr. Dilara Akhoundova for receiving a fellowship from the Nuovo-Soldati Foundation for her project on targeting of homologous recombination deficiency in prostate cancer using in vitro models.

21.03.2022

Benoît Pochon Prize 2021

At the event celebrating the new premises of the DBMR on March 2022, PD. Dr. Michaela Medova announced the winner of the Benoît Pochon Prize 2021. The DBMR congratulates Dr. Noëlle A. Dommann, this year’s winner.

21.03.2022

A novel painless and reliable allergy test

A research group led by Alexander Eggel from the Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR) at the University of Bern and the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, together with Thomas Kaufmann from the Institute of Pharmacology at the University of Bern, has now developed an allergy test that, on the one hand, greatly simplifies diagnosis and, on the other hand, can reliably predict the success of immunotherapy. The test was recently presented in a publication of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

11.03.2022

First UniBE Venture Fellowships have been granted

Congratulations to Dr. Felix Baier. For the first time, the InnovationOffice of the University of Bern has awarded four "UniBE Venture Fellowships" to support entrepreneurial young researchers and their promising innovation projects. Dr. Felix Baier received the "UniBE Venture Fellowship" for a new therapeutic method to treat liver disease.

14.02.2022

Werner and Hedy Berger - Janser Foundation - Cancer Research Grant

Congratulations to Prof. Mark A. Rubin on receiving a Cancer Research Grant from Werner and Hedy Berger - Janser Foundation for his project on molecular characterization, in vitro modelling and therapeutic targeting of prostate cancer liver metastases.

14.02.2022

Helmut Horten Foundation Grant

Congratulations to Prof. Dr. Ziad Al Nabhani on receiving the Helmut Horten Foundation Grant for his project on the influence of child intestinal microbiota on lifelong immunity.

14.02.2022

Kurt and Senta Herrmann Foundation - Research Grant

Congratulations to Dr. Dilara Akhoundova on receiving a research grant from the Kurt and Senta Herrmann Foundation for her project on targeting of homologous recombination deficiency in prostate cancer using in vitro models.

14.02.2022

ISREC Foundation - Translational Research Grant

Congratulations to Prof. Mark A. Rubin on receiving a Translational Research Grant from the ISREC Foundation for his project on advanced in vitro models of prostate cancer metastases.

10.02.2022

Three Bernese researchers receive Pfizer Prize

Congratulation to our researchers: Prof. Dr. Stephanie Ganal-Vonarburg, Dr. Hai Li and Dr. Julien Limenitakis, from the Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR) of the University of Bern and Department for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Gastroenterology at the Inselspital, are awarded for their joint work. In collaboration with Prof. Andrew Macpherson, they have discovered that gut microbes can shape our antibodies.

2021

17.11.2021

Bernese Researchers on Highly Cited Researchers 2021 List

Congratulations to our researchers, who are again among the world's most cited in medicine.

12.11.2021

Best Poster Award at the 2nd AACR-KCA

Congratulations! The Best Poster Award at the 2nd AACR-KCA Joint Conference on Precision Medicine in Solid Tumors, which was held on November 12, 2021 goes to Liana Hayrapetyan, Program Translational Cancer Research, Medova Lab. Title: HPV and p53 status determine irradiation-related responses to a selective DNA-PK inhibitor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma models

13.10.2021

Immunoglobulin A antibodies control intestinal bacteria

An international team led by Researchers (Dr. Tim Rollenske and Prof. Andrew Macpherson) from the DBMR and Inselspital show how the intestinal immune system specifically recognizes our commensal bacteria and how IgA constrains microbial fitness in the intestine. The findings expand our fundamental understanding of mucosal antibody responses and how we keep homeostasis between the host and its microbiota.

14.09.2021

Vontobel-Preis für Alter(n)sforschung 2021

Einen Preis, dotiert mit 5'000 CHF, erhalten Daniel Brigger, Mario Noti und Alexander Eggel PhD in Pathologie; Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am Department für Rheumatologie, Immunologie und Allergologie Universität Bern; PhD in Immunologie/Mikrobiologie, Senior Scientist Nestlé Research Center Lausanne; PD Dr. Universität Bern, Research Group Leader am Department für Rheumatologie, Immunologie und Allergologie Universität Bern für die Arbeit «Eosinophils Regulate Adipose Tissue Inflammation and Sustain Physical and Immunological Fitness in Old Age»

10.06.2021

SNF Sinergia Grant

Congratulations to PD Dr. Marianna Kruithof-de Julio and Prof. Dr. Eliane J. Müller on each receiving a SNF Sinergia Grant.

03.05.2021

Award Benôit Pochon Prize 2020

At the outset of the May 3 DBMR Research Conference, Prof. Dr. med. Daniel M. Aebersold announced the winners of the 2020 Benoît Pochon Prize. The prize went to Dr. med. Haitang Yang and Dr. Nicolas Melin. The DBMR congratulates the two winners.

29.03.2021

DBMR Board of Directors

We welcome Prof. Anne Angelillo-Scherrer (Deputy Director), Dr. Marianna Kruithof-de Julio, Prof. Volker Enzmann and Prof. Carsten Riether to the DBMR Board of Directors for a period of two years and look forward to the involvement of active research members of the DBMR in the inter-workings of the department!

15.03.2021

Young Investigator Prize 2021 - Dr. Anke Augspach

Dr. Anke Augspach (Department for BioMedical Research) received the Young Investigator Prize 2021 from Fond’Action Contre le Cancer (CHF 100'000) for her work on aberrant RNA splicing in prostata cancer. Congratulation!

05.03.2021

Success report: Controlling adhesions in the abdomen

Adhesions are scars in the abdomen, which can occur after surgery, often have serious consequences. Now, researchers from the University of Bern and Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, in collaboration with Canadian researchers, have discovered how such adhesions form. The findings may help to develop a drug to prevent adhesions in the future. The study was published as the cover story of Science magazine.

02.03.2021

Predicting success in therapy with individualized cancer models

Scientists at Urology Research Laboratory of the Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern and Urology Department of the Inselspital of Bern, have established organoid culture models from prostate tumor biopsies. These are small clusters of cells which can be used to test the efficacy of various drugs. In this way, it is possible to test which treatment will most likely benefit individual patients.

08.02.2021

Success story: SNSF-Sinergia grant for Prof. Dr. Robert Rieben

Prof. R. Rieben (Main applicant, Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern) together with Prof. Dr. med. Jörg Seebach, Geneve University Hospital and Prof. Dr. Eckhard Wolf, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany received a SNSF-funded Sinergia-grant (2.656 Mio CHF) for their project «Xeno2Cure – advanced engineering and testing of organ donor pigs». Starting date 01.04.2021. Congratulations!

28.01.2021

Four Bernese researchers receive Pfizer Prize

This year, four of a total of fifteen Pfizer Research Prizes have been awarded to physicians from the University of Bern and the Inselspital, University Hospital Bern. The award-winning work deals with leukemia, cardiac arrhythmias and the fever threshold in children and adolescents with cancer.

07.01.2021

Persistent lung damage after Covid-19

The nationwide study published today was initiated by Inselspital, Bern University Hospital with the collaboration of the University of Bern and has established for the first time: severe Covid-19 can result in prolonged impairment of oxygen uptake in the lungs even after four months. Long-term monitoring and treatment of these patients is urgent and important.