News & Events

Since its beginnings as an ETH Zurich spin-off, InSphero has worked to bring human-relevant 3D in vitro biology into pharmaceutical research. Recent developments mark a new chapter in that journey, expanding the company’s capabilities across spheroids, organoids, imaging, and phenotypic analysis at a time when New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are gaining momentum across drug development.

Annalisa Bucci, postdoctoral researcher in the Bio Engineering Lab led by Andreas Hierlemann, has received the Swiss OphthAWARD 2026 in the category "Best Experimental Work" at the annual meeting of the Swiss Society of Ophthalmology (SSO) in Lausanne.

On 24 September, the next public seminar organised by the ETH Zürich - Roche partnership Next-gen Bioengineers will take place at the ETH Basel premises. Sascha Fauser, Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Cologne, Germany, and Global Head of Ophthalmology at Roche Pharma Research & Early Development in Basel, will talk about new treatments in ophthalmology. 

The 2026 Young 3Rs Investigators Awards have been awarded to Blandine Clément and Amanzhol Kurmashev, two postdoc-researchers from the Bio Engineering Lab led by Andreas Hierlemann. Their work advances innovative human cell-based models that improve the relevance of biomedical research whilst reducing the need for animal testing. The awards recognise outstanding contributions to the principles of the 3Rs: Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of animal use in research.

D-BSSE again participates in the National Future Day with five dedicated
scientific programmes which are embedded in the ETH programme. This
year, National Future Day is taking place on 12 November, when 5th and
7th grade pupils will have the opportunity at D-BSSE to delve into the
diverse professional world of science and technology.

Researchers from the Computational Biology group led by Dagmar Iber aim to understand how the lungs develop in the foetus so they are fully functional by the time the baby is born. The group’s computer-based method could, in the future, help improve the diagnosis of certain respiratory diseases and reduce animal experiments.

The French bio-engineer joined D-BSSE to develop a sensory human skin model for inflammatory skin diseases – and is already impressed by the department’s unique spirit of collaboration. Off the clock, she hopes to keep playing piano (in the in-house music room) and find a perfect bike for exploring Basel city.

From clinical clerkships to AI-driven healthcare innovation, the German physician with a Master’s in Digital Health is passionate about translating cutting-edge technology into practical medical applications. In this interview, he discusses his research ambitions, what surprised him most about Basel, and why you might soon spot him at a climbing gym or exploring the city by bike.

Researchers around Prisca Liberali, Professor at D-BSSE and the Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI), and their collaborators have shown how regenerating intestinal tissue turns small initial differences between cells into stable patterns. The findings reveal a general principle for how tissues rebuild order after injury, with possible implications for regenerative medicine.