Once again the year is racing to a close. Personally, this year has come to a much better end than last year, when I was recovering from a serious accident and was uncertain how things would continue. As I look back on 2017, I feel very positive – not only because my health has improved, but […]

    The group run by Professor Cornelia Palivan and Professor Wolfgang Meier from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Basel has recently produced synthetic nanocapsules that allow enzymatic reactions to be controlled externally. To achieve this, the team integrated biovalves into the capsule membrane that can be switched on and off once […]

During the Dies Academicus in November 2017, young nanoscientist Dr. Adrian Najer received the prize for the best doctoral dissertation in the Faculty of Science at the University of Basel. Adrian Najer studied nanoscience in Basel before beginning his award-winning work in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Basel and the Swiss Tropical […]

This year, more than 50 stunning images were submitted from the nano and micro worlds. The SNI management team had a tough time selecting the most outstanding. In the end, the following images were chosen as the winners of the Nano Image Award 2017:     Congratulations to all the winners and many thanks for […]

In mid-October, SNI Outreach Manager Dr. Kerstin Beyer-Hans presented this year’s Outreach Award to Pascal Ankli. The SNI launched this award two years ago to acknowledge the commitment of students and doctoral students at various public events and school visits. Without their support, the SNI would not be able to take part in scientific events […]

The SNI Board has recently approved seven new applied research projects within the Nano Argovia program. The 13th call for proposals attracted 16 submissions, which were evaluated by an interdisciplinary committee. All Nano Argovia projects focus on applied questions that can be answered in no more than two years. Representatives from at least two different […]

For many years, SNI members have been attending the TecDays held at Swiss high schools on the initiative of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW). A range of talks provide Swiss students with continuing insights into the fascinating world of nanoscience. The SNI outreach team recently premiered its new program, “Big Bang goes Nano”. […]

In October, SNI Director Professor Christian Schönenberger had the pleasure of attending the bachelor’s degree ceremony and presenting certificates to nanoscience graduates. Over the last few years, the 24 young scientists have successfully completed a challenging program and learned the fundamentals of physics, chemistry, molecular biology, and mathematics. In addition to numerous lectures and internships, […]

Nanoscience students always emphasize how much they value the supportive atmosphere on their degree program and the close community among students. In November, the SNI management team invited all nano students to its first informal chat over pizza to support networking between students and the SNI management. “We are delighted that more than 70 students […]

This year, the SNI once again returned to Germany’s oldest science festival, the Science Days at Europa-Park in Rust, joining 85 exhibitors from Germany and beyond. The spotlight this time was on the subject of “humans”. The popular SNI stand gave visitors insights into how innovative microscopes are aiding research into human beings and helping […]