The following members of the Neuroscience Center have recently received an SNF Advanced Grant. They are two out of three recipients of this prestigious grant in the life sciences.
Mehmet Fatih Yanik
Yanik’s team is developing an approach to modify neural networks in the brain precisely. The aim is to use this approach to treat psychiatric and neurological disorders that are resistant to existing treatments. His concept uses biocompatible electrodes implanted in the brain to measure and influence brain activity precisely. Simultaneously, he uses another unique technology to release drugs with pinpoint accuracy in the affected brain regions to trigger rewiring of brain networks. In this Advanced Grant project, the research group will investigate neurological processes that extend across multiple brain areas.
Martin Wolf
Martin Wolf, biomedical optics professor at the University Hospital Zurich, leads a project using a chip developed with EPFL to detect oxygen deprivation in newborn children. The chip uses near-infrared light to measure oxygen levels in deep capillaries. The project aims to create a handheld device by 2030 to prevent disabilities in prematurely born babies and has potential applications in cancer and surgery. One major focus is assessing brain function, perfusion, and oxygenation in healthy subjects and patients in the hospital during clinical studies. For the 300 preterm babies born in Switzerland each year, this project is a promising step towards a healthier life.
Congratulations!
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