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Researchers have further developed the use of light to control cell functions. This allows them to control cells in culture in a more specific, precise and dynamic way than before. For example, it is now possible to grow tissue in specific patterns or shapes, both in conventional cell culture and in three-dimensional tissue culture. This enables the production of more sophisticated tissue and organ models for research.

Michelle Frei, the new Assistant Professor of Chemical Biology and Molecular Imaging, and her team are developing chemical tools to better visualize and study cellular processes using fluorescent markers. In this article, she introduces herself.

Two years ago, Yohei Yamauchi discovered a molecule that helps the coronavirus infect cells. He is now Professor of Molecular Medicine at ETH Zurich. The Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences profiled him.

Researchers have for the first time elucidated the structure of a very small enzyme located in cell membranes. In multicellular organisms, this enzyme uses a complex mechanism to attach sugar molecules to proteins, which are then directed to the cell surface and perform their function in cell-​​cell communication.