School of Life Sciences

Fosters education, research and innovation at the interface of engineering and biology to advance the understanding of the living world and solve biomedical problems.

Reconstructed dendrite from a neuron previously imaged in the visual cortex in vivo. | Method: Electron microscopy | © EPFL G. Knott & S. El-Boustani

Andrea Ablasser and Melanie Blokesch elected EMBO Members

Published:11.06.19 — The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) has announced 56 outstanding life scientists elected to membership, joining a group of more than 1800 of the best researchers in Europe and the world. Among the new members are Professors Andrea Ablasser and Melanie Blokesch at EPFL’s Global Health Institute.

The cholera bacterium's 3-in-1 toolkit for life in the ocean

Published:10.06.19 — The cholera bacterium uses a grappling hook-like appendage to take up DNA, bind to nutritious surfaces and recognise ‘family’ members, EPFL scientists have found. These discoveries will advance our understanding of how the bacterium that causes cholera adapts and survives in its natural environment.

How flow shapes bacterial biofilms

Published:06.06.19 — EPFL biophysicists have taken a systematic look into how bacterial biofilms are affected by fluid flow. The findings can give us clues about the physical rules guiding biofilm architecture, but also about the social dynamics that shape evolution.

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Our Mission

EPFL students working on portable biosensor

Education

We train engineers in Life Sciences with a solid polytechnic foundation. Our students acquire a multi-disciplinary education and study biology jointly with engineering, basic and computer sciences. We offer a Bachelor and Master program in Life Sciences Engineering, as well as four Doctoral programs in biotechnology and bioengineering, computational and quantitative biology, molecular life sciences and neurosciences.

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Research

Our research groups operate at the interface of biology, basic sciences, computer sciences and engineering. This interdisciplinary environment stimulates innovative research to address essential questions in biological sciences. Cutting-edge core facilities and infrastructure support our scientists to push the boundaries of knowledge in development, neurosciences, immunology, cancer, infectious diseases and bioengineering.

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Innovation

We cultivate a climate of exploration and translation of knowledge and technologies to a sustainable benefit of humankind. The life sciences flagship innovation encouragement program, Catalyze4Life, facilitates the advancement of scientific know-how towards applications. We maintain a constructive and open dialogue between science, industry and society.

Discover our innovation initiative