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.

3D model of dendritic spines (purple) making synapses with axons containing vesicles (yellow). Background shows electron microscope image of brain tissue. ©EPFL-Graham Knott — 3D model of dendritic spines (purple) making synapses with axons containing vesicles (yellow). Background shows electron microscope image of brain tissue. ©EPFL – Graham Knott

What lies beneath COVID-19 inflammation

Published:20.01.22 — Scientists at EPFL and the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV) have found the biological mechanism behind the inflammation seen in COVID-19 infections that involve a rise in interferons in the lungs and skin.

Neutral mutants can prevail in gut microbiota, enhancing diversity

Published:18.01.22 — Scientists at EPFL and Sorbonne propose a new model of the diversity and evolution of gut bacteria that shows how the gut environment helps neutral mutations become prevalent, with significant potential implications on health and metabolic diseases.

Tissue geometry controls intestinal organoid patterning. Credit: Mike Nikolaev (EPFL).

Shape guides the growth of organoids

Published:12.01.22 — Organoids are miniature lab-grown tissue structures that can mimic real organs. But guiding stem cells to grow an organoid of defined shape and size is difficult. Now, EPFL bioengineers have developed new methods for successfully guiding the stem cells to grow into intestinal tissues with real-life 3D structure and function.

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New 360° Virtual Visit

Discover the splendid labs and facilities of the Schools of Life Sciences (SV) and Engineering Sciences and Technology (STI)

Image of a Fly robot — Illustration of a robot fly © Cornelia Gann / EPFL, 2021

Natural Machines

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The robots, machines and smart systems that human beings have developed over the centuries – and with particular fervor in recent decades – have almost always been inspired by nature.

Our 20 years celebration symposium

will honor life sciences in the context of a technical university with long-term supporters and the scientific community

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.

Learn more about our education

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.

Explore our research

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