iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

It was a pleasure to host the monthly apéro of the Basel Pride Together community at the FMI yesterday. Nearly 80 people from companies and institutions across Basel joined us – not only to connect and network, but also to learn more about the FMI and get a glimpse into cutting-edge science.🔬🥂

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

A new study by Silvia Arber’s team at FMI & @biozentrum.unibas.ch @unibas.ch, with collaborators at @alleninstitute.org, delivers the most detailed map yet of the mouse motor cortex—offering new insight into the brain circuits that link intention, sensation and movement. www.fmi.ch/news-events/...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

We’re very proud of our alumna Zuzanna Kozicka, who has been shortlisted by Nature Portfolio for the 2026 Nature Awards Inspiring Women in Science in the Scientific Achievement category. A wonderful recognition of her achievements! @zkozicka.bsky.social

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Congratulations to Devico Haojun Shi, who successfully defended his PhD this week! Devico studied how DNA is packaged in mouse and human sperm, mapping where it remains wrapped around the protein structures that help organize the genome. 🧬🎓

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Congratulations to Roman Doronin on successfully defending his PhD thesis this month! His work explored how psychedelics affect the mouse cortex, contributing to our understanding of how these compounds act on the brain 🧠

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

We’re hiring! The FMI Computational Biology Facility is seeking a Computational Biologist with experience in proteomics data analysis. Join a collaborative team working with scientists across the FMI to turn complex datasets into biological insight. Apply by Oct 25: www.fmi.ch/education-ca...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A strong showing from the FMI football team at this year’s Novartis Cup ⚽️ Our players came away with a win and just one defeat — against the eventual champions. Thanks to everyone who represented the FMI!

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

And, of course, there was the party. After the gala dinner and the follies, plenty of people were still on the dance floor into the wee hours. Thanks to the organizers and to everyone who made this year’s Annual Meeting such a memorable one!

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

We celebrated the winners of our 2026 internal science prizes, with some outstanding — and highly entertaining — presentations from Jana Brunner, Sevi Durdu and Jakob Schnabl-Baumgartner.

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

We also said goodbye to Michaela Kneissel as Chair of the FMI Board of Trustees, thanking her for her leadership and commitment to the FMI.

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

A highlight was a plenary lecture by Ruth Lehmann, Director of the @whiteheadinstitute.bsky.social and Professor of Biology at @mit.edu, whose pioneering research has helped uncover how germ cells form, develop and transmit information from one generation to the next.

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Our 2026 Annual Meeting wrapped up last night with a gala dinner and the traditional follies — a fitting end to three days of science, discussion and exchange with colleagues from the FMI community, Novartis and our Scientific Advisory Board.

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The 2026 Ruth Chiquet Prize goes to Jakob Schnabl-Baumgartner, Britta Knapp and Matthieu Bourdon for developing a reporter-free CRISPR screening method that can detect and sort cells based directly on levels of specific RNAs. Congratulations to all winners!

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The 2026 Max Burger Prize goes to Sevi Durdu for uncovering how closely related transcription factors can drive cells toward different identities by interacting with DNA, chromatin and nucleosomes in distinct ways. Read more about Durdu's work: www.fmi.ch/news-events/... @schubelerlab.bsky.social

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The 2026 Ed Fischer Prize goes to Jana Brunner for showing how the RNA-binding protein LIN-28 coordinates developmental timing in C. elegans — and that much of its effect can be traced to just two key targets. Read more about Brunner's work: www.fmi.ch/news-events/... @labgrosshans.bsky.social

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

📢 We’re hiring! Join Caitlyn McCafferty’s (@computingcaitie.bsky.social) new group as Lab Manager and help shape lab operations, develop protocols and support research on the structure and dynamics of motile cilia. Apply by October 9: www.fmi.ch/education-ca...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

📣 Applications are now open for the FMI PhD and MD-PhD Programs! Train in a collaborative, international environment with cutting-edge technology, courses, scientific retreats and career-development opportunities — in Basel, a leading European life sciences hub. Apply at www.fmi.ch/education-ca...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

🎭 Some of our members took an improv challenge, building scenes from scratch with no plan, just paying attention to their partner and responding to what was happening. A useful reminder for science, too: good discussions rely on critical thinking, listening and building on each others’ ideas 🧬

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Congratulations to Sophie Schmid from the Luethi lab on being awarded a Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds PhD Fellowship, which supports outstanding junior scientists in pursuing ambitious basic biomedical research projects. Wishing her every success!

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Congratulations to Anna Vasilevskaya on successfully defending her PhD last week! Her PhD work tackled a fundamental challenge in neuroscience: constraining the set of plausible algorithms that could underlie cortical function 🧠 Well done!

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

📢 We’re hiring a Research Technician for a collaborative project in cellular & molecular neuroscience. Investigate mRNA localization and translation in neurons—and changes in neurodevelopmental conditions—using imaging, genome engineering and cryo-EM. Apply by August 21: www.fmi.ch/education-ca...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Congratulations to Tommaso Caudullo on defending his PhD last month! His work explored how the zebrafish brain learns and updates representations of smells over different timescales—offering new clues about how brains turn sensory experience into memory 🎓🐟 @rainerfriedrichlab.bsky.social

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

📢 We’re hiring a Cloud Platform Engineer to drive FMI’s transition to a modern hybrid cloud architecture. Help build the infrastructure supporting 20 research groups, advanced technology platforms and large-scale biomedical data analysis. Apply by August 31 at www.fmi.ch/education-ca...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Yesterday we welcomed Biomedical Sciences Bachelor’s students from @utrechtuniversity.bsky.social to the FMI. They joined an institute intro, a tour of the Turco lab, and research highlights from the Bühler group. They also chatted with our scientists about life in the lab. Thank you for visiting!

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Yesterday we were honored to welcome @novartis.bsky.social CEO Vas Narasimhan to FMI. He met with our director, toured several labs and joined researchers, group leaders & staff for an informal get-together. Thank you for your curiosity, thoughtful questions & interest in our science and community!

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Snapshots from the FMI PhD Retreat 2026, which took place last week in Orbey, France 🇫🇷 From flash talks and inspiring discussions to workshops, games, and outdoor activities, the retreat was a great opportunity for PhD students to connect, exchange ideas, and build a stronger sense of community 🤝

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Congratulations to Marylène Bonvin, who defended her PhD thesis last week! Her work explored how metabolism and gene regulation help Hydra — a tiny freshwater animal famous for regeneration — organize and maintain its body plan 👏

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Congratulations to Harsh Kanodia and Antonio Falasconi from Silvia Arber’s team, jointly affiliated with the FMI and @biozentrum.unibas.ch, on receiving the J.C.W. Shepherd PhD Student Prize for Scientific Excellence, one of Biozentrum’s internal scientific awards. Well deserved! 📷: Biozentrum

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Our seminar room was almost overflowing for the third Friedrich Miescher Lecture, hosted by @priscaliberali.bsky.social and delivered by Ewa Paluch from @cam.ac.uk. Paluch gave a fascinating talk on cell shape and the cross-talk between cell shape and cell fate 🔬🧫

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Congratulations to Sera Weevers, who successfully defended her PhD thesis yesterday! Her work explored how Hydra—tiny creatures with regenerative superpowers—use chemical signals and physical forces to decide where to grow a new head 🎓

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

June is #Pride Month: a time to celebrate LGBTQI+ communities and recognize the progress made — and the challenges that remain — in advancing equality and inclusion. Throughout June, the Pride flag will be displayed at the FMI entrance, with stickers and small flags available at the Welcome Desk 🌈

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

A small delegation from the FMI is at the NKI in Amsterdam for this year’s @eu-life.bsky.social community meeting: three intense days of exchanging ideas on strategy, science communication, EDI and more with colleagues from leading life science institutes across Europe 🧬💬🤝

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Ahead of Pride Month, a flag-raising ceremony took place today on the Novartis Campus in Basel, celebrating diversity, belonging and community with inspiring speeches and the Novartis Choir 🏳️‍🌈 #Pride

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

This week, we welcomed ~160 high-school students to our annual Tage der Genforschung. Over 3 days, our visitors got a glimpse of biomedical research through hands-on activities, met FMI scientists, and explored possible life science careers. A big thank you to our amazing volunteers! 👏🔬

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Postdoc opportunity at FMI + Novartis Biomedical Research 🧬 The Dahmane lab (FMI) & Farady lab (Novartis) are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to study how extracellular inflammasome particles propagate inflammation during neurotropic RNA virus infection. Apply by May 31: www.fmi.ch/education-ca...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Congratulations to Margherita Turco and the whole team on this beautiful @cp-cellstemcell.bsky.social cover, celebrating new work on an in vitro model of the menstrual cycle using human endometrial organoids. Read more about this research & watch the accompanying video: www.fmi.ch/news-events/...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Spread the word: We’re hiring a Director of Operations to lead scientific support at the FMI. This senior role enables cutting-edge research by partnering with scientists, overseeing technology platforms, ensuring safety & compliance, and representing the FMI externally: www.fmi.ch/education-ca...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

The latest Happy Hour at the FMI made the most of the sunshine. Alongside snacks, drinks, and good conversations, FMIers headed out to the meadow in front of the institute for games in the spring weather ☀️

A group of people chatting, eating, and sharing drinks inside the institute.

Several people play casual outdoor games on the lawn.

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Congratulations to Adwait Salvi on defending his PhD earlier this month. His research looked at how DNA is organized inside cells and how that structure changes as certain cartilage cells in mice lose their specialized identity. Well done, Dr. Salvi! 🎓

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Today at the FMI we had a great webinar on neurodiversity with Camilla Pang—author, scientist, and science communicator. She challenged the usual “deficit” view and showed how designing work environments for different ways of thinking can make our systems stronger 🧠 #Neurodiversity

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Spring is finally springing on campus 🌸 Perfect time to step outside, whether it’s getting active in the street workout area behind our building or just enjoying a walk around campus ☀️🚶‍♂️

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Last week, some of our scientists traded the lab for the stage and enjoyed a fun afternoon of improv theater. No experience, no pressure: just curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to play. A great reminder that exploration doesn’t happen only in the lab 💡🎭

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Today we hosted the inaugural Friedrich Miescher Lecture with Omaya Dudin, recipient of this year’s Friedrich Miescher Prize, which we're proud to sponsor. He delivered a fascinating talk on the evolution of multicellularity, with exciting insights into expansion microscopy 🦠🔬 @dudinlab.bsky.social

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Big turnout for FMI–Novartis Microscopy Day! This week’s event brought ~70 participants to a joint workshop with experts that came all the way from Japan, followed by one of our best-attended microscopy courses and an FMI–BR mini symposium with about 100 attendees🔬

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Sometimes the most meaningful paths aren’t planned but emerge as we walk them. The new stone walkway to the FMI building began as an informal trail and was later proposed by our community as a permanent path. Like science, it was shaped by steps that ventured beyond the set route 🚀

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Last week at the FMI, the @twist-basel.bsky.social panel unpacked how non-EU scientists can build careers in Swiss pharma. From career paths to networking, lots of practical insights shared with an engaged crowd. Thanks to the organizers, panelists & everyone who joined!

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Last week at the FMI we had a Chess & Cheese night 🧀♟️ It was brie-lliant!

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Ahead of #WomensDay, we celebrate our incredible female researchers, who not only drive biomedical discoveries, but also support efforts to advance gender equality in science, for example during our recent panel on progress & inclusion👇 #WomenInScience #IWD2026

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

💫 We're hiring! The Computational Biology Facility is looking for a Computational Proteomics Scientist to collaborate on cutting-edge proteomics projects, develop new analytical approaches, and publish impactful research. Apply by April 12 at: www.fmi.ch/education-ca...

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FMI science @fmiscience.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Applications are now open for our PhD and MD-PhD Programs! 🎓🔬 Join us in Basel—Europe’s life sciences hub—and pursue cutting-edge science in a vibrant, international environment. Apply by April 20 at www.fmi.ch/education-ca...

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