Immense evolutionary pressure has driven bacteria to innovate a diverse arsenal of immune systems that defend against parasitic mobile genetic elements, including bacteriophages and plasmids. The study of these systems has proven extraordinarily fruitful for biotechnology: CRISPR-Cas9, originally discovered as a bacterial defense mechanism, has revolutionized genome editing and demonstrated the transformative potential of mining bacterial immunity for molecular tools.
\r\nYet the diversity of bacterial defense extends far beyond CRISPR. Bacteria have evolved numerous strategies to recognize and destroy foreign DNA, many of which remain poorly understood at the mechanistic level. A central question is how these systems distinguish self from non-self — and how the underlying molecular logic of DNA targeting is encoded in protein structure and biochemistry. We combine cryo-electron microscopy, quantitative biochemistry, and in vivo genomics to characterize newly discovered defense systems and dissect their targeting mechanisms. This work is revealing unexpected principles of foreign DNA recognition, with implications both for our understanding of bacterial immunity and for the development of next-generation biotechnological tools for genome editing and beyond.
Join us for the 9th edition of the Sustainable Space Hub (SSH) Coffee, an opportunity to connect with the community and explore the latest developments in space sustainability.
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\r\nStephan Hellmich will present the new SSA (Space Situational Awareness) activities: the NASO (Extracting Space Object Observations from large Astronomical Data Archives) and TESSA (Technologies to Enhance Space Situational Awareness) projects.
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\r\nIn collaboration with the University of Bern, the TESSA project continues to advance capabilities in satellite tracking and space object monitoring. Work in 2026 pursues two parallel research tracks: refining 6D pose estimation techniques for the precise determination of object position and orientation in space, and developing adaptive optics solutions for the Zimmerwald Observatory, including the associated algorithms for correcting atmospheric distortion. Together, these efforts contribute to the broader challenge of space situational awareness and safe orbital operations.
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\r\nDuring the event, the space semester projects for the fall semester will also be announced.
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\r\nProvisional schedule
\r\n12:30 – Welcome, coffee, cookies & networking
\r\n13:00 – Stephan Hellmich will present the new SSA activities: the NASO and TESSA projects.
\r\n13:10 – Presentation of the space semester projects for the fall semester.
\r\n13:45 – Q&A and open discussion
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\r\nWe look forward to welcoming you for an engaging discussion and informal networking around the latest advances in sustainable space activities.
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\r\nMore information
\r\nSemester projects: https://espace.epfl.ch/education/student-projects/
\r\nPresearch at EPFL Space Center: https://espace.epfl.ch/research/
The ATC (Assistive Technology Challenge : EPFL Assistive Techn... - Project - MAKE) welcomes you to discover this year's six prototypes designed by the students' teams ! Join us for this unique occasion to exchange with them about their work, meet challengers, and get a glimps at how they overcame the challenges !
","image_description":"Des étudiantes et un professeur examinent un prototype.","creation_date":"2026-05-18T16:00:17","last_modification_date":"2026-05-21T10:45:59","link_label":"ATC","link_url":"https://make.epfl.ch/projects/56/make-epfl-assistive-technologies-challenge-56","canceled":"False","cancel_reason":"","place_and_room":"SPOT Atrium","url_place_and_room":"","url_online_room":"","spoken_languages":["https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/spoken_languages/1/?format=json","https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/spoken_languages/2/?format=json"],"speaker":"","organizer":"","contact":"Quentin Delval (quentin.delval@epfl.ch)","is_internal":"True","theme":"","vulgarization":{"id":1,"fr_label":"Tout public","en_label":"General public"},"registration":{"id":3,"fr_label":"Entrée libre","en_label":"Free"},"keywords":"handicap, technologie d'assistance, MAKE, ATC","file":null,"icalendar_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/event/export/120794/","category":{"id":19,"code":"PUBLICSCIENCE","fr_label":"Evènements scientifiques grand public","en_label":"Public Science Events","activated":true},"academic_calendar_category":null,"domains":[],"mementos":["https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/mementos/6/?format=json","https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/mementos/8/?format=json","https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/mementos/21/?format=json","https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/mementos/79/?format=json","https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/mementos/145/?format=json"]},{"id":71747,"title":"Computational Design and Optimization for Physically Intelligent Systems","slug":"computational-design-and-optimization-for-physical","event_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/event/computational-design-and-optimization-for-physical","visual_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/image/33073/200x112.jpg","visual_large_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/image/33073/720x405.jpg","visual_maxsize_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/image/33073/max-size.jpg","lang":"en","start_date":"2026-05-29","end_date":"2026-05-29","start_time":"13:00:00","end_time":"15:00:00","description":"EDIC candidacy examBiofilm is an important lifestyle of bacteria where bacterial cells collectively form surface-associated aggregates embedded in a polymeric matrix they secrete. Important in industry and medicine, biofilms also represent a unique form of growing active matter with unique physical and material properties. In this talk, I will highlight our recent work on developing a platform for imaging live, growing biofilm at single-cell resolution, using Vibrio cholerae as the model organism. I will show how bacterial cells physically communicate with each other and the environment to form ordered architecture reminiscent of liquid crystals. Moreover, I will talk about our recent discovery that heterogeneity in gene expression leads to unexpected pattern formation in biofilm through a drag-based sorting mechanism. I will also highlight ongoing research in the lab on extending the imaging capability to more natural environments including marine animal hosts. I will end by showing our recent findings on the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix that underlie the architecture of the biofilm.
","image_description":"","creation_date":"2026-05-05T13:16:32","last_modification_date":"2026-05-05T13:17:16","link_label":"","link_url":"","canceled":"False","cancel_reason":"","place_and_room":"SV 1717","url_place_and_room":"https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==SV%201717","url_online_room":"","spoken_languages":["https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/spoken_languages/2/?format=json"],"speaker":"Professor Jing Yan, Assistant Professor, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University","organizer":"Professor Alexandre Persat","contact":"elke.holderbeke@epfl.ch","is_internal":"False","theme":"","vulgarization":{"id":1,"fr_label":"Tout public","en_label":"General public"},"registration":{"id":3,"fr_label":"Entrée libre","en_label":"Free"},"keywords":"","file":null,"icalendar_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/event/export/120654/","category":{"id":1,"code":"CONF","fr_label":"Conférences - Séminaires","en_label":"Conferences - Seminars","activated":true},"academic_calendar_category":null,"domains":[],"mementos":["https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/mementos/9/?format=json","https://memento.epfl.ch/api/v1/mementos/111/?format=json"]},{"id":71835,"title":"Testing the Hypervisor Boundary: Semantic Oracles and Adversarial Input Generation for pKVM","slug":"testing-the-hypervisor-boundary-semantic-oracles-a","event_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/event/testing-the-hypervisor-boundary-semantic-oracles-a","visual_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/image/33155/200x112.jpg","visual_large_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/image/33155/720x405.jpg","visual_maxsize_url":"https://memento.epfl.ch/image/33155/max-size.jpg","lang":"en","start_date":"2026-06-22","end_date":"2026-06-22","start_time":"13:00:00","end_time":"15:00:00","description":"EDIC candidacy exam