Media releases Departement Life Sciences and Facility Management

Swiss rooftops are producing more and more solar power

New photovoltaic systems on rooftops across Switzerland are now significantly larger than they were just a few years ago. A recent study undertaken by the ZHAW reveals that newer systems utilise, on average, almost 80 percent of rooftop potential…

Microorganisms provide essential vitamins for legumes

Natural microorganisms can enrich plant-based foods such as yellow peas with vitamin B12 and other vitamins through fermentation, as successfully demonstrated by a successful ZHAW research project.

Digitalization is more than just artificial intelligence

At the Computational Life Sciences Day 2025, titled "Beyond Digitalization: Automation, Simulation, and Robotics in Life Sciences", experts from the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), digitalization, and life sciences presented the latest…

Agri photovoltaic could supply five times more electricity than Switzerland needs

The theoretical potential of agrivoltaics in Switzerland is five times greater than the current electricity demand, as ZHAW researchers have determined. The combination with electricity production also offers great opportunities for agriculture to…

Publication shows the success of biocatalysis from pharmaceuticals to environmental technology

As biocatalysts, enzymes can make many chemical processes "greener" and open up promising opportunities for various industries from pharmaceuticals to environmental technology. New analytical methods, the enormous increase in data volumes and machine…

ZHAW researchers find the key to the simplified production of plant pigments

Anthocyanins are responsible for the red, purple or blue colouring found in most flowers, fruits and autumn leaves. Although the natural production of these plant pigments has been the subject of research for some time, it had previously not been…

Researching Together for a Healthy Diet

Agroscope and Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW are stepping up their cooperation in food research and have signed a memorandum of understanding. The aim is to conduct joint and complementary research on good nutrition. Both partners will…

Washing without water or an electrical connection – applied ecological engineering makes this possible

Closed-loop washing machines that do not need any water or an electrical connection and a dry toilet that works without flushing and also supplies fertiliser. These are just two applications that have been developed as part of the ecological…

Replacing hops with hemp for more sustainable beer

Due to climate change, growing hops is becoming more difficult. A ZHAW researcher is therefore developing a new variant to the traditional brewing recipe that dates back centuries. Instead of hops, hemp is boiled in a brewing kettle. The first…

Vaccination Center Operates Efficiently: Simulations Show Additional Potential

Computer simulations can be useful in planning and optimizing the processes of vaccination centers. ZHAW has used such a model to study operations at the Winterthur vaccination center. The center was found to have short throughput times and a high…

ZHAW researchers use algorithms to optimise synthetically valuable enzymes

Enzymes are seen as a beacon of hope for the chemical industry as it strives to achieve greater sustainability. A research team at the ZHAW is optimising such enzymes for use in the industrial sector. The renowned journal Nature Communications…

Self-disinfecting mask gives active virus protection at the touch of a button

ZHAW researchers, together with the Swiss company Osmotex AG, are developing a self-disinfecting mask that makes viruses inactive at the touch of a button. The prototype of the mask made from electrochemical textiles, which is like no other…

ZHAW researchers train enzyme that breaks down plastic

The “PETase” enzyme can break down plastic, but it is not very productive. ZHAW researchers are therefore applying “directed evolution” to train the enzyme so that it can be used in future for treating drinking water or biorecycling. Machine learning…

ZHAW discontinues classroom teaching until the end of May

Following a decision by the federal and cantonal governments, any attendance and classroom teaching at the ZHAW will be discontinued with immediate effect from Monday, March 16 until the end of May 2020. The university is operating at full capacity…

New aquaculture system: raising fish under the best conditions and with low energy consumption

The ZHAW opened a new aquaculture facility at its campus in Wädenswil in July 2019 and is now raising salmon in three separate tanks, each holding 12 cubic metres of water. In the future, the facility will be used for its Specialised Independent…

National Science Foundation project to investigate antiviral agents against measles and other viral diseases

In the fight against viral diseases, not only vaccines, but also new, virus-inhibiting agents are in demand. The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) has approved a large-scale project, which will last a number of years and cost 2.1 million Swiss…

Only one in four performs symptom control after tick bite

The third and final symptom control 28 days after a tick bite is performed by only 25 percent of those affected. This is shown by evaluations of log entries from the ZHAW app "Tick". The researchers who developed the app still see a lot of potential…

Disease-causing protein beaten at its own game

One of the world’s most renowned chemistry journals, Angewandte Chemie, has chosen a study in the field of medicinal chemistry by the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences as the title story for its current issue and selected it as a «hot…

New approaches to antibiotic resistance

Multi-resistant pathogens have constantly developed and spread over the past few years. The reason for this lies in the increased use of antibiotics in humans and animals, as well as in the premature termination of antibiotic therapies. As a result,…

Using an acoustic signal to prevent wild boars from damaging crops

ZHAW researchers have developed an acoustic system to keep wild boars out of agricultural areas – and prevent them from damaging crops. The new deterrent has been tested and weighed up against conventional preventive measures. The findings are…