Registration is now open for the Public Health Sciences Course Program

The newly established, structured course program in the Public Health Sciences (PHS) aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of Public Health

Aziz Mert Ipekci won the Prize for Best Poster at the 15th Symposium GHS

Aziz Mert Ipekci, won the Prize for Best Poster, using the "better poster" design, at the 15th Symposium GHS held at Studienzentrum Gerzensee on 22nd and 23rd November 2023. Aziz Mert is a PhD student in the Sexual and Reproductive Health group.

Patient empowerment through education and involvement in research: International patient conference on Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

More than 300 people registered at the annual international patient conference on primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), which was co-organised by clinicians, researchers and PCD support groups worldwide.

New study: Obesity after childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in North America and Switzerland

Together with researchers from the North American the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (SCCSS) team led by Claudia Kuehni recently published a new study about obesity and its risk factors in childhood cancer survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Oral presentation prize at the Kinderklinik Research Day 2023

Lorenz Leuenberger received the prize for the best oral presentation on clinical research at the Kinderklinik Research Day 2023 organised by the Kinderklinik of the University hospital Bern.

Expect the unexpected: Live seminar, 30. Nov 2023, 16:00-17:30

Should we prioritize screening and treatment for multiple sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during pregnancy to prevent poor birth outcomes? Hear new findings from WANTAIM, a randomised controlled trial in Papua New Guinea, trial results from Eastern and Southern Africa and qualitative research findings from Papua New Guinea and Zambia.

Stakeholder workshop on the effect of heat on human health

In October 2023, we held a first stakeholder workshop within the NCCS-Impacts-Health project. The event was a full success, where more than 30 participants had a lively exchange about the proposed research approach and communication products that will eventually help build a more climate-resilient population in Switzerland.

Zukunftstag 2023 at ISPM Bern

Together with numerous universities, organisations and companies nationwide, ISPM Bern hosted schoolchildren to give them an insight in epidemiology and research on November 9th 2023.

New Publications on Urban Governance For Health and Well-Being

An ISPM-based team led by Annika Frahsa supported the WHO Special Initiative on Urban Governance for Health and Well-being through civic engagement and multisectoral coordination in 2021-2023. Two WHO reports from this collaboration are now online.

Interactions that hurt: Psychological harm as patient safety concern in advanced cancer care

Prof. Dr. David Schwappach and Prof. Dr. Sofia Zambrano from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) received a competitive three-year grant from Swiss Cancer Research to strengthen our knowledge on preventable psychological harm in cancer care.

Annual report ISPM 2022

The annual report ISPM 2022 is online.

New study attributing heat deaths to climate change in Summer 2022

Together with researchers from ETH Zurich, the Swiss TPH and the University of Basel, the team led by Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera recently published a new study about the contribution of man-made climate change on deaths due to heat in the summer of 2022 in Switzerland. It is one of the first studies worldwide to quantify the share of global warming in heat-related deaths.

Oral presentation award at the 2023 Swiss Pulmonology Conference

Yin Ting Lam received the 2nd prize for the Best Oral presentation on Paediatric Pneumonology Free Communications at the 2023 joint annual meeting of the Swiss Societies of Pulmonology and Cardiology in Basel.

Guido Fanconi Award for Prof. Claudia Kuehni

Prof. Dr. med. Claudia Kuehni, Leader of the Paediatric Epidemiology Research Group at the ISPM Bern, was awarded the Guido Fanconi memorial price 2023.

SNF postdoc mobility grants for Eva Pedersen and Cristina Ardura-Garcia

Two postdoc researchers from the paediatric respiratory epidemiology research group in the ISPM received an SNF postdoc mobility grant. Eva Pedersen will pursue a project to explore and adjust for unmeasured confounding, based on the example of the relationship between radiofrequency electromagnetic fields and neuropsychological outcomes among children. Cristina Ardura-Garcia will work in a project on antimicrobial resistance in children in Cambodia with special focus on colonisation in the nasopharynx and gastrointestinal tract.

ISPM Researchers at EIE2023 in Basel

Two researchers from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) – Dr. Harvy Joy Liwanag (Postdoctoral Research Fellow) and Ms. Sophie Meyer (PhD Candidate) – actively engaged and delivered presentations during the European Implementation Event 2023 (EIE2023), a major gathering of stakeholders in the field of implementation science held in Basel from 8-9 June.

A living evidence resource for research prioritisation in mental health

Prof Georgia Salanti, Dr Virginia Chiocchia and Thomy Tonia are part of a new international collaboration called Global Alliance for Living Evidence on aNxiety, depressiOn and pSychosis (GALENOS). The research programme, funded by Wellcome, aims to tackle the challenges of mental health research by creating a continuously updated, comprehensive and trustworthy synthesis of the relevant scientific research including both human and preclinical studies.

ACTUAL kicks off - the new SNSF Starting Grant project at ISPM

June 2023 sets the start of the ACTUAL project (Advancing research on extreme humid heat and health) funded in the last SNSF Starting Grant 2022 call. Led by the newly appointed Assistant Professor Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera, it is a 5-year project funded with 1.7 million CHF.

Registration is open for the new CAS in Medication Safety starting in October 2023!

Recognizing and tackling practical challenges related to medication safety is key to reduce preventable harm to patients; participants of the unique certificate program will be trained by an interprofessional expert board to initiate and lead processes improving medication safety in their institutions.

Sexual health and rights under pressure – resistance and challenges

Medicus Mundi Switzerland Conference: 19 April 2023 in Bern – In countries around the world, sexual and reproductive rights are under pressure and the right to self-determination especially of women is threatened. In some regions, religious fundamentalists are even mobilizing against sexual and reproductive rights. Moreover, there is a movement in various political milieus to question LGBTQIA+ communities and women's rights, including the right to abortion.

Researchers working to address the SDGs convened in Thailand to explore decoloniality in research and education

Dr. Harvy Joy Liwanag of ISPM convened a workshop of 20 researchers working to address the various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to explore meaningful pathways for decoloniality in research and education as part of the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS) Conference 2023 in Thailand last February 28 to March 3.

Research priorities for mpox virus and transmission through sexual contact published

Prof. Nicola Low collaborated with an international team of colleagues to identify unanswered questions about mpox virus and its transmission through sexual contact.

The conceptualizations of Healthy Ageing clarified

PhD student Marilyne Menassa and researchers from the lifestyle group at ISPM conducted a systematic review and concept analysis of theoretical models and definitions of healthy ageing under the supervision of Prof Oscar H Franco that was published in the Lancet eClinicalMedicine.

First international patient conference on Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

More than 300 participants joined the first international patient conference on primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), which was co-organised by PCD support groups worldwide.

Thesis paper on the escalation model of the Swiss Epidemics Act (EpidA)

A group of researchers associated with the Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases (MCID) wrote a thesis paper on behalf of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) as input for the current revision of the Swiss Epidemics Act (EpidA).

How do Swiss junior physicians experience and cope with moral distress?

A new study led by Prof. Sofia Zambrano will seek answers to this question. The study was one of four applications recently selected for funding by the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences through the KZS Fund.

«The World in Crisis - Climate Change, Pandemic and War», MMS Symposium, 2. November 2022

Climate deterioration, an ongoing pandemic and war in Europe: the world is currently facing multiple crisis, the management of which challenges societies worldwide and threatens to overwhelm international politics. Each individual crisis and in their mutual impact worsen the determinants of health, such as food security, social and economic development, equitable access to health care and social systems.

Best presentation at Papua New Guinea Medical Symposium 2022 for project likely to lead to implementation

Dr. Alice Mengi from the Papua New Guinea Institute for Medical Research (PNGIMR), won the Deborah Lehmann prize for her presentation of the Neofoot (the Neonatal Footlength Study). Dr. Mengi is the clinical research officer for a Swiss Research for Development project led by ISPM Bern and PNGIMR. She conducted the Neofoot project for her Masters of Medical Research.

Best abstract awards at the European Respiratory Society Congress 2022

Eva Pedersen and Myrofora Goutaki received two of the Best Abstract awards at this year´s European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona for their submitted research on primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Congratulations to Christoph Bosshard as one of the teachers of the year!

The 5th year medical students at the medical faculty have elected Dr. med. Christoph Bosshard as «teacher of the year» during the 2020 corona year for his teaching of insurance medicine.

National Institutes of Health supplement grants for HIV, Hepatitis and Tuberculosis and Cancer research groups

Under the umbrella of the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS Southern Africa (IeDEA-SA)—a consortium funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)—two supplement grants totaling 660,000 USD were awarded to researchers at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) for 2022–2023 to study tuberculosis (TB) and cancer among people living with HIV.

The work of Anna Severin and colleagues from ISPM Bern, the Swiss National Science Foundation and University College Dublin was recently featured in nature.

Anna, a PhD student at ISPM, is interviewed about her work that was reported in a preprint article in July. Analysing 10,000 peer review reports submitted to Publons, the team, found that reviews at journals with higher impact factors spend more time discussing a paper’s methods but less time on suggesting improvements than do reviews at lower-impact journals.

ISPM Researchers at the “Night of Research” event of the University of Bern

Members of the MHCOVID project will present their work to the public in the “Nacht der Forschung” event that will take place in Bern on 10th September.

The Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study celebrated its 15th birthday!

The Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study is a nationwide study and investigates health, quality of life and needs after childhood and adolescent cancer. The study was set up and launched in 2007 in close collaboration with survivors, their families and treating physicians. This year, the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study celebrates its 15th birthday!

Prof. Nicola Low vice-chair of IHR Emergency Committee regarding the multi-country monkeypox outbreak

The Emergency Committee holds its second meeting on Thursday 21st July 2022. The committee members (chaired by Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele) will provide their views to the Director General of the World Health Organization, who will determine whether the multi-country monkeypox outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Following the first meeting of the Emergency Committee on 23 June 2022, the Director General determined that the event did not constitute a PHEIC.

Emma Hodcroft wins 2022 Johanna Dürmüller-Bol DBMR Research Award

Dr Emma Hodcroft of ISPM and the Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases (MCID) at the University of Bern is the recipient of the 2022 Johanna Dürmüller-Bol DBMR Research Award for her project on investigating the impact of pandemic restrictions on the spread of the respiratory virus, Enterovirus D68. The yearly award, which provides 30,000CHF in research funds toward the winning project proposal, supports young researchers in applying for competitive grants and is sponsored by the Foundation Johanna Dürmüller-Bol and the Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR).

Healthy weight as a multifaceted societal challenge – commentary on the impact of BMI on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness

In an invited comment in Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, Annelies Wilder-Smith, MD, PhD, ISPM adjunct professor, and Annika Frahsa, Prof. Dr. phil., head of the ISPM research group on community health and health care systems research, discuss a recently published paper from a large UK cohort study on associations of BMI with COVID-19 vaccine uptake, vaccine effectiveness, and risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes that the paper’s findings not only underscore the importance of vaccination, but also the importance of reducing the prevalence of obesity.

Katayoun Taghavi has been awarded a Postdoc.Mobility grant by the Swiss National Science Foundation

Katayoun will work under the supervision of Dr. Partha Basu, at the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Katayoun’s Postdoc.Mobility project is part of a large implementation study, «SHE-CAN» (Self-collected HPV Evaluation for the Prevention of Cervical CANcer), which aims to develop a scalable, woman-centred model for cervical cancer screening in vulnerable women in two states of India, Tamil Nadu and Mizoram.

Recruitment started for DTG Resist study

The first participant of the multiregional DTG Resist study has been recruited in Zambia mid-June. The DTG Resist study is sponsored by the US National Institute of Health and aims at understanding the contexts in which Dolutegravir (DTG) resistance emerges.

5 million CHF to make routine data from children’s hospitals available for science

The project SwissPedHealth, newly funded by the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) and the Personalized Health and Related Technologies (PHRT), will make routine clinical data from children’s hospitals available in a standardized format and thus boost high-quality clinical research in Paediatrics in Switzerland.

SGP talent prize 2022 winner

Carmen de Jong, graduated PhD student in the paediatric respiratory health group at the institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), won the talent prize 2022 at the Schweizer Gesellschaft für Pädiatrie (SGP) Conference held in Lucerne on 2nd and 3rd June 2022.

Annual report ISPM 2021

The annual report ISPM 2021 is online.

Prof. Schwappach joins the ISPM to establish as research focus on patient safety

Unsafe care causes serious harm and burden to patients and health care staff, and is a public health concern even in well-funded health care systems. In his research, Prof. David Schwappach aims to understand the drivers of safer care and how healthcare systems can be designed to improve patient safety and learn from adverse events.

Teenage Pregnancy - How do We Address the Needs and Rights of Teenage Girls?

Medicus Mundi Switzerland invites you to this special 1-Day Conference! Wednesday 18 May 2022 from 9am - 16pm. Speakers will talk about the current situation on teenage pregnancy, prevention activities in India, Cameroon and El Salvador and how to scale up prevention activities to reduced teenage pregnancy on the national level. We will hear case studies and will discuss and debate about what works and what we can do to improve the rights and needs of teenage girls and boys.

Awards for best publication and best presentation at the Swiss Pulmonology Congress 2022

Eva Pedersen received the award “Best publication by a young researcher” from the Swiss Lung Association and Yin Ting Lam was awarded the prize for the best presentation from the Swiss Society of Paediatric Pulmonology.

Research project on the transmission of viral respiratory pathogens in schools

Congregate settings, such as schools play an important role in the spread of airborne pathogens. A better understanding of viral pathogens transmitted through the air, such as SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and influenza viruses (flu), is needed. Researchers from the University of Bern and Inselspital, including Professor Tina Hascher from the Institute of Education, are currently working under the lead of Professor Lukas Fenner from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine to investigate the transmission of viral pathogens in school settings in the current pandemic.

International Cancer Survivor Symposium 2022 welcomed almost 200 participants

International Cancer Survivor Symposium 2022 welcomed almost 200 participants worldwide to discuss latest developments and future directions of care for cancer survivors.

PD Dr. Christian Althaus starts lecture series at Collegium generale

The Collegium generale at the University of Bern begins a new new lecture series titled «Thinking the End». On Wednesday, 23 February 2022, PD Dr. Christian Althaus will give the first lecture with his thoughts about the end of a pandemic.

Coronavirus News & Updates

During the international public health emergency, the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) at the University of Bern provides information and resources about the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic for scientists, public health experts, journalists and the public.

European Respiratory Journal – new early career editor and peer review award 2021

Cristina Ardura-Garcia selected for the European Respiratory Journal (ERJ) Early Career Editorial Team mentoring programme and Eva Pedersen receives the 2021 ERJ peer review award.

Congratulations! Dr. Kathrin Zürcher wins GCB PhD student award

As part of the doctoral training, the Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB) organizes an annual symposium for all PhD candidates and their thesis committees. This year, GCB’s PhD committee has elected Dr. Kathrin Züricher and two other candidates for the GCB award. This is not her first prize: in 2019 she received the swissTB Award together with Marie Ballif.

A study led by a researcher of ISPM, the most influential climate paper in 2021

The study led by Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera, researcher of ISPM, and entitled «The burden of heat-related mortality attributable to recent human-induced climate change» has been the most featured research on climate change in media in 2021, according to Carbon Brief, an award-winning website focused on climate change.

Postmarketing surveillance of breakthrough SMA therapies

The Swiss Registry for Neuromuscular Disorders (Swiss-Reg-NMD) collects medical data on spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and other rare neuromuscular disorders. It also now provides a national platform for postmarketing surveillance of new disease-modifying therapies and research on rare neuromuscular disorders.

ISPM PhD candidate will represent ISPM at the Expo-Dubai in 2022

Magda Gamba, PhD student in the Lifestyle and behavior group at the Institute of Social and preventive medicine (ISPM), will be representing ISPM and the University of Bern at the Swiss Pavilion in the Expo-Dubai 2020 at the end of coming January after winning the 2021 SSPH+ ScienceFlashTalk Award together with Ogonna Nwankwo, PhD student at the Swiss TPH.

Dangers of silent atrial fibrillation in diabetes

In a major study, a research group at Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and the University of Bern investigated atrial fibrillation (AF) in people with andwithout diabetes. Patients with diabetes were found to have significantly more frequent, silent (asymptomatic) atrial fibrillation.

Two ISPM Professors among the list of Highly Cited Researchers 2021

Matthias Egger and Georgia Salanti from ISPM are, again, among the world's most cited researchers in 2021. Their publication records are the result of collaborative efforts with international and national scientists, and have received a lot of attention from the scientific community.

IeDEA-SA has started its 16th year

Matthias Egger, his team and international partners have received another five years of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH; United States). The nearly 16 million USD award ensures the continuation of the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS Southern Africa (IeDEA-SA) collaboration through 2026.

Prestigious NIH-grant for ISPM research group

Building upon his collaborative work with the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA), Matthias Egger has again been awarded funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH; United States). With a grant of nearly 2.5 million USD over the next three years, this NIH award will support research about HIV drug resistance.

STROBE-MR: Reporting guidelines for Mendelian randomization studies

An international team of researchers and experts, including Veronika Whitesell Skrivankova and Matthias Egger from ISPM, developed new reporting guidelines for observational studies using Mendelian randomization. The STROBE-MR guidelines were published in both JAMA and BMJ today.

Psychiatric patients may be vulnerable to ambient temperatures - study says

A new study co-led by researchers of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine and the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University of Bern has found that ambient temperature could influence the risk of hospitalizations due to mental disorders even in countries with a temperate climate like Switzerland.