Highly Cited Researcher 2025 © MCID 2025 MCID members on Highly Cited Researchers List 2025 Congratulations to MCID members, Prof. Dr. Georgia Salanti and Prof. Dr. Volker Thiel for their inclusion in the highly cited researchers list for 2025. Read more here
MCID-Research Spotlight: Recently Published © MCID 2025 Scientists in power plays: How substantive were scientists’ narratives during the COVID-19 pandemic? We'd like to highlight a recent published article from the EPL describing work done within the context of a MCID-funded project. This paper published in Policy Studies Journal looked at the political role that scientists played during the COVID-19 pandemic and how their narratives, strategies, and media engagement can shape evidence-based policymaking. Read more here
BEready in the spotlight, new articles from UniAktuell and SNF "Horizonte" magazines The BEready project was highlighted in two recent publications this month, in the UniAktuell online magazine from the University of Bern "Local research with a global perspective" and the SNF Horizonte magazine "After the pandemic is before the pandemic". Read more here
MCID, hot off the press: Monkeypox virus causes neuronal death in neural organoids A recent study from the group of Dr Marco Alves, funded by the MCID, reveals insights into mechanisms underlying mpox-associated encephalitis. Read more here
MCID-funded research: 8 new projects awarded funding As a result of the MCID Research Project Funding Call in 2024 and following a large-scale peer review process of all applications, eight projects have been awarded funding and will begin by early 2026. Read more here
MCID-funded research in UniAktuell; Dealing with conspiracy theories: debunking works The University of Bern’s online magazine "UniAktuell" spotlights research from the Institute of Communication and Media Studies (IKMB), funded by the MCID. During the Covid-19 pandemic, IKMB researchers ran a real-time study tracking how conspiracy theories emerge, gain traction, and can be effectively countered by the media and organised a workshop in May 2025 bringing together journalists and researchers to turn these insights into practical strategies for stronger crisis communication. Read more here
MCID, hot off the press: Impact of Coronavirus Nsp1 on host mRNA degradation is independent of its role in translation inhibition A recent publication from the team of Dr. Evangelos Karousis sheds light on how SARS-CoV-2 uses the viral protein Nsp1 to shut down host protein production, work conducted in the frame of his recent MCID-funded project. Read more here
MCID, hot off the press: direct transmission of Wesselbron virus in sheep A recent study from the group of Dr Obdulio García-Nicolás and Prof. Charaf Benarafa, funded by the MCID investigates transmission of Wesselbron virus in sheep and highlights the importance of studying neglected diseases. Read more here
MCID highlights 2024 2024 has been a busy and exciting year at the MCID. Here we show some highlights of the year: From top left, clockwise: * Carmen Faso, MCID Co-Chair, presents CoRE-Genomics for Health in Africa, Co-Lead by the MCID, at The Africa – Europe Clusters of Research Excellence Conference at Stellenbosch University * Lively discussions about the BEready Cohort at the MCID Annual Event 2024 * Jörg Jores and the Synthetic Genomics Platform team hard at work * Caroline Schlaufer, Policy Manager at the Ethics and Policy Lab, presents at the Symposium on the Revision of the Epidemics Act * Panel discussion on the role of science in policy-making at the MCID Annual Event 2024 * MCID-PhD students Isabelle Schultz-Pernice and (next photo) Jonas Steiner present their research at the GCB Sympoisum 2024 * The first MCID-PhD student, Matthias Licheri, defends his PhD thesis
