EPFL

EPFL researchers have characterized a mechanism that allows bacteria to direct their movement in response to the mechanical properties of the surfaces the microbes move on — a finding that could help fight certain pathogens.

Two physicists, from EPFL and Columbia University, have introduced an approach for simulating the quantum approximate optimization algorithm using a traditional computer. Instead of running the algorithm on advanced quantum processors, the new approach uses a classical machine-learning algorithm that closely mimics the behavior of near-term quantum computers.

Why do some people get sick and die from COVID-19 while others seem to be completely unaffected? EPFL’s Blue Brain Project deployed its powerful brain simulation technology and expertise in cellular and molecular biology to try and answer this question.

For millennia scientists have manually combed through data in a bid to find meaningful patterns to solve complex problems. Now, many researchers believe that Machine Learning will fundamentally change the way science is done.

Using a combination of powerful sequencing techniques and mathematical methods, EPFL researchers have traced the genetic programs that direct the development of each cell in the brain. This molecular map could help researchers to understand how the brain develops and provide insights into a range of conditions, including brain tumors and neurodevelopmental disorders.