News

Elephants in the spotlight: from skin cracking to soft robotics

news
30-04-2026

Milinkovitch’s lab reveals that elephant skin cracks as a stiff epidermis bends over microscopic bumps, forming a water‑retaining network for cooling. Their study of the trunk’s simple deformation patterns is now informing flexible soft‑robotic grippers.

Mechanical forces drive the diversity of life

news
26-03-2026

A study by the UNIGE and the EMBL hows how the variety of species morphology results from the diversity of the mechanical properties of tissues.

Prehistoric fish: coelacanths heard underwater using their lungs

news
26-03-2026

A study by UNIGE and MHNG shows that 240-million-year-old coelacanths could hear underwater using an ossified lung.

Our Research Featured on the Cover of Genetics

news
19-01-2026

Research from the Milinkovitch Lab on hypomelanism in reptiles is featured on the cover of Genetics.

In the Neolithic, agriculture established itself gradually

news
22-08-2025

A study from UNIGE shows that European hunter-gatherers and farmers from Anatolia mixed gradually during the Neolithic.

Alexandros Tsoupas wins the 2025 PSLS Annual Thesis Prize

news
27-06-2025

His thesis, "Inferring Population Dynamics During Past Expansion Events Using Spatiotemporal Molecular Patterns", explores how genetic data distributed across space and time can reveal the demographic processes underlying past population expansions.

How Tortoises Grow Their Scales: Two Systems, One Head

news
25-06-2025

Chemical signals versus mechanical stress: tortoise head scales reveal nature’s dual process.

Prof. Emi Nagoshi Joins Azure Cell Therapies as Chair of Scientific Advisory Board

news
03-06-2025

We are thrilled to share that Prof. Emi Nagoshi, a member of our department, is playing a leading role in the newly launched biotech startup Azure Cell Therapies.

Milinkovitch's lab makes the cover of PLOS Biology

news
16-04-2025

The editorial team of PLOS Biology selects one light-sheet microscopy image produced by LANE lab.

Kostas Kampourakis is the 2024 winner of the Friend of Darwin award

news
10-12-2024

Honored with Prestigious Award: Kostas Kampourakis Receives "Friend of Darwin 2024"

How the dog, cow and ferret make their noses

news
31-10-2024

Milinkovitch's team found that nose patterns form in embryos due to differential skin growth supported by blood vessels.

Skin colour patterns: predicting the unseen

news
20-10-2023

In ‘Physical Review X (PRX)’, Milinkovitch's team predicts & confirms a secondary colour pattern in ocellated lizards. This pattern is too subtle for our eyes to see.

The encounter between Neanderthals and Sapiens as told by their genomes

news
19-10-2023

By analyzing genomes up to 40,000 years old, Mathias Currat's team has traced the history of migrations between Sapiens and Neanderthals.

Parkinson’s: are our neurons more vulnerable at night?

news
28-09-2023

Emi Nagoshi's team shows that disruptions to the circadian clock increase the risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease.

The University of Geneva enters the ‘top 50’ in world ranking

news
18-08-2023

The UNIGE is indeed now ranked 49th in the world

The secret behind the Nikon Photomicrography 1st prize revealed

news
04-04-2023

We publish today a new method that provides unmatched visualisation of collagen 3D network architecture.

It makes the cover of Current Biology

news
06-12-2022

The quantitative analysis of scale-by-scale patterning in lizards by Ebrahim Jahanbakhsh & Michel Milinkovitch makes the cover of Current Biology.

How lizards got their skin colour patterns

news
14-11-2022

In the journal Current Biology, researchers in the Department of Genetics and Evolution quantify the predictability of scale-by-scale patterns in multiple divergent species of lizards.

A PhD student of our Department wins the 2022 Nikon Small World Competition

news
11-10-2022

The 48th annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition’s first place prize was awarded to Grigorii Timin, a PhD student supervised by Prof. Michel Milinkovitch from the GenEv Dpt

Olfactory neurons adapt to the surrounding environment

news
30-05-2022

The team of Professors Ivan Rodriguez and Alan Carleton of the UNIGE has highlighted the great variability and continuous adaptation of olfactory neurons.

Characterization of the post-mating responses of Drosophila hydei, a species that lacks Sex-Peptide.

publication
12-04-2026

Revel, Yildirim, Fabbro, Nagoshi, Maeda. Commun Biol 2026 Apr ; 10.1038/s42003-026-10021-5. 10.1038/s42003-026-10021-5.

Microbial symbiosis in social insects. In: Comprehensive Molecular Insect Science

publication
01-04-2026

Liberti J, Engel P. In: Comprehensive Molecular Insect Science, 2nd Edition, Atkinson P and Yamanaka N eds., Elsevier

New insights into non-marine monothalamids (Rhizaria, Foraminifera): The rediscovery of Limnogromia saxicola (Penard, 1905) and description of four new species

publication
26-03-2026

Ferry Siemensma, Maria Holzmann. European Journal of Protistology, vol. 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejop.2026.126192.

Stereotypical force patterns of the elephant trunk in planar reaching movements.

publication
26-03-2026

Agabiti, Donato, Setti, Dagenais, Milinkovitch, Laschi, Sabatini, Mazzolai, Falotico. iScience 2026 Apr (29:4); 115108 PMC13010104. 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115108. S2589-0042(26)00483-9.

New insights into non-marine monothalamids (Rhizaria, Foraminifera): The rediscovery of Limnogromia saxicola (Penard, 1905) and description of four new species.

publication
24-03-2026

Siemensma, Holzmann. Eur J Protistol 2026 Mar (104); 126192 10.1016/j.ejop.2026.126192. S0932-4739(26)00013-1.

Deciphering mechanical determinants of morphological evolution.

publication
22-03-2026

Bailleul, Cuny, Khoromskaia, Basu, Bergamini, Cucurachi, Gabler, Rupp, Guse, Curantz, Swinhoe, Cleves, Craggs, Fujita, Nakajima, Steenbergen, Diz-Muñoz, Salbreux, Ikmi. Cell 2026 Mar ; 10.1016/j.cell.2026.02.010. S0092-8674(26)00175-3.

A dual respiratory and auditory function for the coelacanth lung.

publication
15-02-2026

Manuelli, Clément, Herbin, Fritzsch, Ahlberg, Dollman, Cavin. Commun Biol 2026 Feb ; 10.1038/s42003-026-09708-6. 10.1038/s42003-026-09708-6.

Scottish nearshore monothalamid Foraminifera (Rhizaria): Description of five new species and one new genus.

publication
31-01-2026

Henderson, Holzmann, Gooday. Eur J Protistol 2026 Jan (102); 126181 10.1016/j.ejop.2026.126181. S0932-4739(26)00002-7.

Candidate genes underlying hypomelanistic morphs in squamate reptiles

publication
07-01-2026

Beaudier P, Ullate-Agote A, Tzika AC. Genetics, 232(1), iyaf236. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/iyaf236

Scottish nearshore monothalamid Foraminifera (Rhizaria): Description of five new species and one new genus

publication
06-01-2026

Henderson, Z., Holzmann, M., Gooday, A.J.. European Journal of Protistology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejop.2026.126181

PharmVar GeneFocus: NAT2-Genetic Variation and Updated Nomenclature.

publication
23-12-2025

Papanikolaou, Poloni, Agúndez, Teixeira, Boone, Rezende Santos, Whirl-Carrillo, Sangkuhl, Klein, Habil, Fakis, Minchin, Hein, Boukouvala, Gaedigk. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2025 Dec ; 10.1002/cpt.70168.

Sediment eDNA metabarcoding reveals the endemism in benthic foraminifera from Arctic methane cold seepages.

publication
15-12-2025

Barrenechea Angeles, Argentino, Cermakova, Holzmann, Pawlowski, Panieri. ISME Commun 2025 Jan (5:1); ycaf058 PMC12700162. 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf058. ycaf058.

A genetic circuit that extends the useful range of a BMP morphogen arose alongside insect wing evolution.

publication
19-11-2025

Huang, Cocconi, Nicholls-Mindlin, Alexandre, Salbreux, Vincent. Curr Biol 2025 Nov ; 10.1016/j.cub.2025.10.059. S0960-9822(25)01406-X.

Candidate genes underlying hypomelanistic morphs in squamate reptiles.

publication
04-11-2025

Beaudier, Ullate-Agote, Tzika. Genetics 2025 Nov ; 10.1093/genetics/iyaf236. 8313584.

Molecular and morphological taxonomy and biogeography of living Cribroelphidiidae, Elphidiellidae, Elphidiidae, Haynesinidae and related taxa (Foraminifera, Rotalioidea)

publication
01-11-2025

Hayward, B.W., Holzmann, M., Langer, M., Parker, J.H., Tsuchiya, M.. Micropaleontology vol. 71, no.5-6, 433-803. https://doi.org/10.47894/mpal.71.5.01

Two new freshwater foraminiferal species (SAR, Rhizaria) from Dinaric karst caves (southeastern Europe).

publication
29-10-2025

Baković, Siemensma, Holzmann. Eur J Protistol 2025 Oct (101); 126172 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126172. S0932-4739(25)00040-9.

Two new freshwater foraminiferal species (SAR, Rhizaria) from Dinaric karst caves (southeastern Europe)

publication
24-10-2025

Bakovic, N., Siemensma, F., Holzmann, M.. European Journal of Protistology 101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126172

Adhaerentella dendrocorona gen. and sp. nov: An Attached Monothalamid Foraminifera From the Abyssal Pacific

publication
10-10-2025

Burkett, A., Anandu, J., Holzmann, M., Pawlowski, J., Pratt, R.B., Rathburn. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 72: e70045, https://doi.org/10.1111/jeu.70045

Flaviatella gen. nov., a new genus of monothalamous foraminifera with a wide geographical and bathymetrical distribution

publication
10-10-2025

Holzmann, M., Gooday, A.J., Pawlowski, J.. Progress in Oceanography, 103589, ISSN 0079-6611, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103589

Adhaerentella dendrocorona gen. and sp. nov: An Attached Monothalamid Foraminifera From the Abyssal Pacific.

publication
10-10-2025

Burkett, Anadu, Holzmann, Pawlowski, Pratt, Rathburn. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2025 (72:6); e70045 10.1111/jeu.70045.

Prime Movers of Cell Biology: The most ancient molecular motors and how they work

event
Life Science Seminar Series
07.07.2026 11:00, A150 (Sciences II)

Dyche Mullins (UCSF).
hosted by: Marko Kaksonen .

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