At PSI, researchers investigate the basic structures of matter and the fundamental principles of nature. They examine the smallest building blocks of matter or investigate the structure of biological molecules and how they perform their tasks. The knowledge gathered in this way opens up new approaches to finding solutions in science, medicine and technology.
Unravelling the secrets of matter
In particle physics, PSI researchers are focussing on the fundamental question of the basic structures of the world. They investigate the structure and properties of elementary particles, the smallest building blocks of matter. They use their findings to question existing models of physics and try to close the remaining gaps in our knowledge.
On the trail of life
Proteins are considered the building blocks of life. At PSI, researchers are investigating how they are composed and how they control the processes in living cells. They are also interested in larger biological structures such as the cytoskeleton or the nervous system; and not least the brain as one of the most complex structures in nature. They want to understand the biological fundamentals in order to find out how specific diseases or deterioration processes develop. Only then can targeted active agents be developed to treat them.
