News

Next week, a pilot study will start for testing coronavirus from saliva samples. The saliva test is believed to be cheaper and more convenient than the nasal swab test used at present.

Artworks and cultural productions affect us more or less. In rare occasions, their encounter can trigger a life-changing event. These rare and unexpected individual moments can be shared as narratives, some of which are found in literature. The Response Events research-creation project led at the University of Tartu, in collaboration with Aix-Marseille University and University of Côte d’Azur, culminates with a conference on November 19-21, a doctoral workshop and three art exhibitions.

Even though a high body mass index is a risk factor for COVID-19, the progression of the disease does not solely depend on the fat percentage of a person. What actually matters is the wellbeing of the adipose tissue. According to an international study conducted with the participation of Estonians, this may also explain why COVID-19 is milder in women.

European Space Agency (ESA) has adopted the Ariel space mission, which includes Tartu Observatory's Stellar Physics Group as part of the science team. The mission will be the first to research a thousand exoplanets, trying to understand their formation and chances of hosting life.

The use of antibiotics in Estonia needs better regulation to prevent the formation of treatment-resistant microbes. Based on their study, the University of Tartu researchers recommend paying attention to regular updating of national treatment guidelines and to doctors’ continuing education opportunities, as well as creating a surveillance and feedback system for prescribing antibacterial therapy.

Live microbial cells can be used as a tool, which gives information on chemical or physical processes. At the University of Tartu, bacterial cells are being developed, which can be used to study the effect of antibiotics on the bacteria in the body during infection.

In each semester, students start developing their ideas in the Startup Lab to gain entrepreneurial experience. A key role in this process is played by mentors who, based on their experience, give feedback to teams, share valuable advice and help them make useful contacts.

The University of Tartu announces a design contest to find a mascot to represent the university’s visual identity. All students, staff and alumni of the university are welcome to submit their design projects until 22 November. The winner will be selected in two rounds: in the first round, a committee comprising the representatives of students, alumni and staff will choose three best projects that will be put to a public vote in the second round. The public vote among students, alumni and staff of the University of Tartu takes place in December.

In September, Peeter Selg, Professor of Political Theory at Tallinn University, and Andreas Ventsel, Senior Research Fellow in Semiotics at the University of Tartu, published a monograph synthesising the research on relational political analysis and political semiotics that the authors have been conducting over the past decade. The book provides a systematic basis to political semiotics as a discipline and proposes a method of political form analysis.

On Tuesday, University of Tartu researchers will continue the monitoring study on the prevalence of the coronavirus to determine the extent of the spread of the virus among Estonian residents. Over the next two months, researchers plan to test in total up to 10,000 people nationwide in the course of the four stages of the study.

On 30 October, the University of Tartu Senate decided to award the Johan Skytte Medal to the President of the Republic of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid. The highest award for university members, the University of Tartu Grand Medal, will be given to four long-term high-calibre researchers. Also, the recipients of the University of Tartu Star of Appreciation, Medal, Badge of Distinction and the decoration “100 Semesters at the University of Tartu” have been selected.

Today, on 4 November, a day after the US presidential election, a seminar takes place in the Delta Centre to analyse the election results. The seminar is in English and open to everyone interested in politics. It is also possible to attend the event on Zoom.

A brand new European Research Area (ERA) Chair has started work at the University of Tartu. Scientists believe that research in nanotechnology brings us novel solutions in several areas such as electronics, sensors, energy sources and even biomedical technology.

Colostrum is an exceptionally useful basic product abundant in immune and growth factors. So far, bovine colostrum has been marketed in Estonia in the form of powder meant as a human food supplement and complementary feed for farm animals. Now, researchers of the University of Tartu Institute of Pharmacy are helping producers to develop colostrum-based pharmaceutical preparations.

In the World University Rankings by subjects, published by the reputable Times Higher Education today, the University of Tartu’s computer science has climbed to the highest position ever, reaching the 176–200 band.

Sports researchers of the University of Tartu studied children from Tartu at their transition from kindergarten to school and found that when a pre-schooler gets to engage in at least one hour of moderate or intense physical activity every day, it will have a positive effect on the child’s physical well‑being also a year later.

The university invites all staff members, students, alumni and their families to city orienteering in Tartu from 19 October to 1 November. Do you know the buildings and sites connected with the university? Do you know what was in these places in the past? Grab a map and find out!

Meet other foreign researchers and professors at the University of Tartu’s international faculty club Dorpater Dozentenabend on 22 October at 19:00 at Drinkgeld (Ülikooli 20, on the ground floor of the University Café).

Archimedes Foundation recognised the project of the UT Narva College “Multilingual Higher Education: Cooperation for Innovation and Exchange of Good Practices” with the award for Erasmus+ strategic cooperation projects – the 2020 Golden Apple cooperation award.

On 20 October, the University of Tartu signed a memorandum with Mainor Ülemiste and Technopolis Ülemiste (the developers of Mainor and Ülemiste City) to enter into a broad-based cooperation in the fields of research, development, teaching and traineeship. The signed memorandum establishes a comprehensive health promotion programme, one aim of which is to create a concept of a healthy city that is unique in the world and fosters the mental, physical and social development of the talents living and working there.