Joint initiative In 2006, the Canton of Aargau and the University of Basel founded the Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI) with a view to bolstering research, knowledge and technology transfer, and training in the nanosci- ences in Northwestern Switzerland. Over the last 20 years, the SNI has established itself as an internationally recognized center for the nanosciences and nanotechnology — and it will con- tinue to make valuable contributions to the life sci- ences and to the fields of quantum, materials and environmental science in the future. Researchers in the SNI network work not only on projects in the area of basic research but also on collaborations with companies from the Cantons of Aargau, Solothurn, Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft with a key focus on nanoimaging and nanofabrication. In 2025, the SNI spent approximately 8.4 million Swiss francs, of which some 5.5 million were pro- vided by the Canton of Aargau and 2.9 million by the University of Basel. A lively, diverse network One special feature of the SNI is its dynamic, inter- disciplinary network, which connects researchers from leading scientific institutions in Northwestern Switzerland. Within the network, researchers work on various applied and basic research projects across the boundaries between institutions and disciplines. The SNI’s partner institutions include: the University of Basel with numerous departments; the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland with its School of Life Sciences in Muttenz and School of Engineering and Environment in Windisch ; the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI; the De- partment of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich in Basel; the Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) in Allschwil; and the two technology transfer centers ANAXAM and Swiss PIC. The SNI also engages in collaborations with the Hightech Zentrum Aargau in Brugg and with Basel Area Business & Innovation in relation to knowledge and technology transfer. Excellent interdisciplinary training One of the SNI’s key tasks is to train excellent early career researchers. This centers around the bache- lor’s and master’s program in nanosciences at the University of Basel, in which students first gain a comprehensive grounding in the natural sciences before focusing on their principal areas of interest in the fields of nanobiology, nanochemistry, nano- physics or medical nanosciences. So far, over 300 students have earned a bachelor’s degree in nanosciences in Basel, and 240 students have successfully completed the nanosciences mas- ter’s program. At the end of 2025, there were 56 stu- dents enrolled on the bachelor’s program and 22 early career researchers enrolled on the master’s program. The education provided by the SNI is supple- mented by the SNI PhD School. For a period of about four years, doctoral students from national and in- ternational universities work intensively on nano- science topics, many of which are interdisciplinary in nature. In 2025, a total of 41 doctoral students were enrolled in the SNI PhD School — and nine of them successfully completed their projects in that year. Six new doctoral students began their doctor- ates in 2025, and six further projects were approved, which will begin in 2026. At the end of 2025, some 70% of the 69 existing graduates of the SNI PhD School were working at an industrial company, while around 30% were working at a research institution, public authority or school. Support for research In addition to PhD projects, the SNI supports the research of a number of professors. For example, the two Argovia professors Roderick Lim (cellular trans- port processes) and Martino Poggio (nanomechanics & nanomagnetism) received support from the SNI. For their part, the professors make a considerable contribution to the SNI’s international visibility with their commitment to teaching and research. The SNI also supports the three titular profes- sors Thomas Jung, Michel Kenzelmann and Frithjof Nolting, who lecture at the Department of Physics of the University of Basel and conduct research to- gether with their groups at the Paul Scherrer Insti- tute PSI. Collaboration with industry Knowledge and technology transfer represent further cornerstones of the SNI’s activities. In projects as part of the Nano-Argovia program, which has existed since the Swiss Nanoscience Institute was founded, at least two academic partners from the SNI network collab- orate on applied research with an industrial company from Northwestern Switzerland. So far, the SNI has supported this knowledge and technology transfer with well over 100 Nano-Argovia projects. In 2025, ten of these applied research projects received financial support. The partner companies for six of the projects hailed from the Canton of Aargau, while two each came from one of the two Basel half-cantons and Solothurn. Likewise, collabo- ration with industry is supported by the two tech- nology transfer centers ANAXAM and Swiss PIC, which are also partners in the SNI network. Members of the SNI network in- clude researchers from leading scientific institu- tions in Northwestern Switzerland. The Canton of Aargau and the University of Basel founded the SNI. One of the SNI’s core tasks is to train early career researchers. 8 SNI Annual Report 2025