Dear colleagues and nanoenthusiasts, As summer gets underway, we’re de- lighted to present the latest edition of SNI INSight — with a fresh design and the same fascinating content that you’re used to. As always, we report on exciting de- velopments and news from the network of the Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI). In the first highlight of this edition, we introduce readers to Katja Ammann — the winner of last year’s prize for the best master’s thesis in nanosciences. Am- mann carried out the research for her excellent thesis at BÜHLMANN Laborato- ries, and her supervisor was Daniel Rick- lin from the Department of Pharmaceu- tical Sciences. Practical applications are immedi- ately apparent in the five new Nano-Ar- govia projects that the SNI has sup- ported since the start of this year. We take a concise look at these projects, in which researchers from our network collaborate with industry partners to deliver concrete solutions — demon- strating the added value of such collab- orations for participating companies. Projects on the road to practical ap- plications also include start-ups that have emerged from the SNI network. One well-established example is ELDICO Scientific, whose electron diffractometer supports researchers with the structural elucidation of chemical compounds — including the group led by Christof Sparr from the Department of Chemistry of the University of Basel, as reported in this edi- tion. For the company YQuantum, in which Christian Schönenberger is directly involved, this journey is just beginning. We spoke to CEO Christian Jünger — who many of you will undoubtedly know from his time at the Department of Physics in Basel — to learn more about this fledgling undertaking. At the end of this issue, we provide a brief overview of new research projects that SNI members have started in recent months. We then conclude by summariz- ing the main news from the last few months and give you an overview of events and scientific findings from our network. I hope you enjoy this edition of SNI INSight and I would like to thank you for your continued interest in the remark- able world of the nanosciences. Have a great summer! Kind regards, Prof. Martino Poggio, SNI director 3 SNI INSight June 2025