AO Research Institute Davos

In its work to further the AO Foundation's mission, AO Research Institute Davos's purpose is to advance orthopedic patient care through innovative research and development. (Orthopedics concerns musculoskeletal, spine and cranio-maxillo-facial trauma, degenerative musculoskeletal diseases, infections, and congenital disorders).

The AO Research Institute Davos (ARI) was founded as a foundation in its own right by the Association for the Study of Internal Fixation–Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (now AO Foundation) on June 18, 1959, then known as the Laboratory for Experimental Surgery  Davos (Scroll to history to find out more).

Contemporary research conducted by ARI aims to solve practical surgical problems dealing with fractures and degenerative conditions. ARI carries out fundamental and practical research work in the fields of bone bio-mechanics, biology for the areas of bone, intervertebral disc and cartilage (including tissue engineering and musculoskeletal infection research) and biomaterial science (degradable polymers and polymer gel delivery vehicles). The Institute also works in the areas of digitalisation with smart surgery, including smart implants, smart navigation within the body and smart aids for the operation team and surgeons. All projects work closely with clinicians globally for clinical guidance and often have clinicians involved in the projects as fellows spending time from 6 months to 1 year at the institute. These projects build the basis for new implant technologies and procedures and spread the spirit of Davos globally.

Take a virtual tour (produced November 2020)

Davos Physical Meteorological Observatory (PMOD) /

World Radiation Centre (WRC)

Since the Davos Physical Meteorological Observatory (PMOD) was established in 1907 it has conducted research on the influence of solar radiation on Earth's climate. It has been part of the "Swiss Research Institute for High Altitude Climate and Medicine" since 1926.
In 1970, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Swiss Federal Council appointed the PMOD to establish and run the World Radiation Centre (WRC). The WRC maintains the primary standard for solar irradiation intensity which is measured with a group of absolute radiometers that serve as a world-wide reference for similar instruments. The WRC field of research was successively broadened to include calibration tasks in the infra-red, atmospheric spectral turbidity and the ultra-violet upon request of the WMO. 
The PMOD/WRC develops and manufactures various types of radiometers which are among the most precise of their type in the world, and are used for ground-based and space measurements. These instruments are also available for purchase, and are operated by many international meteorological institutes.

In recent years, PMOD/WRC have been involved with imaging and spectroscopic measurements for space – the first instruments of this type are onboard the ESA Solar Orbiter mission launched in 2020. We are involved in a number of future missions, both for imaging instruments and spectral irradiance measurements, with space agencies around the world. 

Ground-based and space measurements are used in research projects to study climate change and solar science. The director has a joint appointment with ETH-Zürich in the Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics. Through this link, we collaborate in teaching, supervising students and also technical aspects. 

Publications

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF)

The Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) arose as a department of the foundation Swiss Research Institutes for High Altitude Climate and Medicine Davos (SFI) in 1988. SIAF is an affiliated institute of the University of Zurich since 1996 and member of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School since 2007, a joint post graduate education program of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the University of Zurich. SIAF members play leading roles in national and international organizations and in editorial boards and editorships of top Journals in the field of allergy, asthma and clinical immunology. At the same time, SIAF fulfills teaching obligations in the University of Zurich and the University of Salzburg. SIAF organizes the international World Immune Regulation Meeting (WIRM) every year in Davos, which is one of the most important meetings in its area in the world.
The research activities at SIAF are focused on basic research in the field of allergies and asthma to develop approaches for new preventive and curative treatments for patients. Human research has been pursued at the highest level with a main emphasis given on patient-relevant research. SIAF has a large impact in the field of allergies and asthma with more than than 40’000 citations to its over 800 publications.

Annual report 2021

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF belongs to the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL). WSL is part of the ETH Domain.
The SLF is located in Davos and employs 140 highly qualified researchers and technical staff from around the world. It engages in research, scientific services, teaching and public relations. The research focuses on snow, its interaction with the atmosphere, the formation, movement and impact of snow avalanches and other mass movements, avalanche mitigation in view of integrated risk management, permafrost and mountain ecosystems. In close connection with its research activities, the SLF also offers a range of services. These include consulting on avalanche accidents and avalanche protection measures, and the development of warning systems for natural hazards in the Alps. The best-known service is the avalanche bulletin for the Swiss Alps, which is published twice daily in wintertime. SLF employees also teach at ETH Zurich and EPFL, and various universities in Switzerland and abroad, and provide basic and further training for safety personnel. The SLF is also eager to share its knowledge with the general public. Its outreach activities focus on raising the public awareness of avalanches, but also include publishing articles, offering guided tours of the institute, and explaining research findings on radio and television.

Annual report 2020

Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK-CARE)

In July 2009, the Kühne Foundation has launched the Christine Kühne – Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK-CARE), with locations in Davos, Munich, and St.Gallen. The main pillars of this initiative are highly qualified and well-connected research work in the field of allergies and education of medical professionals based on recent findings. With the establishment of CK-CARE, one of Europe's largest private initiatives in the field of allergy was launched. After a successful external evaluation by international experts of the services provided and an internationally validated development of the project, the initiative was expanded to the locations of Bonn, Augsburg and Zürich and extended in 2014 for another five years.
Around a billion people worldwide are affected by allergic diseases and asthma. Research efforts have been made for nearly a century to unlock the secrets of these scourges of humanity. Yet there continue to be sizeable gaps in our knowledge about these diseases due to the lack of scientific knowledge, the preventive and therapeutic options are still limited. The declared aim of CK-CARE is to promote research, education, and prevention in the field of allergies and improve the implementation of research results in clinical care for the benefit of affected patients.
With the launch of the "Allergy Campus Campus" for patient care, research, and education in Davos Wolfgang, in 2014 a new era has also been introduced. In close cooperation with the leading research institute SIAF Davos and the “Hochgebirgsklinik Davos Wolfgang”, CK-CARE is building a globally unique center in this field, in which research, patient care, and education in the allergy field can ideally interact and be connected in the same area, as well as develop synergies.

Annual report 2021

Lab42

Lab42 opened its doors on July 1st, 2022 in the Villa Fontana which has a rich history of hosting world leading research institutions.

Lab42 is a global artificial intelligence (AI) research lab aiming for a giant leap: creating human-level artificial intelligence for humankind.

Lab42 accelerates scientific discovery to improve the quality of life on a global scale. Unlike other initiatives in the field, Lab42 focuses on AI challenges that are unsolvable to today’s algorithms, crafting a new generation of technology far more powerful than today’s machine learning approaches.
By collaborating with world's leading scientific institutes and organizations, Lab42 aims to bring humanity into a new golden age through the creation of human-level artificial intelligence (HLAI). For this, Lab42 brings AI talents and enthusiasts together from all over the world.

Scientific discoveries are slowing down and scientist face an increasing information overload. That's why Lab42’s strategy is as simple as it is ambitious: Unite minds from all over the world and from different backgrounds to explore the fundamental principles of intelligence. By bringing together the ideas and creativity of thousands of people around the world, we reduce the time and effort required for a breakthrough in AI.