Current research projects

KiKli Fit: Promoting physical activity in Swiss paediatric oncology

Principal investigator Dr. Valentin Benzing
Co-investigators Dr. Eva Katharina Brack
Dr. Christina Schindera
PD Dr. Julia Schmid
Sara Müller
Lisa Hillebrecht
Prof. Dr. Nicolas von der Weid
Prof. Dr. Regula Everts
Funding FOSPO (in collaboration with the lab 7x1 innovation laboratory)
Zoé4Life
Swiss Cancer League

KiKli Fit: Promoting physical activity in Swiss paediatric oncology

Ein Comic, das ein Kind beim Spielen mit einer Krankenschwester zeigt, daneben steht ein Mann mit einem Kind auf dem Arm, der mit einem anderen Kind spielt.

Exercise programmes are increasingly regarded internationally as an essential component of paediatric oncology treatment. In Switzerland, however, sports therapy during cancer treatment has so far been little or not at all established. Physical activity during acute treatment and aftercare reduces the side effects of therapy and supports the success of treatment. Exercise also has a favourable effect on cognition due to changes in brain structure and function and improved neurotransmission. Children and adolescents with cancer often have cognitive impairments due to neurotoxic therapies or the disease itself. This research project therefore aims to investigate whether the cognitive performance of children and adolescents with cancer can be maintained or even improved through the targeted promotion of cognition with the help of physical activity. This is being done as part of the "KiKli Fit" sports and exercise programme for children and adolescents with cancer already offered at Bern University Hospital. The scientific monitoring of the "KiKli-Fit" project includes effectiveness testing, implementation research and the development of an exercise manual for the entire Swiss paediatric oncology department.

Publications

Benzing, V., Heinks, T., Eggenberger, N., & Schmidt, M. (2016). Acute cognitively engaging exergame-based physical activity enhances executive functions in adolescents. PLoS One, 11(12), Article e0167501. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0167501
Benzing, V., Siegwart, V., Spitzhüttl, J., Schmid, J., Grotzer, M., Roebers, C. M., Steinlin, M., Leibundgut, K., Everts, R., & Schmidt, M. (2021). Motor ability, physical self-concept and health-related quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors. Cancer Medicine, 10(5), 1860-1871. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.3750
Benzing, V., Spitzhüttl, J., Siegwart, V., Schmid, J., Grotzer, M., Heinks, T., Roebers, C. M., Steinlin, M., Leibundgut, K., Schmidt, M., & Everts, R. (2020). Effects of cognitive training and exergaming in pediatric cancer survivors - A randomized clinical trial. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 52(11), 2293-2302. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000002386

Cooperation partners

Swiss Cancer League
Zoé4Life
FOSPO (in collaboration with the lab 7x1 innovation laboratory)
Network ActiveOncoKids

KiKli Motion: Promoting Physical Activity for Children with Chronic Illnesses

Lead Dr. Valentin Benzing
Funding

Bundesamt für Sport (BASPO)
Stiftung BRH
Thomas & Doris Ammann Foundation
Fondation Johanne Durmüller-Bol 

KiKli Motion

Logo KiKliMotion

KiKli Motion: Structurally integrate physical activity promotion for children with chronic illnesses into everyday hospital life.

The positive effects of physical activity and sports on physical and mental health, as well as on the recovery process, are well documented by scientific research. Nevertheless, the promotion of physical activity in everyday inpatient hospital care—unlike physical therapy, for example—is still not structurally embedded: there is a lack of institutional frameworks, personnel resources, and financial funding. At the same time, the KiKli Fit project conducted in pediatric oncology has shown that there is a great need for such initiatives and that promoting physical activity in the hospital is not only possible but also effective and feasible in practice (Hillebrecht et al., 2025; Rehbein et al., 2025). uilding on this, KiKli Motion systematically processes these findings, further develops them, and applies them to the structural integration of physical activity promotion across all wards caring for chronically ill children at the Children’s Hospital Bern. Physical activity is viewed not only as a therapeutic measure but also as a preventive intervention in its own right that actively contributes to the physical and mental health of hospitalized children. The project includes both group and individual programs and specifically involves professionals as advocates in the design and implementation of the program. The focus is on two key outputs: first, indication-specific recommendations for action that provide concrete guidance on what may and should be done with each child—taking into account age, health status, and clinical context; second, an implementation plan for institutional, organizational, and personnel implementation in everyday clinical practice. The goal is to develop a transferable model that can be adapted for use in other children’s hospitals in Switzerland.

References

Hillebrecht, L., Rehbein, L., Schneider, A. C., Müller, S., Schindera, C., Eva, K., & Benzing, V. (2025). KiKli Fit: Insights into the development and practice of a physical activity program in pediatric cancer. Current Issues in Sport Science,
10(2), Article 003. https://doi.org/10.36950/2025.2ciss003 
Rehbein, L., Schneider, A. C., Hillebrecht, L., Schindera, C., Singh, A., Eva, K., & Benzing, V. (2025). KiKli Fit: Investigating the implementation of a physical activity program in pediatric cancer. Current Issues in Sport Science,
10(2), Article 004. https://doi.org/10.36950/2025.2ciss004 

Student Well-Being in Digitally Supported Higher Education (SWELL)

Principal investigator Dr. Valentin Benzing
Co-investigators Dr. Eva Katharina Brack
Dr. Christina Schindera
PD Dr. Julia Schmid
Sara Müller
Lisa Hillebrecht
Prof. Dr. Nicolas von der Weid
Prof. Dr. Regula Everts
Funding FOSPO (in collaboration with the lab 7x1 innovation laboratory)
Zoé4Life
Swiss Cancer League

Student Well-Being in Digitally Supported Higher Education

Logo SWELL

SWELL: Student Well-Being in der digital unterstützten Hochschullehre

How does digitally supported higher education teaching affect students' well-being—and how can teaching be structured in a way that promotes health? The digital transformation is fundamentally changing higher education at the University of Bern. Digital and hybrid teaching formats open up new possibilities for flexible, location-independent learning. At the same time, they present new challenges for students, such as an increased need for self-direction, information overload, less social interaction, and a less active daily routine. Against this backdrop, the SWELL project is investigating how digitally supported higher education affects student well-being. The project is a collaborative effort between the Institute of Sports Science and the Department of Education at the University of Bern. The central question is: What conditions promote or hinder student well-being in an increasingly digitized higher education environment? This analysis takes into account both academic demands and personal and social resources. SWELL employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and pilot interventions in courses. Based on this, the project aims to develop scientifically sound and practice-oriented recommendations for the design of digitally supported higher education instruction. SWELL thus contributes to the evidence-based advancement of teaching at the University of Bern and specifically focuses on university teaching that is not only digitally innovative but also promotes well-being.

Prcedure
Jahr Thema Aktivität
2026 Online Survey All students at the University of Bern are surveyed twice during the fall semester.
2027 Interviews In-depth discussions with students and lecturers from courses at various stages of digitalisation.
2028 Synthesis The findings are discussed with an interdisciplinary group of experts, and priorities are identified.
2028–29 Pilot interventions Elements designed to encourage physical activity and social interaction are being trialled directly within the teaching programme.
2029–30 Transfer Evidence-based recommendations and workshops are incorporated back into university teaching.

Four key factors

  • CHALLENGE: Digital stress 
    Constant availability, information overload and the fear of missing out.
  • RESOURCE: Social connectedness
    The feeling of belonging and being connected to peers and lecturers – both online and on campus.
  • RESOURCE: Physical activity
    Exercise boosts concentration and reduces stress – but is often neglected in everyday digital student life.
  • BEHAVIOUR: Strategies & Behaviour
    From proactive study planning to cyberloafing: taking an active role in shaping one’s own learning.

Contakt

swell@unibe.ch · As part of the University of Bern’s digitalisation strategy, ‘People in Digital Transformation’.

Self-regulated learning in the digital context. Conditions for success in learning and teaching (SELEKT)

Principal investigators Prof. Dr. Tina Hascher (IfE, ASU)
Prof. Dr. Mirko Schmidt (ISPW, ASP)
Co-investigators PD Dr. André Klostermann
Dr. Mathias Mejeh
Staff Bernarda Letnar
Funding (ISPW share) Digitisation committee of the University of Bern: 125‘000 CHF
Faculty of Human Sciences: 65‘300 CHF

Self-regulated learning in the digital context. Conditions for success in learning and teaching (SELEKT)

In a digitalised educational society, self-regulated learning is increasingly supported by digital media such as learning platforms and applications. This development aims to individually optimise the learning process and promote the digital literacy of learners. The functional design of online learning environments and the evidence-based use of digital media play a decisive role here. Digital education goals include competences such as computer and information-related skills as well as technology-based problem-solving skills. In this sub-project, we are investigating technology-based options for supporting self-regulated learning of motor skills in the context of practical sports methodology training at universities. The focus is on the so-called calibration, i.e. the comparison of the actual state with the target state, which is necessary in order to uncover deficits in one's own skill level and relate them to the learning objectives. The valid self-assessment of learners is particularly challenging.

Media use, physical activity and body-related self-perception

Management Prof. Dr. Mirko Schmidt
Staff Moritz Engel

Media use, physical activity and body-related self-perception (2023-today)

Ein Schuljunge geht vorbei und starrt dabei in sein Handy.

The processing and linking of physical signals from the environment (exteroception) and the inner world (interoception) plays a central role in the perception of one's own body. The integration of these signals contributes to the development of the body-related self-image and identity, which are strongly linked to mental health. The same perceptual processes are required to encode both internal and external signals. In concrete terms, this means that attention to external signals reduces the attention resources for internal signals and vice versa. If the perception of interoceptive signals is absent or reduced, it can therefore be assumed that one's own self-model is primarily generated exteroceptively, as suggested by recent studies. Young people today spend a large proportion of their time using digital media, which means that they are constantly exposed to external signals. Initial study results indicate that the use of these media is associated with a reduced perception of interoceptive signals. In contrast, sporting activity is shown to be a way of promoting access to one's own internal body signals (Wallman-Jones et al., 2021, 2022). Whether the use of digital media has an influence on interoception and the extent to which sport could act as a counterpart here has not yet been investigated. Based on these assumptions, this project will first analyse the connections between young people's media use, sporting activity and body-related self-perception in order to subsequently develop concepts for promoting body-related self-perception through sport.

Exergaming and cognitive functions

Principal investigator Dr. Valentin Benzing
Funding Burgergemeinde Bern: 3'000 CHF

Exergaming and cognitive functions (2020 - today)

Physically active breaks are seen as a way of restoring and even increasing cognitive performance after a strenuous work phase. Although the empirical evidence for this is steadily increasing, there are also some studies that have not been able to prove a positive effect of exercise breaks on cognitive performance at all, or even detected a negative effect. Differences in the characteristics of physical activity are postulated as one reason for the positive or negative effect of physical activity. For example, it is assumed that quantitative characteristics such as intensity and duration during exercise can have an influence on cognitive performance. Furthermore, it is also assumed that qualitative characteristics, such as the type of physical activity, can have a positive influence on cognitive performance. The dose-response relationship between qualitative and quantitative characteristics can be studied well in a controlled laboratory setting. Therefore, in these studies, exergaming (active video gaming) is used to test theoretical assumptions on underlying mechanisms, to systematically manipulate characteristics of physical activities and to investigate their influence on perception and cognitive performance. Initial studies were supported by a grant from the Burgergemeinde Bern.

CLEAR – Clinical Laboratory Evaluation, Assessment of Symptoms and Recovery in Patients with Post-COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome

Principal investigators Prof. Dr. Mirko Schmidt (Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern)
Dr. Dieter Thommen (Cell-Re-Active-Training Practice, Bern)
Project coordination/Data management Dr. phil. nat. Michaela Fux (Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern)
Project staff/Research partners Prof. Dr. Robert Rieben (Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern)
Dr. med. Martin Hermann (Medical University of Innsbruck)
Dr. med. Andreas Weiss (Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern)
Funding Post-Vaccination Syndrome Switzerland: CHF 49'750
Project duration 2025-2026

CLEAR – Clinical Laboratory Evaluation, Assessment of Symptoms and Recovery in Patients with Post-COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome

The research project CLEAR (Clinical Laboratory Evaluation, Assessment of Symptoms and Recovery in Patients with Post-COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome) investigates Post-COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome (PVS), a rare but severely debilitating chronic condition that may occur in temporal association with COVID-19 vaccination. In severe cases, PVS shows marked clinical similarities to myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Typical symptoms include pronounced exertion intolerance with post-exertional malaise (PEM), cognitive impairment, musculoskeletal pain, neurological symptoms, and a substantial reduction in quality of life.

The primary aim of CLEAR is to systematically investigate potential pathobiological mechanisms underlying PVS. The project focuses on immune-mediated inflammatory processes, endothelial dysfunction, and alterations in blood coagulation. This work builds on recent international research on long COVID, which suggests a role of microclots, platelet activation, and endothelial damage. Recent findings from the DBMR in Bern further indicate that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein can directly trigger inflammatory processes in vascular cells.

CLEAR adopts a multimodal research approach, combining patient-reported outcomes with advanced laboratory-based analyses.

Study Design and Subprojects

The CLEAR project consists of three interlinked subprojects:

  • PROGRESS (Patient Reported Outcomes and General REcovery in Severe PostVac Syndrome)::
    A longitudinal observational study using standardized online questionnaires to assess symptoms, disease course, functional limitations, and subjective treatment experiences over an eight-month period.
  • ENDOCLOT (Endothelial Dysfunction and Clotting in PostVac Patients):
    A clinical laboratory study examining platelet function, microthrombotic alterations, and vascular function using the EndoPAT system.
  • REAL (Role of Endothelial Activation in Long Post-COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome):
    Analysis of immunological markers—particularly cytokines—and additional biomarkers related to inflammation, coagulation, and endothelial processes using advanced laboratory methods.

The integration of these approaches aims to identify potential biomarkers that may serve as a basis for improved diagnostic strategies and future therapeutic approaches.