HSE Scientists: Social Cues in News Interfaces Build Online Trust
Researchers from the HSE Laboratory for Cognitive Psychology of Digital Interface Users have discovered how social cues in the design of news websites—such as reader comments, the number of reposts, or the author’s name—can help build user trust. An experiment with 137 volunteers showed that such interface elements make a website appear more trustworthy and persuasive to users, with the strongest cue being links to the media’s social networks. The study's findings have been published in Human-Computer Interaction.
‘My Goal Is to Shed Light on How Deaf Children Develop in Russia’
Having completed her PhD in the UK, Valeria Vinogradova dreams of applying her knowledge and experience to create an interdisciplinary centre for deafness studies in Russia. In an interview for the Young Scientists of HSE University project, she spoke about Russian Sign Language, her love of modern jazz, and much more.
Immune System Error: How Antibodies in Multiple Sclerosis Mistake Their Targets
Researchers at HSE University and the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBCh RAS) have studied how the immune system functions in multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease in which the body's own antibodies attack its nerve fibres. By comparing blood samples from MS patients and healthy individuals, scientists have discovered that the immune system in MS patients can mistake viral proteins for those of nerve cells. Several key proteins have also been identified that could serve as new biomarkers for the disease and aid in its diagnosis. The study has been published in Frontiers in Immunology. The research was conducted with support from the Russian Science Foundation.
‘A Cat That Jumps from the Floor to a Shelf Doesn't Know Newton's Laws’
Anastasia Malashina defended her thesis on a topic related to cryptographic methods of information protection and is now engaged in applied projects in strategic analytics. In an interview with the Young Scientists of HSE University project, she discussed the difficulties she faced during her studies and explained what cryptography is and why large language models will not replace human intelligence.
HSE University and Children’s Oncology Centre Partner to Advance Scientific Research and Practice
HSE University and the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Centre of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology have signed an agreement on scientific and practical cooperation. The document was signed by Nikita Anisimov, HSE University Rector, and Nikolay Grachev, Director General of the Centre.
‘The Goal of Modern Geography Is To Digitise Expert Knowledge and Integrate It with Big Data’
The importance of geographical science is increasing, as is the demand for education in this field. Since 2020, application numbers for Bachelor’s programmes at HSE University’s Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology have climbed by 30%, while interest in Master’s programmes has also expanded, with applications up 10–15%. Nikolay Kurichev, Dean of the Faculty, spoke about this at a press conference hosted by MIA Rossiya Segodnya.
'It Is Essential to Rely on Facts and to Be Consistent and Honest'
Ksenia Rozhkova studies the labour market, learns foreign languages to gain a deeper understanding of the world, and has a passion for theatre. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, she discusses non-cognitive characteristics, the role theatre plays in her life, and common myths about pursuing a master's degree.
‘Our Result Was Recognised Not Only Within the Project Defence but Also on International Scale’
This year, the European AI Conference (ECAI 2025) accepted an article titled ‘Multi-Agent Path Finding for Large Agents is Intractable’ by Artem Agafonov, a second-year student of the Applied Mathematics and Information Science Bachelor’s programme at HSE University’s Faculty of Computer Science. The work was co-authored by Konstantin Yakovlev, Head of the Joint Department with Intelligent Technologies of System Analysis and Management at the Federal Research Centre ‘Informatics and Management’ of the RAS and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Applied Sciences. In the interview, Artem Agafonov explained how he came up with the idea for the article and how he was able to present it at an A-level conference.
HSE Scientists Test New Method to Investigate Mechanisms of New Word Acquisition
Researchers at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain were among the first to use transcranial alternating current stimulation to investigate whether it can influence the acquisition of new words. Although the authors of the experiment have not yet found a link between brain stimulation and word acquisition, they believe that adjusting the stimulation parameters may yield different results in the future. The study has been published in Language, Cognition and Neuroscience.
Twenty vs Ten: HSE Researcher Examines Origins of Numeral System in Lezgic Languages
It is commonly believed that the Lezgic languages spoken in Dagestan and Azerbaijan originally used a vigesimal numeral system, with the decimal system emerging later. However, a recent analysis of numerals in various dialects, conducted by linguist Maksim Melenchenko from HSE University, suggests that the opposite may be true: the decimal system was used originally, with the vigesimal system developing later. The study has been published in Folia Linguistica.
Applications are submitted until August 17, 2025