news 2024

Up to 80,000 people in Austria are estimated to suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as ME/CFS or myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. The number of ME/CFS patients is expected to rise drastically due to long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research in the field has neither identified mechanisms of disease onset nor causal treatment approaches.

ISTA researchers analyze brain region using light flashes, high-pressure freezing and fracturing Fear and addiction exert significant influence within society. Managing them is often challenging, as they are driven by intricate neuronal circuits in our brains. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms is crucial to intervene when these processes malfunction.

Severe heart disease or pulmonary hypertension often lead to a leak in the tricuspid valve, the valve between the right atrium and the right ventricle. However, tricuspid regurgitation can also occur without a clearly identifiable cause. In the past, this leakage was mainly treated with medication using diuretics and, for some years now, with clips inserted into the heart valve.

ISTA researchers welcome AI use in science, but remain cautious From identifying complex morphologies in the brain to analyzing the properties of storm clouds, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are aiding several research projects employing deep learning and machine learning at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA).

A new approach to producing artificial tissue has been developed at TU Wien: Cells are grown in microstructures created in a 3D printer. Is it possible to grow tissue in the laboratory, for example to replace injured cartilage? At TU Wien (Vienna), an important step has now been taken towards creating replacement tissue in the lab - using a technique that differs significantly from other methods used around the world.

Regular time spent in nature is more beneficial to the well-being of poorer than richer people Data from a representative sample of the Austrian population suggests that the relationship between nature contact and well-being is consistently stronger for people on lower than higher incomes. However, this pattern was only found when people actively visited nature and not when they merely lived near greenspaces.

Next to other complications, cirrhosis is also linked to abnormalities in haemostasis. However, the role of alterations in platelet function had previously been insufficiently investigated. Now, researchers at the Medical University of Vienna have shed light on the connection between platelet function and the risk of bleeding, thrombosis or the occurrence of complications of cirrhosis.

The visibility of your research is in your own hands. Michaela Zottler from the TU Graz library provides valuable tips. Why is the visibility of research performances important? The impact of research performance is primarily determined by the quality of the research, but also by whether and how research achievements and the researcher are perceived.

Drugs known as antidepressants target the serotonin transporter in nerve cells and are among the most commonly prescribed medicines worldwide, but are sometimes associated with significant side effects. As part of a study, a research group led by Thomas Stockner from MedUni Vienna identified the basic principles of serotonin transport and thus created a possible basis for the development of novel drugs with improved selectivity and with fewer undesirable effects.

ISTA researchers uncover the architecture of poxvirus cores A recent re-emergence and outbreak of Mpox brought poxviruses back as a public health threat, underlining an important knowledge gap at their core. Now, a team of researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) lifted the mysteries of poxviral core architecture by combining various cryo-electron microscopy techniques with molecular modeling.

While people experiencing homelessness are more exposed to cancer-associated risk factors, there is a lack of awareness and structures for targeted cancer prevention. Yet people experiencing homelessness are twice as likely to be affected by cancer as people who are resident. Against this backdrop, an international team led by Igor Grabovac and Maren Jeleff from MedUni Vienna's Center for Public Health has systematically assessed the health challenges of this population group for the first time in order to create a scientifically sound basis for the development of preventive measures.

Coronary stents are implanted in more than 26,000 patients in Austria every year to treat angina pectoris or heart attacks. These are vascular stents made of metal that help to keep narrowed vessels open for many years. Acute clot formation (thrombosis) is the most feared complication of these procedures.

A research team led by Georg Stary (Medical University of Vienna and CeMM) has identified a new approach to treating the inflammatory disease sarcoidosis. In a clinical study, the inhibition of a specific signaling pathway showed clear success in the treatment of granulomas in the skin. This opens up new therapeutic paths for sarcoidosis and similar inflammatory diseases.

A study by the Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna of MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital has taken a closer look at the effectiveness of common examination methods for the early detection of prostate cancer. It was found that rectal examination has no advantages over the PSA blood test for detecting prostate cancer.

With increasing life expectancy, old age is becoming an ever larger part of the human lifespan. During ageing, the way cells function changes, which sometimes has drastic consequences for the body. A recent study published in the journal "Nature Aging", led by Josef Penninger, Professor of Personalised Medicine at MedUni Vienna, reveals the crucial role of a previously unknown lipid metabolic pathway in ageing, in particular its impact on muscle health and glucose control.

The cell nucleus is considered to be the control centre of vital cellular processes, but its material properties continue to puzzle scientists. An international research team led by MedUni Vienna has now developed a new technique that provides a previously unattainable view of the mechanical properties inside this control centre.

The shape, size and optical properties of 3-dimensional nanostructures can now be simulated in advance before they are produced directly with high precision on a wide variety of surfaces. For around 20 years, it has been possible to modify surfaces via nanoparticles so that they concentrate or manipulate light in the desired way or trigger other reactions.

Despite enormous medical advances, severe burns are still potentially life-threatening injuries. Clinical scores, which take relevant parameters into account, are available to doctors as a decision-making aid for therapeutic measures and to assess the probability of patient survival. Pre-existing diseases were not previously included in these models.

Results of a neuroscientific study suggest that violence in video games has no negative influence on the empathy of adults Neuroscientists from the University of Vienna and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm have investigated whether playing violent video games leads to a reduction in human empathy.

In an autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks not only pathogens but also the body's own cells. A research team led by Marta Rizzi (University of Freiburg, Medical University of Vienna) has now been able to show that defective signalling pathways in the body play a decisive role in the development of immune cells.