Board of Directors des Clusters of Excellence ’Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health’ (l.t.r.): Univ.- Leonid Sazanov (IST Austria, Faculty of Biochemistry); Assoz.-Prof.in Mag.a Dr.in Christina Kaiser (Universität Wien, CeMESS); Univ.- univ. PhD Alexander Moschen (JKU Linz, Faculty of Medicine); Univ. - Dr. H.C. Michael Wagner (Universität Wien, CeMESS); Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. techn. Bernhard Lendl (TU Wien, Faculty of Technical Chemistry); Univ.-Prof.in Dr.in habil.rer.nat. Christine Moissl-Eichinger (MedUni Graz, Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular Biomedicine); Univ.- Alexander Bergthaler (ÖAW, CeMM); Priv.Doz.in DI Dr.in Angela Sessitsch (AIT, Center for Health & Bioresources)30 researchers led by the University of Vienna microbiologist Michael Wagner are pooling their competences in a Cluster of Excellence by the Austrian Science Fund Together, they aim to understand how microbiomes - specific communities of tiny microorganisms - regulate planetary health. With their ambitious project, the team was able to succeed in the competitive excellence programme of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). Numerous academics from the University of Vienna are also contributing to the other four approved clusters by the TU Wien, the University of Innsbruck, the Austrian Academy of Sciences and CEU.
Participating Researchers at the Cluster of Excellence ’Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health’ (l.t.r.), 1. row: Michael Wagner, Christine Moissl-Eichinger, Andreas Bergthaler, Christina Kaiser, Bernhard Lendl, Alexander Moschen; 2. row: Leonid Sazanov, Angela Sessitsch, David Berry, Ruth Birner-Grünberger, Thomas Böttcher, Clarissa Campbell; 3. row: Holger Daims, Kristina Djinovic-Carugo, Peter Ertl, Gregor Gorkiewicz, Peter Hinterdorfer, Thilo Hofmann; 4. row: Matthias Horn, Katharina Kitzinger, Stephan Krämer, Alexander Loy, Jillian Petersen, Petra Pjevac; 5. row: Martin Polz, Thomas Rattei, Andreas Richter, Isabella Wagner, Wolfgang Wanek, Dagmar Woebken © Ludwig Schedl
Microbiomes for a sustainable future
"With our Cluster of Excellence, we are creating entirely new synergies by dissolving the boundaries between red and green microbiome research in Austria and, thus, linking medicine and environmental research directly. We want to learn to understand the basic principles of microbiomes to, then, strengthen planetary health by modelling and influencing them in a targeted way," explains Michael Wagner, project leader of the new Cluster of Excellence of Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health. In addition to Michael Wagner and Christina Kaiser in the Board of Directors, 16 others academics from the University of Vienna are joining as Key Researchers: David Berry, Thomas Böttcher, Holger Daims, Thilo Hofmann, Matthias Horn, Stephan Krämer, Alexander Loy, Kristina Djinovic-Carugo, Petra Pjevac, Jillian Petersen, Martin F. Polz, Thomas Rattei, Wolfgang Wanek, Dagmar Woebken, Katharina Kitzinger and Isabella Wagner. The University of Vienna cooperates in the platform with the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), the Medical University of Graz, the Austrian Academy of Sciences with the Research Center for Molecular Medicine (CeMM), the TU Vienna and the Johannes Kepler University Linz. Also the Natural History Museum Vienna is joining the endeavour (as associated partner).
Board of Directors Cluster of Excellence ’Quantum Science Austria’. Participating researchers of the University of Vienna: Univ.- Markus Aspelmeyer (1.v.r.)
Microorganisms as health engine of our planet
Microbiomes, communities of microorganisms occupying all ecosystems and living beings, are crucial for the health of our planet and its inhabitants. In this Cluster of Excellence, 30 academics from different disciplines and seven research institutions are aiming at decrypting the common basic principles of environmental and human microbiomes. The aim is to understand how microbiomes are controlling the health of our planet. Based on this knowledge, we can better predict global change and influence microbiomes in a targeted way to find innovative solutions for a more sustainable future.
Board of Directors Cluster of Excellence ’EurAsian Transformations (EurAsia)’. Participating researchers of the University of Vienna: Univ.- Claudia Rapp (4.v.l.), Univ.- Oliver Jens Schmitt (3.v.r.), Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Melanie Malzahn (2.v.r.)
Participation of the University of Vienna in other Cluster projects:
Board of Directors Cluster of Excellence ’Materials for Energy Conversion & Storage (MECS)’. Participating researchers of the University of Vienna: Univ.- Dr. h.c. Leticia Gonzalez Herrero (2.v.r.)
o In the Materials for Energy Conversion & Storage Cluster by the TU Wien, Leticia Gonzalez from the Faculty of Chemistry is on the Board of Directors.
Board of Directors dCluster of Excellence ’Knowledge in Crisis’. Participating researchers of the University of Vienna: Univ.-Prof. Paulina Sliwa, PhD (3.v.l.), Univ.-Prof. Max Kölbel, MA MPhil PhD (4.v.l.), Univ.- Hans Bernhard Schmid (2.v.r.)
o In the Knowledge in Crisis Cluster by the CEU, Hans Bernhard Schmid, Paulina Sliwa and Max Kölbel from the Department of Philosophy are joining the Board of Directors.
