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A research team at the Medical University of Vienna led by Maria Sibilia has investigated a new combination therapy against cancer. This therapy employs systemic administration of the tissue hormone interferon-I combined with local application of Imiquimod. This combination showed promising results in topically accessible tumors like melanoma and breast cancer models: The therapy led to the death of tumor cells at the treated sites and simultaneously activated the adaptive immune system to fight even distant metastases.

Researchers at CeMM and the Medical University of Vienna have developed an innovative microscopy-based approach that could predict the best approved drug to treat individual rheumatoid arthritis patients using samples of their blood. Published in the Lancet group journal EBioMedicine the study demonstrates the feasibility of precision medicine to significantly enhance treatments for rheumatoid arthritis and likely other autoimmune diseases.

A recent study led by MedUni Vienna provides new insights into the mechanisms of coagulation in persons with haemophilia A, the most common form of haemophilia. The research team was able to show that saliva contains special vesicles that trigger rapid coagulation of the blood of haemophilic patients.

Researchers from the Vienna Lung Transplant Program of MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna have published the first prospective, randomized and controlled study on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) in lung transplantation in the renowned European Respiratory Journal. The findings could significantly change the standard procedure for rejection reactions after lung transplants.

Diabetic neuropathy, a common complication of diabetes, manifests itself in the loss of sensation in the feet leading to chronic pain and ulcers, in severe cases even to amputations. While previous interventions have aimed to alleviate the symptoms, the non-invasive neuroprosthesis developed by an international research team led by Stanisa Raspopovic from MedUni Vienna addresses the cause.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a very rare neurodegenerative disease that is fatal within a few months and still poses many questions to scientists. To date, no specific symptoms are known that precede the onset of the disease. A suspected diagnosis can usually be made on the basis of a particular combination of symptoms and examination findings, but can only be confirmed after the death of the affected person.

A MedUni Vienna study has identified a new approach to the drug treatment of metabolic liver diseases. In an experimental study, pharmacological inhibition of an enzyme that plays a central role in fat metabolism promoted liver health reduced liver fat, inflammation and fibrotic remodeling (connective tissue scarring).

As much as targeted therapy using so-called EGFR inhibitors has proven its worth for various types of tumours, possible side effects can be very stressful for patients. Scarring alopecia - permanent hair loss that can only be delayed but not reversed - is particularly cause for concern. Researchers at MedUni Vienna have now identified JAK inhibitors as active substances that can reactivate hair growth.

Advanced liver disease is the second most common cause of lost working years, as it disproportionately affects young patients. Possible complications of these diseases can often be traced back to high blood pressure in the blood circulation of the liver - portal hypertension. Under the leadership of Mattias Mandorfer from the Clinical Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna, the NICER model has now been developed, which can calculate the percentage probability of the presence of portal hypertension without an invasive procedure.

Secondary lymphoid organs are specialised structures in the body in which immune cells multiply and develop to respond to new pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. An international team led by Kaan Boztug (St. Anna Children's Cancer Research, MedUni Vienna, CeMM) has now been able to identify a completely new form of a rare disease that provides a better understanding of the importance of these structures for the human immune system.

Researchers at the University of Vienna develop gut-stable oxytocin analogues for targeted pain treatment of chronic abdominal pain A research team at the University of Vienna, led by medicinal chemist Markus Muttenthaler, has developed a new class of oral peptide therapeutic leads for treating chronic abdominal pain.

Disruption of the microbial community favours pathogens in the gut In a groundbreaking new study, conducted within the framework of the FWF-funded Cluster of Excellence "Microbiomes drive Planetary Health", scientists from the University of Vienna, in collaboration with the University of Southampton, Aalborg University and Boston University, have revealed that the widely prescribed Parkinson's disease drug entacapone significantly disrupts the human gut microbiome by inducing iron deficiency.

A large number of effective drugs are currently available for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but until now there has been a lack of suitable strategies for choosing the best possible therapy for individual patients. In a comprehensive scientific review led by rheumatologist Daniel Aletaha, Head of the Department of Medicine III at MedUni Vienna, a model has now been developed that focuses on the individual needs of patients and their health situation.

Predicting the optimal therapy for individual cancer patients is one of the most important goals of modern medicine. A MedUni Vienna research team led by Michael Bergmann (Department of General Surgery, MedUni Vienna/AKH Wien) and Matthias Farlik (Department of Dermatology, MedUni Vienna/AKH Wien) has now developed a model system for culturing individual colorectal cancer patient samples that include cancer cells as well as structural and immune cells.

In a study led by MedUni Vienna, data from more than 100,000 patients with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who were registered with the Vienna City Health Service around two years ago was analysed. Of these, more than 20,000 patients were treated with antiviral drugs due to their risk of a severe course.

A research team led by MedUni Vienna has investigated AC102, a new active substance that offers hope of an effective treatment for acute sudden hearing loss. The latest results have been published in the scientific journal "Cell Death & Disease". Initial findings from preclinical trials could represent a significant advancement in the treatment of acute hearing disorders.

In a recent study, an international research team with significant involvement from MedUni Vienna has investigated how nanoplastic particles deposited in the body affect the effectiveness of antibiotics. The study showed that the plastic particles not only impair the effect of the drugs, but could also promote the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

In a recent study published in the scientific journal "Blood", researchers from MedUni Vienna show that haemorrhages are more common in cancer patients than previously thought and are associated with a poor prognosis and an increased risk of death. The results emphasise the need to devote more attention to this serious complication in clinical practice and research in the future.

Theranostics integrates molecular imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy - a concept that is already in clinical use for the treatment of various types of cancer. A position paper from the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), written under the leadership of Matthias Preusser from MedUni Vienna, summarises the potential of this concept for the treatment of brain tumours.

A MedUni Vienna study has investigated gender-specific differences in the diagnosis of systolic heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes. The results, recently published in the specialist journal "Cardiovascular Diabetology", show that the current methods are less reliable in women than in men.