news

A research team at the Medical University of Vienna has developed a blood test that allows the identification of individuals at risk for developing multiple sclerosis (MS) with a high degree of certainty years before the onset of symptoms. As a result, in the future, diagnostic and therapeutic measures could be taken early enough to delay or even prevent the onset of the disease.

An international research team led by scientists from SickKids Hospital in Toronto, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Dalhousie University, the University of Exeter (UK) and the Medical University of Vienna has uncovered a previously unknown protective strategy of cells. The study, published in the top journal Science, shows how two cell compartments - mitochondria and peroxisomes - work directly together to defend themselves against so-called "oxidative stress factors".

Some chlamydiae can spread directly from host cell to host cell Chlamydiae are known human pathogens. A better understanding of these bacteria is essential for combating them. A team of microbiologists from the University of Vienna has now been able to show that Some chlamydiae completely dispense with an infectious extracellular form and instead spread directly from host cell to host cell.

The first high-quality pycnogonid genome provides novel insights in chelicerate evo-devo An international collaboration featuring the University of Vienna and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA

New Study Identifies the Evolutionary Origins of the Cells and Molecular Signals Bridging Mother to Fetus An international research team led by scientists from the University of Vienna has uncovered new insights into how specialized cell types and communication networks at the interface between mother and fetus evolved over millions of years.

A recent study led by Philipp Starkl from MedUni Vienna shows that mast cells can influence the behaviour of macrophages in a previously unknown way. The research provides new insights into the interactions of these immune cells in inflammatory processes and immune defence, and lays the foundation for the development of new immunomodulatory therapeutic strategies.

New insights into the prehistory of two major North Eurasian language families Where do the Uralic languages such as Finnish and Hungarian or Yeniseian come from? Ancient DNA could provide answers: Researchers* with the participation of Ron Pinhasi from the University of Vienna analyzed the genome of 180 individuals from the Volga-Ural region to the Lena Valley in central Siberia in the period from the Mesolithic (approx. 11,000 years ago) to the Bronze Age (approx. 4,000 years ago).

An interdisciplinary research team from the Medical University of Vienna, in collaboration with the University of Vienna, found that targeted modification of a single protein in certain immune cells reduces intestinal inflammation in a mouse model of colitis. The study, currently published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, focuses on the protein filamin A, whose structure can be modified by so-called RNA editing.

A new study from the University of Vienna reveals that sea anemones use a molecular mechanism known from bilaterian animals to form their back-to-belly body axis. This mechanism ("BMP shuttling") enables cells to organize themselves during development by interpreting signaling gradients. The findings, published in Science Advances , suggest that this system evolved much earlier than previously assumed and was already present in the common ancestor of cnidarians and bilaterians.

A research team led by Stefan Pflügl has succeeded in genetically manipulating the microorganism T. kivui to metabolize carbon monoxide. Stefan Pflügl (left) in the lab with the first authors of the two publications, Angeliki Sitara (center) and Rémi Hocq (right). " aria-haspopup="dialog" Genetic changes can occur naturally through evolution or can be initiated with the help of genetic engineering.

Researchers around the world are investigating the causes and treatment of Parkinson's disease, ADHD, and addiction. One key aspect of this research is the dopamine transporter DAT. In an international research project, scientists from Johannes Kepler University Linz, the Medical University of Vienna, and the NIH (National Institutes of Health, USA) have now investigated this protein in more detail and discovered previously unknown mechanisms.

Epilepsy is primarily treated symptomatically - that is, the majority of the available medications aim to suppress seizures without influencing the underlying causes of the disease. A research team from the Medical University of Vienna has now identified a molecular mechanism that may play a role in the development of seizures.

TU Wien (Austria) and Keio University (Japan) have now found a way to create artificial blood vessels in miniature organ models in a rapid and reproducible manner. Schematic representation of a hepatic lobule (left) and 3D view of the vascularized hepatic lobule on-chip after 9 days of culture (right) " aria-haspopup="dialog" Endothelialized laser-patterned channels after 7 days of culture (left) and magnified view of immunofluorescence-stained microvessel (CD31 in red, nuclei in blue) " aria-haspopup="dialog" How can we investigate the effects of a new drug?

A research team involving the Medical University of Vienna has summarised the novel findings on the immunomodulatory effect of tick saliva in a review paper. The work, published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, shows how bioactive molecules in tick saliva influence the host's immune system, facilitate disease transmission and at the same time offer potential for novel therapeutic applications.

Voltage-gated calcium channels are associated with numerous diseases. A new research group led by Nadine Ortner from the Institute of Pharmacy at the University of Innsbruck is now focusing on gene mutations that impair the function of a specific channel subtype known as CaV1. The five-person interdisciplinary team is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) with 1.64 million euros.

ISTA scientists present new microscopy method to reconstruct mammalian brain tissue Our brain is a complex organ. Billions of nerve cells are wired in an intricate network, constantly processing signals, enabling us to recall memories or to move our bodies. Making sense of this complicated network requires a precise look into how these nerve cells are arranged and connected.

Multiple antibiotic resistance is auxiliary to bacterial fitness and adaptability Could a gene regulatory network in gut microbes have evolved its elaborate and tightly regulated molecular machinery only to pump out antibiotics indiscriminately? Researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) show this is an auxiliary function.

First report of a new DNA marker outside of microbes, important for sperm function Could it be that one of only three known markers directly targeting the DNA does not exist outside the realm of microbes? Now, researchers led by Xiaoqi Feng at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have demonstrated that this marker-N4-methylcytosine (4mC)-is essential for sperm development and maturation in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha , a key organism in plant evolution.

A temporary bacterial infection of the skin can cause long-lasting changes in the immune system and increase allergic inflammation. This is the result of a study led by the Medical University of Vienna and the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine, which has just been published in the leading journal "Science Immunology".

Special anatomical structures in the throat greatly enrich the vocal repertoire of New World monkeys A recent investigation led by voice scientist Christian T. Herbst from the University of Vienna and colleagues from Anglia Ruskin University provides new insights into the vocal capabilities of New World monkeys, the group of all'original primates of the American continent: They can produce "voice breaks" similar to human yodeling, but support a much wider range of frequencies.