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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.

Surgical removal of the tumour is considered the basis for curing gastric cancer. However, 40 per cent of patients who have undergone surgery suffer a relapse within two years. A research team led by MedUni Vienna has now investigated a prognostic marker that can be used to identify patients with a high risk of tumour recurrence.

A new combined cell therapy for kidney transplants can help to reduce the donor-specific reaction against the transplanted organ without the need for maintenance triple immunosuppression. The overall diversity of the T-cell receptor repertoire, which is important for immune defence, is preserved. This is shown by an international study led by MedUni Vienna, which was recently published in the journal eBioMedicine of the Lancet Discovery Science series.

Targeted therapies are a powerful weapon against skin cancer, but their side effects can severely impact a patient's quality of life. A new study shows that some targeted therapies manipulate signaling events in cells that line blood vessels and result in a weaker vascular barrier. This knowledge sheds some light on possible mechanisms leading to side effects and it can contribute to the development of better therapies for skin cancer.

In a study recently published in the renowned journal "Allergy", a MedUni Vienna research team shows that COVID-19 leads to considerable long-term changes in the immune system, even in mild cases. The findings could help to better understand the long-term consequences of an infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Despite the significant increase in sexually transmitted diseases in recent years, there is currently no vaccine available against common bacterial pathogens such as chlamydia. In the search for ways to prevent infection, a research team from MedUni Vienna and the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine has identified the active substance pentamidine as a promising candidate for the prophylaxis of chlamydial infections and possibly other bacterial sexually transmitted diseases.

Advanced liver disease is the second most common cause of lost working years, as it disproportionately affects young patients. A scientific team from MedUni Vienna has been able to determine a threshold value for a simple blood test that can be used to identify people with an increased risk of complications, even without special testing.

The use of the active ingredient 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as "ecstasy", to support psychotherapy for mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder is being discussed worldwide. While the therapeutic potential of the substance has already been investigated in clinical trials, only Australia and New Zealand have so far decided to approve and restrict its controlled use by experts due to possible risks and side effects.

A catheter-based tricuspid valve replacement with a newly approved heart valve was performed for the first time in Austria at University Hospital Vienna and MedUni Vienna. The new heart valve prosthesis now also makes it possible to treat patients who could previously only be treated with medication for anatomical reasons or due to the cause of the heart valve leak.