Artificial intelligence could improve therapy for lymphoma

09-Mar-2023 - Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of lymph node cancer, requires chemotherapy and radiation therapy that can be very stressful for patients. A research group in Vienna is working on a method to predict the course of the disease with the help of artificial intelligence algorithms. This would facilitate a ...

New findings on the effects of Covid-19 on the colon

Better understanding of responses to SARS-CoV-2

29-Sep-2022 - Although SARS-CoV-2 infections mainly attack the lungs, in many cases they can also damage other organs, such as the colon: around 60% of patients experienced digestive tract impacts. Researchers at MedUni Vienna have analysed the manifestations of Covid-19 in the lungs and colon and pinpointed ...

Tick saliva modulates immune system

Study demonstrates for the first time that ticks weaken skin's immune response

29-Sep-2022 - Hitherto, scientists have not fully understood why ticks are such dangerous disease vectors. A research team led by Johanna Strobl and Georg Stary from MedUni Vienna's Department of Dermatology shows that tick saliva inhibits the skin's defence function, thereby increasing the risk of diseases ...

Neuronal back-up system discovered

Study shows how neurons compensate for energy supply failures

31-Aug-2022 - Researchers at MedUni Vienna have discovered that neurons have an emergency back-up system to enable them to remain functional even when their energy supply is disrupted. As in many areas of technology, an emergency back-up serves to compensate for any energy supply failures experienced by ...

Distinct cellular receptor mutations influence the COVID-19 disease severity

This affects around 15% of the population

16-May-2022 - Distinct genetic variants significantly influence an individual's immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and may influence the COVID-19 disease severity. A research group led by MedUni Vienna was able to demonstrate that distinct genetic variants of the CD16a antibody receptor are associated ...

Newly developed COVID vaccine from Austria could protect against omicron and other variants

Vaccine developed at MedUni Vienna delivers promising data

07-Apr-2022 - The preclinical data for a vaccine developed at MedUni Vienna to protect against SARS-CoV-2 indicates that it is effective against all SARS-CoV-2 variants known to date, including omicron - even in those who have not yet built up any immunity as a result of vaccination (non-responders). The data ...

Gut bacteria influence brain development

Researchers discover biomarkers that indicate early brain injury in extreme premature infants

08-Sep-2021 - Extremely premature infants are at a high risk for brain damage. Researchers at the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna have now found possible targets for the early treatment of such damage outside the brain: Bacteria in the gut of premature infants may play a key role. The ...

Immunity to SARS-CoV-2: Spike protein docking site is Achilles' heel of the virus

This docking site does not change significantly with mutations of the virus

03-Sep-2021 - Around 20% of those who have recovered from Covid-19 fail to develop immune protection against SARS-CoV-2, according to a MedUni Vienna research team led by allergologist and immunologist Rudolf Valenta from the Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology. Their study found that the ...

Tracking down the tiniest of forces: how T cells detect invaders

T cells use their antigen receptors like sticky fingers - a research team was able to observe them doing so

06-May-2021 - T-cells play a central role in our immune system: by means of their so-called T-cell receptors (TCR) they make out dangerous invaders or cancer cells in the body and then trigger an immune reaction. On a molecular level, this recognition process is still not sufficiently understood. Intriguing ...

Seven different "disease forms" identified in mild COVID-19

Study provides new information for a better understanding of the disease – and potential biomarkers for vaccine development

04-Nov-2020 - In a study recently published in the top journal "Allergy", a team of MedUni Vienna scientists led by immunologist Winfried F. Pickl and allergologist Rudolf Valenta (both from the Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology) showed that there are seven "forms of disease" in COVID-19 ...