Our research projects at a glance

We carry out applied, interdisciplinary research in our core subjects: business, health and life sciences.

Take a look at our current research projects.

Projects

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Optogenetic stem cells in heterotypic tumor spheroids

    1732

    With approximately 1.2 million new cases and 600,000 deaths reported each year, colorectal cancer is the third most common form of the disease, and the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death. Recent studies have shown that the progression...

    With approximately 1.2 million new cases and 600,000 deaths reported each year, colorectal cancer is the third most common form of the disease, and the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death. Recent studies have shown that the progression and spread of this type of cancer depends not on the characteristics of the tumour cells themselves, but on their surroundings – the so called tumour microenvironment. This complex network of cells, molecules and tissues surrounds the tumour and has a critical influence on its development and progression. It has been shown that within this environment, the activation of different Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in stem cells has both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on the growth and spread of cancer cells, through both direct and indirect interactions with tumour cells. In order to gain a clearer picture of these interactions, we aim to develop new stem cell lines that will allow reversible and precise activation of TLR signalling pathways in terms of position and timing. Conventional methods for studying receptor signalling are based on genetic manipulation of the receptor concerned or treatment with natural activators. However, these approaches often result in irreversible changes in the cells. We will use the principle of optogenetics to develop cell lines that are more precise in their positioning and timing, as well as more operationally and financially advantageous. This involves attaching a photosensitive protein from yellow-green algae to the receptors in question, which can then be activated by blue light. This will enable the researchers to study the specific effects of the TLR signalling in and on stem cells, on tumour cells, and on various cells in the tumour microenvironment. The goal is to use these knowledge to develop new, targeted approaches for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

    The basic research project will be carried out in cooperation with Helmut Dolznig from the Medical University of Vienna and Lasse Jensen of Linköping University and is financed by the Austrian Science fund (FWF), Project ID ESP 547-B.

     

    Principal Investigator:

    Anna Stierschneider, PhD

     

    Mentors:

    Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Franz Herzog

    Prof.(FH) Mag. Dr. Christoph Wiesner

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    Development and evaluation of two digital/hybrid learning tools about interpersonal violence in the professional practice of midwives and music, occupational and physical therapists

    1637

    Midwives, music, occupational and physical therapists in Austria encounter clients who experience domestic violence, and they experience client violence in professional practice. Our study will develop and evaluate two effective digital/hybrid...

    Midwives, music, occupational and physical therapists in Austria encounter clients who experience domestic violence, and they experience client violence in professional practice. Our study will develop and evaluate two effective digital/hybrid learning tools for continuing education of Lower Austrian midwives and therapists to support these health professionals in experiences with domestic and client violence in their professional practice.

     

    The three-year project will start in March 2024 and consists of three phases:

    1) Scoping review of existing digital and hybrid learning resources regarding domestic and client violence in the professional practice of midwives, music, occupational and physical therapists,

    2) Action research to develop two digital or hybrid learning tools regarding domestic and client violence in professional practice for Lower Austrian midwives, music, occupational and physical therapists, with the aim to increase consciousness and knowledge about domestic and client violence in the professional practice and equip practitioners with the necessary competencies,

    3) Evaluation of the designed tools, including preliminary effectiveness and safety, via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.

     

    The project is financed under the call „FTI-Projekte: Angewandte Forschung“ by the Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung Niederösterreich (GFF NÖ).

  • Department of Business
    business

    OMAHA: Organizing and Co-Determination - Action Research for mobile Nursing Care.

    1630

    Displaced nursing activities are difficult to organize from an labour union perspective and from the perspective of nursing staff the co-determination of mobile home nursing needs to be significantly strengthened. In the spirit of participatory...

    Displaced nursing activities are difficult to organize from an labour union perspective and from the perspective of nursing staff the co-determination of mobile home nursing needs to be significantly strengthened. In the spirit of participatory action research, the OMAHA project attempts to address the challenges of co-determination and organizing in this special field and wants to develop concrete improvements together with works councils, chamber representatives and nursing staff. To do this, OMAHA uses the theoretical concept of Organizing and the Labor Union Revitalization Studies.

     

    The project developed a research process that develops training workshops in form of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) to carry the topic of co-determination and organizing into mobile nursing companies and can thus have a broad impact. Information is exchanged in recurring feedback loops and finally transformed into prototypes by design sprints.

  • Department of Business
    business

    WeNaTour - The European Alliance for Innovation and Sustainability Education in Welfare, Nature, and Tourism

    1679

    Tourism is a significant driver of the global economy, a complex system capable of influencing the natural and urban environments in which it operates, as well as the well-being and culture of host communities. In recent years, economic and...

    Tourism is a significant driver of the global economy, a complex system capable of influencing the natural and urban environments in which it operates, as well as the well-being and culture of host communities. In recent years, economic and environmental crises have triggered a profound change in the tourism system, revealing new needs and potential markets under the banner of sustainability. However, the touristic system is still unprepared, disorganized and unwilling to respond. Therefore, tourism must undertake radical innovation to seize these opportunities.

     

    WeNaTour is a European project funded by the Erasmus+ program aimed at training new professionals for sustainable tourism and exploring emerging markets, while keeping the well-being of local communities and the preservation of the environment at the core of its strategies, towards a more responsible and sustainable future.

     

     

    The problem

    The post-pandemic scenarios and conflicts have further accelerated the transformations already underway, radically changing EU citizens’ working, living and leisure patterns. These changes have generated new needs and demands, pushing towards tourism focused on nature and sustainability. New markets, such as wellness and nature-oriented tourism, are growing. Increasingly, tourism is being integrated into corporate welfare, while the demand for sustainability certifications for destinations and economic operators and the focus on accessible tourism is increasing.

     

    Although the tourism system has been resilient in recent years, facing numerous challenges, there is still a shortage of professionals with interdisciplinary skills and knowledge of governance systems in tourism destinations. This particular profile, which we could refer to as 'Sustainable Tourism Destination Manager', has yet to be established, and WeNaTour aims to create training opportunities for individuals aspiring to enter this profession. In this context, tourism has an extraordinary opportunity to take a new direction.

     

    The project

    WeNaTour aims to enhance the educational offering in the field of sustainable tourism and destination management at the European level through a unique combination of theory and practice. This will be achieved through the following actions:

     

    ● Facilitating the exchange and co-creation of knowledge among European universities, local administrations, and businesses from diverse disciplines that often do not collaborate.

    ● Promoting a new, innovative, and multidisciplinary online training program in Sustainable Tourism Management, targeting both students and professionals.

    ● Providing field-based training experiences to foster entrepreneurial skills among students, researchers, and professionals, addressing the growing demand for efficient and effective solutions.

     

    Additionally, the project will drive innovation in tourism by disseminating knowledge, exploring and testing new practices in two emerging markets: company well-being and nature-based tourism for health and well-being.

     

    The project started in 2023 and has a duration of 3 years, it primarily focuses on partner countries, including Italy, Romania, Austria, Ireland, Germany, and the Netherlands. However, the results will be shared at the European level through an extensive international alliance in the field of sustainable tourism.

     

    The European Alliance for Innovation and Sustainability Education in Welfare, Nature, and Tourism, called WeNaTour, is an Innovation Alliance project (ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-ALL-INNO)

    This project has been funded with support from the European Commission - Erasmus+ program under Grant Agreement No 101111561.

     

    Project coordinator contact details

    University of Padua – Dept. of Cultural Heritage (IT)

    Prof. Nicola Orio

    Email: [email protected]

     

    Contact details IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences

    IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences

    Prof. (FH) PD Mag. Dr. Arthur Posch

    Email: [email protected]

  • Department of Business
    business

    Co-Working in Rural Regions

    1641

    This study examines the impact of coworking spaces on communities in rural areas, focusing on economic, ecological, and social aspects.

     

    The aim is to contribute to the improvement of the provision of coworking infrastructure to employees in rural...

    This study examines the impact of coworking spaces on communities in rural areas, focusing on economic, ecological, and social aspects.

     

    The aim is to contribute to the improvement of the provision of coworking infrastructure to employees in rural communities by adopting a holistic perspective on the benefits of coworking. This involves establishing additional coworking spaces and expanding existing coworking offerings (e.g., expanding to include childcare services, promoting opportunities for women, providing onsite work options for employees with physical disabilities as an alternative to remote work, etc.).

  • Department of Business
    business

    Capacity Building for Sustainable Rural Tourism in Mozambique (CAST Mozambique)

    1495

    There is a strong need for a more sustainable and community-centred tourism curriculum in Mozambique, which stems first of all from the nature of tourism in Mozambique, which, to date, is still largely focused on “sun sea sand” holidays along the...

    There is a strong need for a more sustainable and community-centred tourism curriculum in Mozambique, which stems first of all from the nature of tourism in Mozambique, which, to date, is still largely focused on “sun sea sand” holidays along the 2,700 kms of coastline. Mozambique has enormous potential (cultural heritage, flora & fauna), however, it does not yet experience a large share of the tourist market, with the situation having become even more challenging in times of COVID-19. In addition, the sector is still hugely dominated by foreign investment, mainly from South Africa, contributing little to the balance of payments and poverty alleviation in the country. Rural tourism thereby remains a neglected field - despite its worldwide recognised potential to deliver both tangible and intangible benefits and create new and alternative livelihoods for those experiencing poverty. This lack in rural tourism development goes hand in hand with a lack in higher education training to develop rural and sustainable tourism, with nearly no courses in the country focused on rural areas, particularly at MA level.

    This project seeks to target these challenges with the help of capacity building in Higher Education in Mozambique for sustainable rural tourism development. It does so through fostering a collaboration between IMC Krems and Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM/ ESHTI) Mozambique to enable the sharing of practises in regards to sustainable rural tourism education and development in order to contribute to curriculum development at UEM, as well as skills development within sustainable rural tourism research and teaching. Part of the project is the development of an MA curriculum on sustainable tourism (the first Master's programme in Mozambique) and the design of two new, practise-orientated and jointly delivered (between IMC and ESHTI) courses on sustainable rural tourism, which also support rural entrepreneurs and help diversify rural livelihoods. The project therefore enables a closer collaboration with marginalised communities to shape the curriculum and benefit from training in sustainable product development and marketing.

    In the case of Mozambique, community-based tourism and agritourism bear underused potential for linkages and livelihood diversification particularly in rural areas dominated by agricultural production. The proposed project contributes to strengthening these linkages in creating higher education initiatives that enable students to learn about the issues and sustainable development of tourism in those areas. In addition, it empowers communities in developing viable sustainable tourism businesses and marketing strategies, so to utilise tourism’s full potential to contribute to the SDGs, alleviate poverty in Mozambique, and to ultimately “leave no one behind” (UN, 2021, n.p.).

    cast-mozambique.fh-krems.ac.at

    appear.at/en/projects/current-projects/project303

  • Department of Business
    business

    Sustainable procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical products

    1704

    The study analyses the opportunities and challenges for sustainable procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical products. The study includes:

    1. a comprehensive analysis of international initiatives that have already integrated sustainability...

    The study analyses the opportunities and challenges for sustainable procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical products. The study includes:

    1. a comprehensive analysis of international initiatives that have already integrated sustainability criteria into their tendering processes.

    2. a detailed description of the sustainability criteria used in the international context

    3. the development of a proposal for sustainability criteria that contribute to the establishment of sustainable procurement in Austria.

    4. an analysis of the framework conditions that hinder or promote the implementation of the proposed sustainability criteria.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Course scheduling for modular educational system

    1609

    In modular educational systems, students have a certain degree of freedom to choose their own subjects. Usually, the choices a student is allowed to make are subject to constraints, such like choosing courses from given pools of electives. This...

    In modular educational systems, students have a certain degree of freedom to choose their own subjects. Usually, the choices a student is allowed to make are subject to constraints, such like choosing courses from given pools of electives. This pedagogical concept is already practiced in certain parts of Europe, like in the German Gymnasium and is being increasingly adopted in other countries (i.e. in Austria with the "modulare Oberstufe"). However implementing such a course election system in practice is a major challenge for educational institutions, that can only be solved using advanced optimization algorithms and AI techniques. In this applied research project we investigate algorithms for solving different variants of this problem efficiently and help schools and educational institutions implement this concept in practice.

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    Collaborative Research on Occupational Balance (CROB): Exploration and enhancement of occupational balance in informal caregivers of persons after stroke

    1589

    Stroke is one of the most common causes of permanent disability. A stroke not only changes the everyday life of the person affected, but also influences the entire family system, which is usually heavily involved in care and support after a stroke....

    Stroke is one of the most common causes of permanent disability. A stroke not only changes the everyday life of the person affected, but also influences the entire family system, which is usually heavily involved in care and support after a stroke. In many European countries, informal caregivers form the backbone of care systems. One challenge for them is to balance their roles and tasks related to care and support activities and other meaningful everyday activities such as self-care, leisure, or employment. This can possibly impact their own occupational balance, the balance of satisfaction between the number and variation of activities in all areas of life.

     

    To date, research in the field of informal care has primarily focused on mental and physical stress. Possible effects of an occupational imbalance on health and well-being of informal caregivers are under-explored.

    CROB is a research collaboration with partners from Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Duervation in Lower Austria, which aims to better understand the changing impact of informal care on the occupational balance of informal caregivers of stroke survivors. Hindering and supporting factors are identified at individual, social and political levels. The research project aims to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between occupational balance and health-related quality of life, as well as the social determinants of health. Furthermore, this research collaboration aims to provide an overview of existing interventions to improve occupational balance and to develop recommendations for targeted interventions on a structural and individual level to promote occupational balance in family caregivers. Two applications for research funding at national and EU level are planned.

  • Department of Business
    business

    European Tourism Sustainability Monitoring 2030 (ETSM2030)

    1604

    The European tourism industry was strongly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. As a result of this, awareness and understanding of sustainability has been raised by the crisis, creating momentum to rebuild a more resilient tourism industry. The project...

    The European tourism industry was strongly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. As a result of this, awareness and understanding of sustainability has been raised by the crisis, creating momentum to rebuild a more resilient tourism industry. The project European Tourism Sustainability Monitoring 2030 (ETSM2030) is funded by the European Union (EU) to foster sustainability certification and sustainability knowledge within Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs) as well as bring together sustainably working SMTEs in a network, where exchange is encouraged.

     

    The ETSM2030 project aims at establishing a network of SMTEs to increase sustainability monitoring by co-creating and co-implementing Sustainable Innovation Projects and by boosting participation in relevant sustainable certification schemes, in particular the EU Ecolabel and the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).The ETSM2030 project team set criteria for the selection of 84 SMTEs, and the selection of the SMTEs was made via an open call in six EU countries (Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania and Slovenia). The SMTEs which will participate in the program will be boosted in their sustainability performance. In the first step, the status quo of the SMTEs’ sustainability awareness, practices and monitoring is assessed. In the second step the ETSM2030 will improve the knowledge level about sustainability monitoring and actions by developing a sustainability monitoring tool which is suitable for the SMTEs and can easily be integrated in their daily routines. Through this monitoring and indicator system and by using digital tools, the sustainability practices among the participating European SMTEs can be benchmarked. Then, the participating SMTEs receive specific trainings and coaching about sustainability, how to monitor it and to take advantage of a collaborative learning platform. Also, the SMTEs reveal potential for Sustainability Innovation Projects.

    Due to these learning effects and the cross-border exchange of the SMTEs, they are encouraged to apply for established sustainability certification schemes (EU-standards) and be part of the Sustainability European SMTE Innovation Network of Excellence (SESTINE).

     

    The Project Consortium for this project consists of eight partners out of six different countries: Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Romania and Poland. The project partners combine science and practice: not only universities, but also Innsbruck Tourism as a Destination Management Organization and experts in the field of sustainability in practice (EURAC and TourCert) are part of the ETSM2023 Consortium. The project lasts for 3 years and will end in 2025. The IMC Krems project team consists of Prof (FH) Mag. Christian Maurer and Prof (FH) Dr. Claudia Dolezal.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    FLEXCRASH - Flexible and hybrid manufacturing of green aluminum to produce tailored adaptive crash-tolerant structures

    1618

    Flexcrash is an EU HORIZON project that aims to design a flexible and hybrid manufacturing technology for creating crash resistance structures made of aluminum alloys that are safer and lighter than the ones currently in use.

     

    These structures will...

    Flexcrash is an EU HORIZON project that aims to design a flexible and hybrid manufacturing technology for creating crash resistance structures made of aluminum alloys that are safer and lighter than the ones currently in use.

     

    These structures will allow active safety, i.e., they will dynamically adapt to face an imminent crash. Furthermore, their design optimally accounts for collision parameters from future mixed traffic scenarios that involve human drivers and self-driving cars.

     

    Our Role: As IMC Krems, our contribution is two-fold and leverages our expertise in the automated generation of critical traffic scenarios. On the one hand, we will identify relevant future mixed traffic scenarios; on the other hand, we will simulate car crash accidents of variable severity to find the most critical collision parameters.

     

    The Consortium: FLEXCRASH features a ten-partner consortium that includes two universities (Luleå Tekniska Universitet, SE; IMC University of Applied Sciences, AT), three technology centers (Eurecat, ES; Fraunhofer IWS, DE; Virtual Vehicle Research, AT), three industrial partners (Gestamp, ES; Gemmate Technology, IT; Aerobase Innovation, SE), an industrial research center (Centro Ricerche Fiat, IT) and a standardization entity (Asociacion Española de Normalizacion, ES).

     

    Web and Social Media:

    EU-CORIS

    @Flexcrash_EU

     

    Tags: #Flexcrash #FlexcrashProject #FlexcrashEU

  • Department of Business
    business

    Works councils fit for artificial intelligence

    1549

    The increasing use of artificial intelligence in companies poses numerous new challenges for works councils. In addition to the emergence of new professional fields and the development of new competencies, potential risks such as discrimination,...

    The increasing use of artificial intelligence in companies poses numerous new challenges for works councils. In addition to the emergence of new professional fields and the development of new competencies, potential risks such as discrimination, explainability of results, deception through manipulation and the design of the cooperation of employees with artificial intelligence are central challenges. Through the research approach, the participating works councils acquire the know-how to understand and critically question the development and implementation of applications in the field of artificial intelligence in the company and to increasingly bring the interests of employees into the process. They are to be provided with tools for assessing the operational purpose of use, for an operational risk assessment of the planned AI application, but also a checklist for assessing the change in working conditions when using AI and human-machine interaction, and thus to have opportunities to intervene in order to safeguard existing co-determination rights. Furthermore, basic knowledge about European and national frameworks of trustworthy/human-centered AI will be provided.

     

    Due to the diverse composition of the project team and the application-oriented research design, a contribution is made to the focus area "Change in the world of work", in particular to the project fields "New (digital) organizational forms of work and co-determination" and "Automation, robotics and artificial intelligence".

     

    The project is funded by the Chamber of Labour for Lower Austria (Arbeiterkammer Niederösterreich).

  • Department of Business
    business

    Employee Competences after the Pandemic

    1499

    The pandemic has initiated fundamental changes in the world of work, setting new standards, for example, regarding mobile-flexible work and digitalization. The specific requirements that employees will face in these new work environments can mostly...

    The pandemic has initiated fundamental changes in the world of work, setting new standards, for example, regarding mobile-flexible work and digitalization. The specific requirements that employees will face in these new work environments can mostly only be answered within the context of each respective company, necessitating tailored, company-specific analysis and planning. This is precisely where the project comes in, through three solutions: company workshops, train-the-trainer sessions, and a do-it-yourself framework.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Improvement of the infrastructure to improve teaching and research in natural science subjects at Campus Krems

    1565

    The project to improve the infrastructure at Campus Krems aimed to purchase various equipment for medical and pharmaceutical research and teaching. This initiative was carried out in co-operation with the University for Continuing Education Krems,...

    The project to improve the infrastructure at Campus Krems aimed to purchase various equipment for medical and pharmaceutical research and teaching. This initiative was carried out in co-operation with the University for Continuing Education Krems, Karl Landsteiner University and the FH Krems. The acquisition of this equipment not only helps to strengthen teaching and research at the participating institutions, but also promotes cooperation between them and opens up new opportunities for collaboration. As early as the planning phase, the equipment was tailored to the specific needs and requirements of the campus as part of an infrastructure call in order to ensure effective utilisation and collaboration between the partners. The equipment pool acquired in this way includes the following devices: NMR, laboratory reactor, polarimeter, parallel fermenter, nano HPLC, HCS microscope, ExoView, transcriptomics and 3D workstation. Contact to the persons responsible for the equipment can be established via the FH Krems.

    Link to the funding organisation: https://www.efre.gv.at

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    EvoFerm

    1556

    Together with IST-Austria, the bioprocess technology research group wants to develop a method that makes it possible to make various microorganisms resistant to high metal concentrations.

    A major difficulty in developing a metal recycling...

    Together with IST-Austria, the bioprocess technology research group wants to develop a method that makes it possible to make various microorganisms resistant to high metal concentrations.

    A major difficulty in developing a metal recycling technology is that the metals to be recovered have a toxic effect on the microorganisms above a certain concentration. This limits a method based on this idea.

    To solve this problem, the partners in this project are pursuing the approach of making microorganisms already selected for recycling more resistant to high concentrations of metal ions by means of a newly developed system. This approach is based on a method developed at IST-Austria in which microorganisms are gradually exposed to higher and higher concentrations of certain metals in a multifermenter system. In this way, strains can be grown that have not been genetically modified but have undergone a kind of accelerated evolution. Such strains would be ideally suited for recycling and sustainable technologies.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Climate change and its implications for tourism attractions in Lower Austria

    1428

    Cultural and natural attractions are the heart of Lower Austria’s tourism offer. However, the attractiveness and visitor experience of these attractions is influenced by climate change.

     

    The research project ClimATT II therefore poses the...

    Cultural and natural attractions are the heart of Lower Austria’s tourism offer. However, the attractiveness and visitor experience of these attractions is influenced by climate change.

     

    The research project ClimATT II therefore poses the following questions: In what way is climate change impacting Lower Austrian attractions? What threats and challenges but also opportunities arise from this? Which measures can be taken in order to adapt to the negative consequences of climate change? And how are visitor experience and the needs and expectations of visitors changing?

     

    34 qualitative interviews with attraction managers and employees have revealed a great need for action both for mitigation and adaptation measures. The multitude of measures shows that attractions are taking initiatives to become active in their area of responsibility and opportunity. In addition to adaptation measures such as shading, irrigation and climate-proof planting, adapted working and opening hours, guidance of visitors and communication strategies are now essential for many attractions. This qualitative research was complemented by a quantitative online survey with tourist attractions in Lower Austria. The demand-side was examined by a focus group discussion and additional interviews with visitors of tourist attractions. In addition to these studies, different stakeholders of the attraction sector were invited to a backcasting workshop. A follow-up workshop will be planned.

     

    Outlook: One of the results of this research project will be a practical handbook for attraction managers presenting insights into the situation of tourist attractions in Lower Austria as well as measures and strategies for adaptation to climate change. The handbook will be available online to download.

     

    The project “ClimATT II” is being carried out in cooperation with BOKU University Vienna and IMC Krems. It has been extended until August 2024 and is funded by GFF Lower Austria under “environment, climate and resources”.

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    Red flags: Improving knowledge of serious pathologies

    1293

    In our aging society, conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system will become more prevalent and will increase overall health care costs. These costs can be reduced when multi-disciplinary primary care settings are present where physicians and...

    In our aging society, conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system will become more prevalent and will increase overall health care costs. These costs can be reduced when multi-disciplinary primary care settings are present where physicians and other health professionals, such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nurses work closely together. An aging society will also bring increased serious pathologies affecting the musculoskeletal system (such as

    spinal metastatic cancer or osteoporotic fractures) which need to be spotted by these health professionals. The

    recognition of serious pathologies affecting the musculoskeletal system, especially in the early stage of a disease, is a challenging task but is essential as this significantly improves prognosis and outcome. Red flags can help health care professionals as these as are signs and symptoms of serious pathologies that can become apparent during the patient’s interview, physical examination or over the course of treatment. Advanced knowledge about these red flags can improve the chances of a patient being referred (back) to the physician and potentially saving a patient’s life.

    Our previous work, on the one hand, has shown that final year physiotherapists students’ red flags knowledge in Europe (including Austria) is low. On the other hand, Austrian general practitioners and orthopaedic surgeons realise the importance that physiotherapists recognise red flags. These results highlighted the need for additional training to improve clinical decision making and to recognise more accurately the presence of red flags.

    Our overall aim of this proposal is to develop and test educational clinical vignettes for the physiotherapy profession in Austria in order to increase their knowledge about red flags.

    In our first part, we aim to investigate the current knowledge level of red flags in Austrian qualified physiotherapists based on validated clinical vignettes using an online survey. In this survey we also ask how physiotherapists would prefer to learn about red flags.

    In the second part medical doctors and physiotherapists will work together to develop new interactive clinical vignettes. These clinical vignettes will then be sent to another group of medical doctors and health professionals, using the HAS consensus

    method.

    In the third and last part the newly developed clinical vignettes will be used in an educational red flags

    intervention for physiotherapists to ensure that the project will have a direct effect on the current physiotherapy profession.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Long Term Care: Implications for Sustainable Careers

    1481

    The existing and forecast shortage of skilled workers in long-term care threatens to worsen due to the COVID-19 crisis and the associated higher fluctuation in nursing staff. The project helps to enable sustainable careers in long-term care and thus...

    The existing and forecast shortage of skilled workers in long-term care threatens to worsen due to the COVID-19 crisis and the associated higher fluctuation in nursing staff. The project helps to enable sustainable careers in long-term care and thus benefits caregivers and those in need of care equally.

     

    In the course of a transdisciplinary mixed-methods research design, problem areas are identified and starting points for sustainable careers in long-term care are shown. For this purpose, nursing staff, retired nursing staff and their company representatives are actively involved in the research process, so that a deep understanding of problems is generated. Based on the point of view of those affected, solutions are developed. A quantitative questionnaire survey on the main topics of health, satisfaction and productivity complete the results of the project.

     

    The project is funded by the Chamber of Labor of Lower Austria (Projektfonds Arbeit 4.0).

  • Department of Business
    business

    Use of Intellectual Property to finance SMEs and start-ups in Switzerland

    1537

    The Swiss Federal Institute for Intellectual Property (IPI) contracted IMC UAS Krems to analyse the extent to which IP has been used by Swiss SMEs and start-ups for finance purposes. The study employed a qualitative approach with expert interviews...

    The Swiss Federal Institute for Intellectual Property (IPI) contracted IMC UAS Krems to analyse the extent to which IP has been used by Swiss SMEs and start-ups for finance purposes. The study employed a qualitative approach with expert interviews and document and literature analysis.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Investigating sustainability from the wine buyer`s perspective

    1494

    Consumers are increasingly making more conscious purchasing decisions. Reasons for this are, for example, climate change, the return to regionality and seasonality, increased environmental awareness, as well as attitudes caused by the Corona crisis. ...

    Consumers are increasingly making more conscious purchasing decisions. Reasons for this are, for example, climate change, the return to regionality and seasonality, increased environmental awareness, as well as attitudes caused by the Corona crisis.

    Wine production has a relatively high ecological footprint compared to other agricultural products. Besides the prohibition of herbicides and insecticides, the problems of irrigation, vineyard treatments, cellar treatments, energy consumption, and marketing strategies have to be addressed.

    The project analysed the expectations of consumers when buying organically, sustainably, and conventionally produced wine.

    The funding partner was the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Scoping study for supporting the development of a code of practice for researchers on standardisation

    1506

    This study aimed to identify elements of good practice for researchers dealing with standards and standardisation in the course of research projects funded by Horizon 2020. The study involved (a) screening the replies to a European Commission survey...

    This study aimed to identify elements of good practice for researchers dealing with standards and standardisation in the course of research projects funded by Horizon 2020. The study involved (a) screening the replies to a European Commission survey sent to 2,200 beneficiaries of Horizon 2020 with evidence of standardisation activities (valid responses obtained from 1,020 projects with a 46 % return rate) and (b) applying a set of exclusion (‘must have’) and bonus point criteria, derived from targeted literature and expert interviews. We then selected 40 projects exhibiting a range of ‘elements of good practice’ for case study analysis, which identified any additional elements of good practice. Results indicate the existence of a stable and recurring set of elements of good practice. One important result is that the more exploratory research activities and the more formal standardisation processes are different in nature and difficult to synchronise. Standardisation activities within a research project largely lead to a need to engage in wider stakeholder management. There need to be close ties between the research consortia and the technical committees that develop standards. Researchers’ awareness of and know-how about standardisation processes are frequently low, and the development of recognised performance indicators to track the success of technology transfer and valorisation activities is in its infancy. Recommendations were developed for universities / public research organisations (institutional level), researchers (project level), policymakers and the wider stakeholder community, and specifically regarding the development of performance indicators.

     

    Download Project report

  • Department of Business
    business

    Informal Long-term Care from a Socioeconomic and Social Policy Perspective

    1434

    Against the background of an ageing society, accompanied by growing care needs that cannot sufficiently be met by professional care services, informal long-term care (performed by relatives, spouses or friends) gains importance. This project examines...

    Against the background of an ageing society, accompanied by growing care needs that cannot sufficiently be met by professional care services, informal long-term care (performed by relatives, spouses or friends) gains importance. This project examines 1) the gender-unequal distribution of informal long-term elderly care provision and its consequences for our society, 2) coping strategies informal caregivers develop to manage the often burdensome care situation, and 3) spatial and infrastructural factors that are tightly connected to the care situation and can largely vary between urban and rural areas.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    NOEDIKOM

    1403

    In Lower Austria there are an infinite number of “gems”, be it wonderful places in historical towns, historical buildings or unique works of art and wonderful rooms that are hardly known. The digitization of such “gems” brings many strategic...

    In Lower Austria there are an infinite number of “gems”, be it wonderful places in historical towns, historical buildings or unique works of art and wonderful rooms that are hardly known. The digitization of such “gems” brings many strategic possibilities with it. On the one hand, the tourism aspect can be seen, which is about advertising and external impact locally or at trade fairs across Europe. On the other hand, the awareness of the population can also be expanded here, who often do not know about such "treasures" in Lower Austria and can be specifically informed here via different platforms. Another point is the preservation of art and culture as well as historical buildings. The 3D models can be used for reconstructions before the restoration to give experts access to the corresponding objects. Construction work is always difficult, especially in public spaces in historical areas, as it is often difficult to imagine the influence of a renovation beforehand; this would be easy to implement with such 3D models. In consultation with the country's tourism department and experts for cultural heritage, the project would select objects and regions to digitize them in different ways (laser scans, photograms, drone recordings, 3D reconstruction ...). The 3D models obtained from this would then be embedded in corresponding applications (depending on use) and made available to the various stakeholders (museums, municipalities, tourism associations, monument office ...). Here the applications used can be used for feedback with the help of simple questionnaires to check the general acceptance of such 3D implementations.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Study on the legal protection of trade secrets in the context of the data economy

    1380

    The European Commission and the European Innovation Council and SME Executive Agency (EISMEA) contracted a consortium led by the IMC University of Applied Sciences, Krems, to perform a study on the legal protection of trade secrets in the context of...

    The European Commission and the European Innovation Council and SME Executive Agency (EISMEA) contracted a consortium led by the IMC University of Applied Sciences, Krems, to perform a study on the legal protection of trade secrets in the context of the data economy.

     

    Data is seen as the "oil" of the 21st century. In modern open innovation processes, data is also shared much more frequently among firms than in the past (for purposes like big data analytics, predictive maintenenance, etc.). Among this data is also data that is commercially valuable and not not known to the general public. If firms take appropriate measure to protect such sensitive data, the legal tool of "trade secrets" provides protection against, e.g., industrial espionage and other forms of misappropriation.

     

    Using a comprehensive interview programme and a survey with European firms in four sectors (automotive, financial services, health/life sciences, energy/utilities), the study seeks to understand whether trade secrets can be, as a tool, effectively and efficiently used for protecting shared data. The results feed directly into the law- and policy making processes at European level.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Spike-Fermentation

    1407

    This project, which is being carried out jointly by the Krems University of Applied Sciences and the Austrian Red Cross, is concerned with the production of the spike protein of the corona virus, which is responsible for the current pandemic.

    As...

    This project, which is being carried out jointly by the Krems University of Applied Sciences and the Austrian Red Cross, is concerned with the production of the spike protein of the corona virus, which is responsible for the current pandemic.

    As SARS-CoV-2 is a member of the corona virus family, it shows great similarities with other members of this family. A variable but well conserved region of the virus is produced by fermentation in order to be able to use it for the antibody tests. This should increase the specificity of these tests, which are carried out at the Austrian Red Cross.

    These findings can then be used to make much more accurate and reliable statements about the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

     

    This project has been cofunded by the European Fund for Regional Development.

     

    https://www.efre.gv.at/

  • Department of Business
    business

    Study on copyright and new technologies

    1353

    In order to help the European creative industries unleash the potential of new technologies and make the mostof them, the European Commission contracted a consortium including the IMC UAS to analyse:

     

    (i) the management of copyright data linked to...

    In order to help the European creative industries unleash the potential of new technologies and make the mostof them, the European Commission contracted a consortium including the IMC UAS to analyse:

     

    (i) the management of copyright data linked to protected content. The study identified and quantified the economic impact of current issues related to metadata management in the copyright industries. The analysis investigated the ways in which new technologies can contribute to improving the efficiency and transparency of licensing of content and management of rights, while making more content accessible for end-users; and

    (ii) the policy questions related to the interaction between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the creative industries, in particular concerning:

    (a) the use of copyright-protected content as input of AI technologies; and

    (b) the production of cultural outputs by or with the assistance of AI technologies.

     

    The study provided the empirical basis to assess the potential impacts on the European creative industries.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    VRWalk

    1396

    When training in virtual rooms, it is more and more necessary not only to act statically, but the people to be trained must around move in the virtual room. This movement can be shown in several ways (teleportation, joystick movement ...). Many of...

    When training in virtual rooms, it is more and more necessary not only to act statically, but the people to be trained must around move in the virtual room. This movement can be shown in several ways (teleportation, joystick movement ...). Many of these movements result in nau-sea, shingles, headaches, and other problems in varying numbers of participants. These symptoms are often referred to as motion sickness or cybersickness. This significantly limits the possibilities of training in VR and therefore also enormously restricts the potential of the training. The different options are often aimed at different solutions (e.g. Virtualizer, Omnideck, ...). The physical as well as the electronic (resolution, immersion, interaction) factors are often considered very individually. The idea here is, to reach a large number of test persons in several large-scale tests with different demos, who work through various possibili-ties, sometimes in combination, in order to get a more precise picture of how such a movement can best be realized. The health and motivational factors were also considered here to be able to give recommendations for different applications in the industrial, school and university sectors from the anonymized results.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Development of optogenetic controllable MSC cell lines for the precise regulation of immunomodulatory factors

    1347

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a key player in the field of regenerative medicine due to their numerous regenerative properties. For example, their ability to selectively home into injury/inflammation areas and their immunomodulatory effects...

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a key player in the field of regenerative medicine due to their numerous regenerative properties. For example, their ability to selectively home into injury/inflammation areas and their immunomodulatory effects allows the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

    For this reason, we are planning to establish new, meaningful biological assay systems in this project that will allow to describe the underlying mechanisms that occur in stem cell therapies. Therefore, we will engineer highly standardized MSC cell lines using optogenetic manipulation, in which specific signaling pathways can be switched on and off by light. After characterization and validation under physiologic conditions, an automation of the models using the Oli-Up cell culture systems from LifeTaq-Analytics GmbH is planned.

    The project is carried out in cooperation with BOKU Vienna and LifeTaq-Analytics GmbH and funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under the BRIDGE programme.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Open Innovation (OI) & SMEs - Explorative Analysis of Public Support Needs for OI ecosystems, makerspaces and for crowdsourcing

    1424

    Especially in recent years, Open Innovation (OI) has become established as an important new tool for innovation development and thus economic development. In addition to classic R&D cooperation, open innovation also includes new forms of cooperation...

    Especially in recent years, Open Innovation (OI) has become established as an important new tool for innovation development and thus economic development. In addition to classic R&D cooperation, open innovation also includes new forms of cooperation such as cooperation across known industry boundaries or the inclusion of a "crowd", which has not yet existed in this form. Large and medium-sized companies are now even creating their own ecosystems and funding agency-like structures to cooperate with startups and SMEs in particular. However, there are still hardly any concrete empirical findings on these new forms of OI cooperation. The austria wirtschaftsservice Gesmbh (aws) therefore approached the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems to find out what kind of concrete support is needed by Austrian companies, especially SMEs, that are active in the field of open innovation. For this purpose, we conducted 11 qualitative expert interviews with open innovation managers of SMEs and large companies as well as with further OI experts. From these interviews and further selective literature research, we were able to identify four key areas in which the aws can become active and thus expand and strengthen its support offering in the area of promoting open innovation: (1) consideration of maturity levels & cooperation, (2) the aws as an OI multiplier, especially for start-ups, (3) intellectual property-specific measures, and (4) connectivity to the classic RTI funding system.

     

    Download Project report

  • Department of Business
    business

    New World of Pay

    1356

    The study uses the example of manufacturing companies in order to examine the extent to which employees' expectations of employers have changed against the backdrop of altered work content and tasks in the course of Industry 4.0.

     

    On the one hand,...

    The study uses the example of manufacturing companies in order to examine the extent to which employees' expectations of employers have changed against the backdrop of altered work content and tasks in the course of Industry 4.0.

     

    On the one hand, the views of employees and employers will be collected using focus groups and expert interviews. On the other hand, a survey will be used to investigate the extent to which men and women differ in their assessment of these contents.

     

    In this context, it is also essential to investigate the question of how far the change in working conditions and content also changes the expectations of the employer. Remuneration systems would have to be rethought accordingly and aspects that play a role beyond purely monetary payment would also have to come more into focus.

     

    The expected results clarify changed expectations from the employee's point of view and enable employers to design appropriate personnel policy instruments in the course of personnel development and diversity management.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Polymerization of polymers with antioxidants

    1228

    Synthetics, plastics and textiles are materials that are made up of long-chain compounds, so-called polymers, and are exposed to high levels of stress in everyday life. These stresses (thermal and mechanical stress, exposure to light) destroy the...

    Synthetics, plastics and textiles are materials that are made up of long-chain compounds, so-called polymers, and are exposed to high levels of stress in everyday life. These stresses (thermal and mechanical stress, exposure to light) destroy the materials over time or result in reduced stability. The reduced durability of these materials poses a huge logistical challenge (e.g. due to the need to replace materials) and results in high costs. The project aims to solve the problem of low durability of plastics under stress by producing new antioxidant materials. Based on hydroxytyrosol, a natural component of olive oil and an ingredient in many healing ointments and anti-ageing products, substances are to be produced in the laboratory that can be added to polymers or textiles. Hydoxytyrosol is toxicologically harmless and colorless. This makes the compound a great alternative to existing products with antioxidant properties, which cannot be used in many areas due to their toxicity or inherent coloration. The treated polymers will be subjected to high stresses as part of the project and tested for their suitability for everyday use. Initial preliminary tests have shown impressive results and it is expected that the use of novel compounds with antioxidant properties will lead to major advances in product stability.

    The project is co-financed by the Province of Lower Austria

  • Department of Business
    business

    Influence of alternative consumer networks on sustainable development and regional development

    1320

    This research project is a dissertation project, funded by the NÖ Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H. (NFB).

     

    The dissertation will deal with the following research questions:

    1) From the point of view of consumers, producers and experts, which...

    This research project is a dissertation project, funded by the NÖ Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H. (NFB).

     

    The dissertation will deal with the following research questions:

    1) From the point of view of consumers, producers and experts, which criteria should be used to assess the success of alternative consumer networks in sustainable development with focus on regional development?

    2) How do selected Austrian alternative consumer networks perform in terms of sustainable development using these criteria?

    3) Which role do information about these criteria play in the attraction of potential new members?

     

    Planned Methods:

    1) Systematic literature review

    2) Qualitative interviews with consumers and producers in alternative consumer networks as well as with sustainable development experts

    3) Web-based survey to rate the relative importance of possible criteria

    4) Evaluation methods for sustainability criteria not defined yet, depending on the research outcomes of the aforementioned steps

    5) Online experiment to examine effect of communicating sustainability criteria

  • Department of Business
    business

    MRIOst: Economic Effects of traffic policies in a multiregional input-output model for Eastern Austria

    1313

    Transport policies can be an effective lever to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, interventions

    in passenger transport are not without economic costs. For the analysis in Eastern Austria, therefore, two policies were used which, for the...

    Transport policies can be an effective lever to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, interventions

    in passenger transport are not without economic costs. For the analysis in Eastern Austria, therefore, two policies were used which, for the purposes of economic comparison, can be classified as both ban policies (diesel ban in Vienna) and incentive policies (implementation of the KlimaTicket).

    Methodologically, these two policies were integrated into a multi-regional input-output model for Eastern Austria(MRIOst) via a transport satellite account. The underlying data come from a survey conducted in the fall of 2021, in which the relevant information on modal

    splits and potential preference changes in the scenarios were evaluated. The demand shocks caused by the policies were analysed regarding their economic effects and their effects on emissions.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Dataskop - Sensor-Based Data Economy in Lower Austria

    1096

    The "Dataskop" research project strengthens the digital development of Lower Austria and is considered a milestone in digitization. The "Dataskop" project is concerned with visualizing the data from sensors and is being implemented jointly by several...

    The "Dataskop" research project strengthens the digital development of Lower Austria and is considered a milestone in digitization. The "Dataskop" project is concerned with visualizing the data from sensors and is being implemented jointly by several universities.

    The "Dataskop" project aims to make invisible data visible in their real environment and consequently usable. The focus is on the outdoor area, away from well-developed digital infrastructures. Location-based environmental data are collected and displayed via sensors. For the rural area of Lower Austria, digital support means a sustainable improvement in the public sector. Future fields of application could be in disaster control, agriculture, especially viticulture, drinking water supply or winter services.

    The interdisciplinary research team includes researchers from the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, the University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, FOTEC Forschungs- und Technologietransfer GmbH in Wiener Neustadt and the Department for Integrated Sensor Systems of the Danube University Krems, also located in Wiener Neustadt.

    In the course of the project, which will run for three years, the cooperation partners will also deal with data acquisition, IT security and the economic use of data. In addition to the scientific publications, the developed basic technologies will be made publicly available as open source software and hardware components. The project, funded by the province of Lower Austria, thus makes an important contribution to the goals of the Lower Austrian research, technology and innovation program.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Train@train

    1288

    With the help of 3D scans and CAD data, locomotives, train parts, surroundings, buildings, rooms, people and objects were recorded and prepared for a 3D implementation so that these rooms can be "accessed" with VR glasses. The environments in VR are...

    With the help of 3D scans and CAD data, locomotives, train parts, surroundings, buildings, rooms, people and objects were recorded and prepared for a 3D implementation so that these rooms can be "accessed" with VR glasses. The environments in VR are interactive to the extent that they correspond to the real training environment. The task was to train processes here in an innovative way, to simulate errors and to register the reaction or motivation of the participants to go through it again in order to demonstrate the potential of VR. The subjects have the opportunity to make their mistakes, and then to be pointed out to ensure continuous improvement while minimizing the costs (providing large machines for the training) and at the same time minimizing the dangers for the participants (risks of injury) by any errors. The gamification aspect, which enables permanent motivation in order not to find the same pattern even when repeated. One aspect of this is the improved method of service (training) through the use of innovative products.

     

    The project was funded by the Lower Austrian Department of Economics, Tourism and Technology.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Immobilization on Camelid Antibodies for therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis support

    1208

    This project aims at utilizing camelide antibodies, which are much smaller then human antibodies, to, together with surface specialists at the Austrian Institute of Technologies (AIT), create a surface with high density of immobilized Camelid...

    This project aims at utilizing camelide antibodies, which are much smaller then human antibodies, to, together with surface specialists at the Austrian Institute of Technologies (AIT), create a surface with high density of immobilized Camelid antibodies and therefore better binding affinity of target molecules or molecule groups.

    Those surfaces are meant to be applied in products for therapeutic apheresis, together with Fresenius Medical Care, to achieve improved purification of and removal of specific harmful substances from patient blood.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Mobile Working Guide

    1291

    Objective of this project is to develop a Mobile Working Guide (MWG). The MWG will allow organizations to design and implement policies or rulebooks for the optimal use of mobile working. Contents and design of such policies or rulebooks is a...

    Objective of this project is to develop a Mobile Working Guide (MWG). The MWG will allow organizations to design and implement policies or rulebooks for the optimal use of mobile working. Contents and design of such policies or rulebooks is a cricital success factor for productivity of organizations and satisfaction of its employees when implementing mobile working. Special about the MWG is that companies will be enabled to develop mobile working policies or rulebooks without external help, since the MWG provides all necessary know-how and input required, including a regulatory topic catalogue, best practices and design model and a co-development design process. So, that a company will be able to get it right the first time. Or if a company does allow mobile working already, the MWG can used to optimize an existing mobile working policy or rulebook.

     

    This project is funded by the representative chamber of worker of Lower Austria (Arbeiterkammer Niederösterreich).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Museopedagogy and Augmented reality: Recognizing museums as educational spaces

    1295

    The MONA project is the acronym for Erasmus+ project KA201 Museopedagogy and Augmented reality: Recognizing museums as educational spaces.

     

    Our project intended to bring culture closer to the younger audience and especially the school audience...

    The MONA project is the acronym for Erasmus+ project KA201 Museopedagogy and Augmented reality: Recognizing museums as educational spaces.

     

    Our project intended to bring culture closer to the younger audience and especially the school audience through the creation of an integrated educational program provided in four museums in Europe using modern technology with emphasis on augmented and mixed reality.

     

    MONA project turned the school visit to the museum into a stunning, charming and enjoyable learning process through experiential practice and play. The target audience was the whole school community, but it mainly focused on children, teenagers and teachers in the areas of the partners.

     

    The consortium of the project consisted of four museums, two schools, two universities and two technical organizations from four European countries.

     

    More information about the project can be found on the project website: monaproject.eu/en/

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Biomarker-based therapeutic prevention of bone metastases in breast cancer: the pathophysiological role of the endosteal niche

    1134

    The purpose of this project is to investigate the pathophysiological role of the endosteal niche, and in particular the role of osteoblast precursors in the development of breast cancer bone metastases. The objectives of the research include...

    The purpose of this project is to investigate the pathophysiological role of the endosteal niche, and in particular the role of osteoblast precursors in the development of breast cancer bone metastases. The objectives of the research include identifying new biomarkers that predict the potential of tumour cells to form bone metastases. A further aim is to identify substances which prevent metastases by modifying the endosteal niche. Based on initial work using a 2D co-culture system, investigations will now also be conducted in a 3D system. The project is being carried out in close cooperation with Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Development of powerful diagnostic procedures and new therapeutic approaches in inflammation and sepsis

    1201

    Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from severe systemic inflammation caused by an infection. Despite many improved therapeutic measures, the mortality rate from sepsis is still 15-25%, and for septic shock 30-50% (Hotchkiss et...

    Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from severe systemic inflammation caused by an infection. Despite many improved therapeutic measures, the mortality rate from sepsis is still 15-25%, and for septic shock 30-50% (Hotchkiss et al., 2016). Endothelial cells, which line the inner surface of blood vessels and capillary beds, play a central role in this life-threatening condition. In the early stages of sepsis, microbial factors such as LPS, which binds to Toll-like receptors, are responsible for directly activating endothelial cells. Endogenous agonists – released by activated leukocytes, endothelial cells or damaged cells for instance – subsequently promote the endothelial dysfunction. In this project we plan to develop new, highly-standardised cell models in which the specific signalling pathways of the Toll-like receptors can be switched on or off by means of light induction. From the light-activatable cell lines obtained in this way, we will establish physiologically relevant models of sepsis which can then be used to investigate intracellular signalling pathways and expression of different sepsis-inducing factors, microvascular endothelial permeability, and potential therapeutic agents. The objective is to mimic sepsis-inducing inflammation by switching the signalling pathways on or off (in the absence of bacterial factors) optogenetically. The project is being carried out in cooperation with Danube University Krems and UK St. Pölten.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Digital Innovation Hub OST (DIHOST)

    1194

    The DIHOST project, funded by the FFG and the federal states of Lower Austria and Burgenland, has been offering a comprehensive service program for three years to increase the ability and speed of transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises...

    The DIHOST project, funded by the FFG and the federal states of Lower Austria and Burgenland, has been offering a comprehensive service program for three years to increase the ability and speed of transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises in Eastern Austria towards digital innovations.

     

    DIHOST offers low-threshold access to expert knowledge, the possibility to test and implement (new) digital infrastructures & enables international connections to European networks.

     

    The main areas of responsibility can be divided into three pillars:

     

    1) Information (awareness, maturity level, checks, advice, technology scouting, funding checks,)

     

    2) Continuing education (offers for SMEs, in-house training, webinars, blendid learning, best practices, workshops)

     

    3) Digital innovation (access to infrastructure, e.g. 3D printing, business model development, prototyping, OI)

     

    The DIHOST network includes the consortium partners ecoplus Niederösterreichs Wirtschaftsagentur GmbH, FH St.Pölten, Austrian Blockchain Center, FOTEC, Forschung Burgenland and IMC FH Krems. The WKO and the House of Digitization act as additional network partners.

     

    Project manager at the IMC FH Krems is Prof. (FH) Mag. Gerhard Kormann-Hainzl.

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    EUPRAC – a strategic partnership to strengthen the vocational training of occupational therapists in Europe

    1258

    In the bachelor's degree program for occupational therapists not just the high quality of theoretical training plays a major role, also a high level in practical imparting of professional skills. Being able to gain practical experience across borders...

    In the bachelor's degree program for occupational therapists not just the high quality of theoretical training plays a major role, also a high level in practical imparting of professional skills. Being able to gain practical experience across borders promotes personal development and the international knowledge exchange.

    A European project partnership therefore focuses primarily on that part of the practical training of occupational therapists for which there are no standardized regulations for cross-country comparison, but which is a crucial part of the training. Educational institutions from four European countries cooperate for this purpose: IBKM gemeinnützige Schulträger GmbH (DE), University of Ruse (BG), Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego we Wroclawiu (PL), ICM Fachhochschule Krems GmbH (AT). The project is funded by the ERASMUS + program (October, 2018 - March, 2021).

    Based on a comparative study that dealt with the framework conditions of training, practices of recognition and the position of occupational therapists in the social security system in the participating countries, a common training basis for the practical training of occupational therapists was developed.

    With the EUPRAC curriculum that has been created, the project team combines the claim to be able to provide guidelines for the barrier-free completion of internships in order to open up new perspectives on the European labor market for young people in a way that is practical and exemplary for other agents.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Extracellular vesicles from Hoffa´s fat pad - a new approach for cartilage regeneration?

    1133

    As the incidence of osteoarthritis increased over the last years, development of new therapeutic approaches for osteochondral regeneration came into the focus of tissue engineering research.

     

    The focus of this project lay in evaluating the...

    As the incidence of osteoarthritis increased over the last years, development of new therapeutic approaches for osteochondral regeneration came into the focus of tissue engineering research.

     

    The focus of this project lay in evaluating the therapeutic potential of extracellular vesicles isolated from mesenchymal stem cells derived from the Hoffa´s fat pad on processes occurring during osteoarthritis. The Hoffa´s fat pad is located intra-articularly behind and under the patellar. Due to its proximity to the cartilage, mesenchymal stem cells from this adipose tissue are more involved in the development and progression of osteoarthritis as mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow which are often used for cartilage regeneration studies.

     

    The majority of the project was conducted at the Danube University Krems, with the IMC University of applied Sciences Krems taking on the proteomic analysis of the extracellular vesicles by mass spectrometry. Further project partners were the Medical University of Vienna and OrthoSera GmbH. The project was funded within the Life Science Call 2018 by the NÖ Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung (GFF).

     

    A wholistic characterisation of the extracellular vesicles from Hoffa's fat pad could be concluded. The complete proteome analysis showed a multitude of regenerative signaling molecules as well as confirmed the transfer of proteins from the various serum tretments to the vesicles.

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    Research competencies for the economy, Qualification seminar: "The Implementation of evidence-based midwifery practice".

    1141

    In many countries, midwives are experts in caring for healthy pregnant women. Studies have demonstrated that continuous midwifery-led and evidence-based care models are safer and more effective than traditional obstetric care models. However, to...

    In many countries, midwives are experts in caring for healthy pregnant women. Studies have demonstrated that continuous midwifery-led and evidence-based care models are safer and more effective than traditional obstetric care models. However, to achieve this, it is essential that midwives know, interpret, and put into practice the latest research findings. This ensures safe, transparent, effective and efficient healthcare and that the standards of midwifery care meet the expectations of pregnant women, their families and society.

     

    The implementation of evidence-based midwifery practice in Austria continues to be a professional challenge. It has been suggested that many health professionals find it difficult to implement evidence into their daily work, as they have to come to terms with competing priorities. Numerous organisational and individual barriers influence the implementation and acceptance of evidence-based practice. Studies indicate that barriers include a lack of resources and skills as the most common obstacles to the implementation and use of evidence in midwifery practice.

     

    Our aim was to provide SMEs providing midwifery services with the skills and resources to overcome the reported barriers to implementing the principles of evidence-based practice. We developed a teaching and learning concept tailored for practicing midwives, which enabled them to acquire the necessary skills to develop practical, sustainable, and successful strategies for the implementation of research findings in their daily practice. After completing a 40-hour qualification seminar, all participating midwives reported that they felt more confident in interpreting and using research evidence. They also stated that this was a complex process and that they would need more practice to master the newly acquired skills. In addition, they commented that the newly acquired skills and knowledge will assist them in their decision-making process, when advsing women during pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period.

     

    The project is funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency.

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    Smart Aggregation and Visualisation of Health Data (SMARAGD)

    1139

    The project was led by Prof. (FH) Mona Dür, PhD, MSc, the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems. The SMARAGD project was a collaboration between the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, SYNYO GmbH, University of Graz, Johannes Kepler...

    The project was led by Prof. (FH) Mona Dür, PhD, MSc, the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems. The SMARAGD project was a collaboration between the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, SYNYO GmbH, University of Graz, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Medical University of Graz, Know-Center GmbH Research Center for Data-Driven Business & Big Data Analytics and University of Vienna. SMARAGD was funded by the Austrian Research Funding Agency (FFG).

     

    The rapid spread of intelligent machines and systems is leading to massive changes in the workplace. Their use can be accompanied by both positive and negative changes in working conditions, with increased user-friendliness, but also with additional burden. For example, hospital information systems are installed world wide to support health professionals in accessing, processing and interpreting their patients’ health data. This human-computer interaction is often experienced as an additional burden in daily work of health professionals and is also detrimental to the quality of treatment. So far, there has not been a professional group-specific aggregation and visualisation of health data for occupational therapists and physical therapists.

    The aims of the SMARAGD project were to develop exemplary technical components for the intelligent aggregation and visualisation of health data of patients relevant for occupational therapists and physical therapists and to test them in the sense of a feasibility study.

     

    Different designs and methods were applied. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to determine which information is relevant for occupational therapists and physical therapists and whether this information is needed in original, aggregated or visualised form. Anonymised data sets were used to develop and test possibilities of aggregating or visualising health data. The feasibility study included investigations of technical feasibility, user-friendliness and the legal framework.

    The results include an overview of the specific information that is relevant for occupational therapists and physiotherapists and the required format of its presentation. Further results are drafts of components of an intelligent aggregation and visualisation of health data, the assessment of their technical feasibility and a report on the legal application requirements and limits for the intelligent aggregation and visualisation of health data in clinical practice. Detailed results will be published soon.

     

     

    Further information is available at www.smaragdprojekt.at .

  • Department of Business
    business

    Migrant Digital Entrepreneurship

    1070

    The overall aim of the project is to develop a socially robust understanding of the impact and potential of migrant digital entrepreneurship on a regional socioeconomic system. Therefore, a transdisciplinary mutual learning process will help to...

    The overall aim of the project is to develop a socially robust understanding of the impact and potential of migrant digital entrepreneurship on a regional socioeconomic system. Therefore, a transdisciplinary mutual learning process will help to develop a comprehensive system model. Furthermore, we distinguish two specific objectives: (i) deepening our understanding of Migrant Digital Entrepreneurship with regard to digital and technological trends in modern business models compared to other countries and/or regions in internatonal benchmarks and (ii) the identification of leverage points for interventions at various levels within the innovation system trough data-driven analytis.

     

    The project is funded by Niederösterreichische Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H. (NFB).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Theraferm

    1156

    Two therapeutic proteins are produced fermentatively for the Austrian Red Cross.

    These proteins are of great importance for the blood tests at the OeRK, as they improve the quality of the tests and simplify them.

    Interfering drugs that can be...

    Two therapeutic proteins are produced fermentatively for the Austrian Red Cross.

    These proteins are of great importance for the blood tests at the OeRK, as they improve the quality of the tests and simplify them.

    Interfering drugs that can be found in the patient's blood, e.g. during cancer treatment, can be bound with these proteins and thus easily separated.

    Therefore, they do not interfere with further tests and no false-positive results are produced, which then have to be further investigated at great expense.

  • Department of Business
    business

    MBIT New World of Work Impact Measurement

    1097

    MBIT has started its transformation towards 'AGILE ORGANIZATION'. This journey includes digitization, flexible working schemes as well as new office architecture. The transformation is supported by a multi-annual impact measurement study. Impact...

    MBIT has started its transformation towards 'AGILE ORGANIZATION'. This journey includes digitization, flexible working schemes as well as new office architecture. The transformation is supported by a multi-annual impact measurement study. Impact measurement allows to evaluate the progress achieved, based on facts and figures. I also enables to manage the transformation journey as such in a very precise manner.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Mixed Reality Based Collaboration for Industry (MRBC4i)

    1094

    Virtual reality and augmented reality – often referred to together as mixed reality (MR) – have attracted significant attention among companies in recent years, as well as prompting questions about the technologies’ applicability in business.

     

    A...

    Virtual reality and augmented reality – often referred to together as mixed reality (MR) – have attracted significant attention among companies in recent years, as well as prompting questions about the technologies’ applicability in business.

     

    A number of potential applications for MR are being implemented as part of a project entitled Mixed Reality Based Collaboration for Industry (MRBCi). In order to ensure that the project is aligned with challenges faced by companies in their day-to-day operations, businesses were surveyed about the specific problems they encounter in connection with these technologies, and the results analysed. The MRBCi project is centred on implementation of applications in four subject areas: production support, remote support, education and training, and product presentation.

    The following problems related to MR technologies were identified:

    Problem 1 – entry barriers: at present, a number of showcase applications are available, but examples of the truly effective use of MR in the field are extremely thin on the ground.

    Problem 2 – enabling: MR projects typically make it past the prototype stage only very rarely, as significant resources are required for project set-up and initial development of these prototypes.

    Problem 3 –effective implementation: integration of technical solutions in companies’ business processes and day-to-day operations is currently only found in very few cases.

     

    Interdisciplinary collaboration between the research partners has paved the way for the optimum integration of wide-ranging skills and expertise from the various research focuses. The MRBC4i project aims to help Austrian industry take a significant step forward in achieving the following objectives:

    1) Reducing entry barriers (technical, organisational and psychological)

    2) Reducing the resources required and in turn the costs for enterprises (enabling)

    3) Analysing the impacts on business processes and models, stakeholder acceptance and readiness (maturity).

     

    IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems is heading up the accompanying research activities in the MRBC4i project, in collaboration with Technical University Vienna and St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences. The aim of the work package is to address the following question regarding analysis of the impacts on business processes and models, stakeholder acceptance and readiness (maturity): how can mixed reality assistance systems be evaluated using a multi-dimensional criteria set that is suitable for industry?

     

    The project has been submitted to the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) under the Collective Research funding programme. The Lower Austrian business agency, ecoplus. Niederösterreichs Wirtschaftsagentur GmbH, has overall responsibility for management of the MRBCI project, which involves the plastics and mechatronics clusters in Lower Austria.

     

    If you have any questions, please mail Prof. Gerhard Kormann-Hainzl at [email protected].

    Corporate project partners

    • Bene GmbH

    • Bilfinger Chemserv GmbH

    • Codeflügel GmbH

    • Geodata Ziviltechnikergesellschaft mbH

    • Jabil Circuit Austria GmbH

    • KBA-Mödling GmbH

    • Knorr-Bremse GmbH

    • Kotányi GmbH

    • Kremsmüller Industrieanlagenbau KG

    • Lenze Operations Austria GmbH

    • MAN Truck & Bus Österreich GesmbH

    • Mayr-Melnhof Karton Aktiengesellschaft

    • MBIT Digital Solutions

    • ÖBB-Business Competence Center GmbH

    • Piesslinger GmbH

    • Prometa GmbH

    • Lower Austrian Red Cross

    • Semperit

    • Test-Fuchs GmbH

    • Umdasch Group Ventures GmbH

    • Voith Paper Rolls GmbH & Co KG

    • Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH

     

    R&D project partners

    • St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences

    • FOTEC Forschungs- und Technologietransfer GmbH

    • University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria

    • IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems

    • TU Wien

  • Department of Business
    business

    eMobSim - eMobility in everyday life

    1148

    Are recent information campaigns sufficient to counter the myths and the key negative beliefs around eMobility (like short range, insufficient charging infrastructure and high acquisition costs)?

     

    If one considers the large information portals...

    Are recent information campaigns sufficient to counter the myths and the key negative beliefs around eMobility (like short range, insufficient charging infrastructure and high acquisition costs)?

     

    If one considers the large information portals available for e-mobility, the potential still seems underused and existing portals are rather text-heavy and mainly include scientific and technical information. They rely on verbal (narrative/textual) persuasion. The disseminated information is usually provided by energy companies, environmental organizations or car manufacturers, which might compromise the credibility of the information as being biased towards a specific intention. Other means of persuasion like vicarious experiences and authentic visual storytelling (slice of life) successfully adopted by social media influencers are currently not used in this context.

     

    The aim of the project is to positively influence the attitude of the Austrian public towards eMobility. This is done by bundling social media outlets (especially Instagram, Youtube and Twitter) and creating adequate content in form of visuals and authentic emotional stories of everyday life to refute the myths surrounding electric mobility. Within the framework of the project, a concept for the communication of e-mobility will be developed, based on entertainment theories, educational and scientific communication, design thinking and digital learning. A landing page will also be created to connect the individual outlets and, in particular, the content.

     

    According to acceptance research, this communication represents a classical intervention. Therefore, the effectiveness of such communication interventions will be investigated by means of a scientific accompanying study.

     

    The project is funded by the Climate and Energy Fund as part of the "Elektromobilität in der Praxis 2018" program.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Resource efficiency: Cooperation models of start-ups with SMEs/family firms for sustainable innovations

    1174

    The added value of the cooperation of start-ups with SMEs/family firms lies in the acceleration of the development of sustainable innovations by bringing together the different competences. Furthermore, intensive cooperation can also bring about a...

    The added value of the cooperation of start-ups with SMEs/family firms lies in the acceleration of the development of sustainable innovations by bringing together the different competences. Furthermore, intensive cooperation can also bring about a cultural change with regard to openness (open innovation) and strengthen future viability through new impulses at SMEs as well as increase the professionalism of market cultivation at start-ups. In addition, the cooperation can also be used to explore which forms of possible further cooperation are suitable for both partners.

    Cooperation often also presents major challenges for both companies. Identifying possible partners and contact persons is just one of many initial challenges. Complications also often arise from the clash of different cultures: agile versus less dynamic work processes, different values and different willingness to take risks.

    The project aims to achieve the following goals:

    - Strengthening the competitiveness of Viennese SMEs and family firms and start-ups in particular.

    - Systematic derivation of recommendations for action for SMEs and family firms on how they can sustainably develop new products, services and business models by using cooperation with start-ups.

    - Building up sound competences and resources for projects with companies building on the core competences of these companies.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Digital Competence Monitoring in Production Companies

    1056

    The NFB project on digital competence monitoring in manufactoring companies built on research on competence development and aligned it to Industry 4.0. The approach of the researchers of the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, the University of...

    The NFB project on digital competence monitoring in manufactoring companies built on research on competence development and aligned it to Industry 4.0. The approach of the researchers of the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt and the Danube University Krems was based on Design-Based Research. In the research project practical experiences of production enterprises were collected and evaluated. Thus a competence model was developed, which was tested and adapted on the basis of these tests. This ensured continuous improvement and practical relevance of the model.

     

    The project was funded by Niederösterreichische Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H. (NFB).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Scan2VR

    1083

    The present project was about the merging of different areas. There are already solutions today which are able to capture rooms and surroundings. There are also solutions to capture people three-dimensionally (primarily for 3D prints), as well as...

    The present project was about the merging of different areas. There are already solutions today which are able to capture rooms and surroundings. There are also solutions to capture people three-dimensionally (primarily for 3D prints), as well as objects that are captured three-dimensionally. The innovation here was to move from the scan (mostly individual scans or so-called point clouds) to three-dimensional usable models. The innovation here was the creation and adaptation of programming algorithms and processes for the direct implementation of these scans in the VR room. These new algorithms were necessary in order to be able to move freely in this virtual space and still map the rooms and objects realistically and interactively. The movement was implemented using a suitable device so that the movement appears freely in the room (not as with previous solutions in which one is strapped into an apparatus). This innovative approach required the interdisciplinary cooperation of programmers and media specialists so that the scans could be converted into solid VR rooms and objects and the scanned people could be placed in the room as interactively as possible. This was not possible with previous solutions. This solution was developed in cooperation with a company and implemented as an example. A company was selected that had already submitted LOIs in advance. From this, in the course of the project, corresponding publications in well-known conferences and papers were created that highlighted these solutions and discussed further possible applications.

    The project is funded by the State of Lower Austria Department of Economy, Tourism and Technology.

     

    This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund

    More information on IWB / EFRE can be found on

    EFRE

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Sustainable biological recycling of environmentally hazardous substances (rare earth elements) from electronic waste and wastewater

    999

    Rare earths are used in electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers and energy-saving bulbs. However, they are scarce and cannot be recycled using eco-friendly methods. Complex and expensive mining, coupled with scarce supply, means that the...

    Rare earths are used in electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers and energy-saving bulbs. However, they are scarce and cannot be recycled using eco-friendly methods. Complex and expensive mining, coupled with scarce supply, means that the prices of rare earths on the world market are rising steadily. Due to continuous technical advances, we can already predict that the supply situation for rare earths will become critical in future, which in turn could pose a threat to the development of innovative technologies.

     

    The project partners aim to counter this trend using a new technology. This involves an approach that has never been used before: recycling by means of microorganisms (bacteria and algae). The goal of the international project partner consortium is to develop a practicable recycling technology in collaboration with regional industry, with a view to reclaiming rare earths from electronic waste and subsequently making the technology available to businesses. The consortium liaises regularly with its strategic partners, which guarantees that market needs and the technological limitations of business are taken into account in the development process.

     

    The project is being funded as part of the EU’s INTERREG V-A Austria-Czech Republic programme.

     

    www.at-cz.eu/reegain

  • Department of Business
    business

    Bottom-up energy transformation – socially innovative approaches and new actors

    1074

    One of the core questions related to achieving climate protection targets is how to bring “exhausted” potential for climate protection more closely into line with what is theoretically possible. Established policy instruments such as legislation,...

    One of the core questions related to achieving climate protection targets is how to bring “exhausted” potential for climate protection more closely into line with what is theoretically possible. Established policy instruments such as legislation, regulations, subsidies, information and advice do not appear to be sufficient. So what part could social innovations and bottom-up initiatives play in speeding up the Energiewende (“energy transformation”)? Who are the agents of social innovation in civil society and bottom-up processes? How can their plans be supported? This project is designed to examine these key questions.

     

    In this project, the project partners will assess energy- and climate protection-related social innovations and bottom-up processes, as well as potential key actors, and the findings will be appraised to determine their suitability for use in subsequent stages of the project. Action areas will be identified in which social innovations and bottom-up processes can play a part in bringing about the energy transformation. Ideas and approaches will then be developed and discussed in consultation with key actors from civil society as well as climate change and energy sector stakeholders. Recommendations will be drawn up on how actors involved in bottom-up processes and important agents of social innovation – with a focus on non-profit organisations and social enterprises – can be addressed and integrated into initiatives in future by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund.

     

    The project is being funded by the Climate and Energy Fund.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Local and Traditional Knowledge about Nature as Part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage - Safeguarding vs. Tourism Utilization

    1008

    Tourism development, based on traditional and local knowledge is important for highlighting the cultural features which distinguish one region from another. Knowledge and skills of local people, crafts, customs, rituals, festivals, etc. can be seen...

    Tourism development, based on traditional and local knowledge is important for highlighting the cultural features which distinguish one region from another. Knowledge and skills of local people, crafts, customs, rituals, festivals, etc. can be seen as cultural capital or as the intangible cultural heritage of local population . The intangible cultural heritage is difficult to "safeguard", is often not easy to stage for the visitors of a region, and can be made accessible and tangible through innovative leisure activities.

    In this research project, a concept for the simultaneous safeguarding, transfer and tourism valorization of traditional knowledge about nature will be created. Competences, practices and traditional knowledge of local people (e.g. about different crops, ecological gardening, medical plants etc.) are investigated in order to be made accessible to specific target groups and thus preserved. Experts and knowledge bearers, including older generations are identified and involved as informants. Scenarios for tourism development will be designed to ensure dialogue and knowledge transfer between regions, but also between generations. Furthermore, this tourism valorizatin can contribute to the safeguarding, promotion and development of intangible cultural heritage.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Synthesis and industrial application of hydroxytyrosol

    898

    During the course of this project, an alternative synthesis of hydroxytyrosol will be developed. This new route aims for a higher yield of the important natural product by combining the advantages of biotechnological procedures and modern chemical...

    During the course of this project, an alternative synthesis of hydroxytyrosol will be developed. This new route aims for a higher yield of the important natural product by combining the advantages of biotechnological procedures and modern chemical reactions. Additionally, in collaboration with our industrial partner, a new and highly promising application of hydroxytyrosol in textile industry will be evaluated.

     

    Summarizing, the following goals can be defined:

    • Establish whole cell oxidation (dihydroxylation of aromatics) as innovative and future-oriented methodology at the University of Applied Sciences Krems. By means of this environmentally benign protocol, fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals are accessible from organic waste.

    • Synthesis of hydroxytyrosol, an important natural antioxidant with a wide range of applications in food industry, cosmetic industry, and pharmaceutical industry.

    • Evaluation of a newly developed analytical instrument to measure the metabolic activity of various bacteria.

    • Development of a new method for the mild and gentle selective bleaching of denim and related textiles.

     

     

    The project is co-financed by the Province of Lower Austria and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Advanced personalized diagnostics to overcome severe side effects of protein therapeutics

    940

    Therapeutic protein drugs have been widely used to treat a variety of diseases including cancer, autoimmune diseases,

    neurological diseases, metabolic diseases, bleeding disorders and others. The global protein drug market reached

    nearly $174.7...

    Therapeutic protein drugs have been widely used to treat a variety of diseases including cancer, autoimmune diseases,

    neurological diseases, metabolic diseases, bleeding disorders and others. The global protein drug market reached

    nearly $174.7 billion in 2015 and should reach nearly $248.7 billion by 2020.

    Although most protein drugs offer a favourable benefit-risk ratio, one key hurdle for the maintenance of clinical efficacy

    and safety has been the development of unwanted immune responses against protein drugs, in particular the

    development of anti-drug antibodies. Some patients develop pathogenic antibodies which neutralize the biologic activity

    of the protein drug or cause devastating health problems such as anaphylaxis or autoimmune pathologies. Currently,

    there is no diagnostic tool which can predict and distinguish the development of harmless or pathogenic antibodies in

    an individual patient. Therefore, basic research efforts are required to better understand immune regulation and nature

    of harmless and pathogenic anti-drug antibodies and to create the scientific basis for the development of novel

    diagnostics. Early diagnosis of evolving pathogenic antibodies would provide a window of opportunity for early immune

    intervention which could prevent pathogenic immune responses. One prominent example of pathogenic anti-drug

    antibodies is the development of neutralizing antibodies against factor VIII (FVIII) following replacement therapy of

    hemophilia A patients with human FVIII products. The antibodies neutralize the biological activity of FVIII and render

    replacement therapies ineffective which can result in life-threatening bleeding complications.

    In this project application, we propose to close a major gap in current understanding of the nature and evolution of

    pathogenic antibodies against FVIII and their differentiation from non-pathogenic antibodies in patients with severe

    hemophilia A. We generated novel data on the temporal association between epitope specificity (protein epitopes

    versus carbohydrate epitopes), affinity, isotype/IgG subclass profiles and functional activities of antibodies against FVIII

    which develop in patients following replacement therapy with FVIII products. The possibility to combine basic research

    with the analysis of longitudinal samples obtained from patients undergoing FVIII therapy provides a unique

    opportunity to directly translate novel research findings into clinical application. The data coming out of this project can

    provide the scientific basis for the development of novel diagnostic tools, such as FVIII-specific microarrays, which will

    allow physicians to differentiate patient-specific characteristics and design personalized treatment approaches, and

    ultimately improve patient outcomes.

  • Department of Business
    business

    New world of work: performance measurement at Porsche Informatik GmbH

    997

    As a key player in the digital transformation of the automotive sector, Porsche Informatik is remodelling itself as a next-generation company. Two core components of its transformation strategy are agile architecture and organisation, and adopting...

    As a key player in the digital transformation of the automotive sector, Porsche Informatik is remodelling itself as a next-generation company. Two core components of its transformation strategy are agile architecture and organisation, and adopting new approaches with a view to implementing new-world-of-work approaches.

     

    IMC Krems is providing academic support for the shift towards new, innovative working practices by means of performance assessment. Until 2020, the progress made by the organisation in the course of its transformation will be regularly evaluated, and areas in which optimisation and adjustments are required will be identified. To this end, the company’s productivity will be measured, as will the effectiveness of managerial approaches, which will be subject to fundamental changes as part of the transformation process. Overall, the performance assessment will equip employees and managers with a detailed “radar” for change – clear facts, figures and data will provide the basis for decision-making on the path towards establishing a next-generation business.

     

    The research project will also open up important links to the university’s teaching activities, in particular to the Digital Business Innovation and Transformation and International Export and Business Management master programmes, as well as the Collaboration in the Next Generation Enterprise specialist module, where students will have the opportunity to participate in the research project as part of their master thesis. The project will also be covered in major publications, such as the new edition of and supplementary chapters for Unternehmen der nächsten Generation, published by Springer. Regular updates will be posted on The New World of Work blog at www.newworldofwork.wordpress.com.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    In Vivo RNA interference strategies against adenoviruses

    833

    Patients with an impaired immune system, such as HIV- positive patients and recipients of solid organ and particularly hematopoietic stem cell transplants, are at high risk of life-threatening infections with human adenoviruses. Among stem cell...

    Patients with an impaired immune system, such as HIV- positive patients and recipients of solid organ and particularly hematopoietic stem cell transplants, are at high risk of life-threatening infections with human adenoviruses. Among stem cell transplant recipients with systemic infections, mortality rates of almost 80% have been reported. The efficacy of commonly used drugs to treat adenovirus infections is limited and frequently associated with toxicity. Alternative drugs are still under investigation. In light of the fact that numbers of solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients are constantly rising, there is a pressing need for alternative treatment options.

     

    Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) are a class of artificial small RNAs that can bring about the inactivation of cellular and viral genes via the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. In a previous project led by the investigators, highly potent siRNAs and amiRNAs with activity against components of the adenoviral DNA replication machinery that can effectively inhibit the replication of human adenoviruses in cell culture experiments were developed and characterised. The project is aimed at investigating if adenovirus infections can be inhibited by these RNAi-triggering small RNAs in vivo.

     

    The project is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Viral and fungal infections

    884

    The world-class standard of medical care in Austria means that many patients are now surviving in areas where previously treatments did not exist or were not widely available. This is thanks in no small part to developments in intensive care and...

    The world-class standard of medical care in Austria means that many patients are now surviving in areas where previously treatments did not exist or were not widely available. This is thanks in no small part to developments in intensive care and transplantation. But one consequence, in particular of the advances in transplantation, has been a steep rise in the number of immune-deficient patients with a considerably increased risk of otherwise harmless infectious diseases, such as infections with adenoviruses. These types of infections can prove fatal for people in this patient group. While bacterial infections can for the most part be effectively controlled using antibiotics, treatment options for viral infections are unsatisfactory, and the persistently high mortality rate is clear evidence of the need for action in this area. It is no longer the original illnesses that are responsible for the death of immune-deficient patients, but rather the infections described above. We must therefore accelerate development in this area and find ways to identify new drug targets.

     

     

    The aim of this research project is the systematic and scientific development of potential drug targets in the setting of infections in immune-deficient patients. The analysis of data obtained from in vitro models will afford new insights into the interplay between adenoviruses and human cells, which could lay the groundwork for further studies and the development of more effective therapies.

     

    The project is funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under the sixth call for the “Aufbau” line of the COIN.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Scale(up) Alps - Accelerate and promote the Alpine Start-up Ecosystem

    908

    The economy of the 21st century is affected by digitalization and accelerating innovation cycles. Start-ups seem to profit from the general economic development based globalization and digitalization. While Alpine Space can rely on growing and...

    The economy of the 21st century is affected by digitalization and accelerating innovation cycles. Start-ups seem to profit from the general economic development based globalization and digitalization. While Alpine Space can rely on growing and dynamic regional start-up ecosystems, many of these start-ups are facing obstacles when scaling up across Europe and beyond. The growing start-up communities are envisaged to link Alpine Space startup hubs, foster business acceleration, bridge SMEs-investors-policy-markets, involve actors in a community of opportunities. 11 European Partners (3x Italy, 3x France, 2x Slovenia, 1x Germany, 2x Austria) are working together in this EU funded project.

     

    SCALE(up)ALPS aims to make sure that the Alpine Space first, than EU Single Market, are the launch bases of alpine start-ups into the global competition. The main goals are, to connect innovation actors, increase knowledge transfer as well as to enhance Alpine Space key high-growth SMEs business innovation potential. The project will focus on defining a start-up integrated ecosystem growth-strategy as well as Alpine Space services to grow tech companies accessing new markets or disruptive businesses in existing markets.

     

    The Project ist funded by the Interreg Alpine Space Programme, a European transnational cooperation Programme for the Alpine region.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    RNA Interference as a method to inhibit virus infections

    807

    Patients with an impaired immune system such as HIV-positive individuals or solid organ and particularly hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients are at high risk of undergoing life-threatening infections with human adenoviruses. The efficacy of...

    Patients with an impaired immune system such as HIV-positive individuals or solid organ and particularly hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients are at high risk of undergoing life-threatening infections with human adenoviruses. The efficacy of commonly used drugs to treat adenovirus infections is limited and frequently associated with toxicity. Alternative drugs are still under investigation. Hence, given the fact that numbers of solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients are constantly rising, alternative treatment options are highly needed.

     

    Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) are a class of artificial small RNAs that can bring about the inactivation of cellular and viral genes via the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. In a previous project led by Dr. Reinhard Klein highly potent siRNAs and amiRNAs with activity against components of the adenoviral DNA replication machinery that can effectively inhibit the replication of human adenoviruses in cell culture experiments were developed and characterized.

     

    The project is aimed at investigating if adenovirus infections can be inhibited by these RNAi-triggering small RNAs in vivo, and which of the two approaches (i.e. siRNA versus amiRNA) is more effective. RNAi-based inhibition of adenoviruses is assessed in the Syrian hamster model which is able to mimic adenovirus infections in immunodeficient humans. Moreover, one of the two small RNA-based approaches is anticipated to lead to the selective amplification of the RNAi-triggering RNAs in adenovirus-infected cells and their transfer to neighbouring cells where they are supposed to inhibit the otherwise uncontrolled multiplication of spreading adenoviruses.

     

    The project is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).

  • Department of Business
    business

    Innovations in family businesses: Contextual factors, processes and Performance effects

    846

    In family businesses, innovation behaviour is often largely shaped by the idiosyncrasies of the business family. For instance, the business family’s desire to sustain the business over generations provides long-term capital (patient capital) to the...

    In family businesses, innovation behaviour is often largely shaped by the idiosyncrasies of the business family. For instance, the business family’s desire to sustain the business over generations provides long-term capital (patient capital) to the business and prompts family managers to make far-sighted investment decisions. Family businesses also often form part of strong and trusting social networks with stakeholders, creating many opportunities to mobilise people for new ideas.

    However, despite the fact that family businesses retain a number of assets that are conducive to innovation, investigations comparing the innovation output in family businesses and non-family businesses show ambiguous results. These results suggest that family businesses are both more and less innovative. These inconsistencies may be due to paradoxical effects of family involvement, as the family not only constitutes a resource but also a liability for innovation. For instance, family businesses prefer to avoid projects associated with high risk because they do not want to gamble with the inheritance of family members. They prefer continuity which prompts them to rely on what is tried-and- trusted and adhere to family traditions, instead of trying new things. Empirical evidence also indicates that the innovative capacity of family businesses frequently decreases across generations. Thus, although family businesses often have great innovation potential, they are sometimes reluctant to make use of this. This phenomenon is also known as the ability-willingness paradox.

     

    The question of how family businesses make use of their innovation capacity and why some family businesses are better innovators than others is therefore the focus of the current research project at the University of Applied Sciences Krems (in cooperation with the Research Institute for Family Businesses, Vienna University of Economics and Business).

     

    The project is co-financed by the Province of Lower Austria (Department K3 - Science and Research) and leading companies in the region.

  • Department of Business
    business

    “GrünRaum”: Valorization of Green Spaces

    865

    This project examined the revitalisation of green spaces to exploit their tourism potential as well as ways to enhance the quality of the visitor experience with respect to natural and cultural heritage (both tangible and intangible) in gardens and...

    This project examined the revitalisation of green spaces to exploit their tourism potential as well as ways to enhance the quality of the visitor experience with respect to natural and cultural heritage (both tangible and intangible) in gardens and parks in Lower Austria and Southern Moravia. Furthermore, profiles and requirements of the various garden visitor segments were analysed. Based on these findings, a manual with quality criteria for the use of the managers of these green spaces was developed. New joint, cross-boarder garden tourism propositions were developed and presented.

     

    The project was funded by the EU’s INTERREG V-A Austria- Czech Republic programme.

     

    Websites: http://diegaerten.eu/https://www.at-cz.eu/at/ibox/pa-2-umwelt-und-ressourcen/atcz71_grunraum

  • Department of Business
    business

    Green spaces as a tourist attraction: Vienna in comparison to selected other European cities

    870

    From a tourism sector point of view, green spaces in cities represent increasingly important leisure spaces, and are gaining significance alongside cultural attractions such as museums, events and distinct whole areas of a city. The aims of this...

    From a tourism sector point of view, green spaces in cities represent increasingly important leisure spaces, and are gaining significance alongside cultural attractions such as museums, events and distinct whole areas of a city. The aims of this project are to find out what role public parks and gardens play in city breaks, whether green spaces give a city a competitive advantage, and to gain insights into the needs of different visitors in terms of how they experience green spaces in a city.

     

    The project ist funded by the "Jubiläumsfonds" of the City of Vienna for the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

  • Department of Business
    business

    The Wine Lab

    836

    The Wine Lab knowledge alliance is aimed at establishing a structured university-business cooperation, by promoting active stakeholders dialogue and joint actions in order to generate innovative ideas for the sector growing, that can include either...

    The Wine Lab knowledge alliance is aimed at establishing a structured university-business cooperation, by promoting active stakeholders dialogue and joint actions in order to generate innovative ideas for the sector growing, that can include either new solutions for technical problems and particularly new approaches to the market (agribusiness, place branding, etc.); promote exchange and mutual learning between producers and researchers; identify learning gaps, both in students’ curricula and in lifelong learning for wine makers, in order to provide tailored learning offer; foster entrepreneurship mind-set of students in agriculture; establish local hubs of innovation, linked across Europe.

     

    The project is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the EU.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Optogenetic Cancer Models

    802

    The aim of this project was to develop optogenetic cell lines that can be used to stimulate or block certain signaling pathways in the cell without an activator. While activators remain in the cell culture medium and therefore the stimulation cannot...

    The aim of this project was to develop optogenetic cell lines that can be used to stimulate or block certain signaling pathways in the cell without an activator. While activators remain in the cell culture medium and therefore the stimulation cannot be terminated, optogenetic stimuli can be controlled much more precisely and this opens up completely new applications in the identification and characterization of active substances. The project was carried out in cooperation with Molecular Devices as part of a Competence Headquarters and at the same time detection modules for optogenetics were developed with the industrial partner.

     

    This project has been funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).

  • Department of Business
    business

    CaucaSusT - Transdisciplinarity for Sustainable Tourism Development in the Caucasus Region

    858

    Science and research play an important role in the sustainable development of tourism worldwide. This role, as well as the link between science, practice and politics, were strengthened in Armenia and Georgia by the CaucaSusT project. The project...

    Science and research play an important role in the sustainable development of tourism worldwide. This role, as well as the link between science, practice and politics, were strengthened in Armenia and Georgia by the CaucaSusT project. The project partners from Austria IMC UAS Krems and BOKU shared with local partners their expertise in the area of ​​sustainable tourism development as well as their experience in transdisciplinary research in order to create a suitable model for tourism research and teaching in these countries. Together with the Tbilisi State University and the Armenian State Pedagogical University, current problems of the sustainable tourism development in the pilot regions were identified and integrated into the university courses through case studies and field research. These transdisciplinary research and teaching methods provided students with insights into reality and facilitated concrete solutions for the local tourism economy.

     

    The Academic Partnership between University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, (Lead Institution) IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, Tbilisi State University and the Armenian State University will enable the project partners in Armenia and Georgia to address real problems of sustainable development - focusing on tourism development - in cooperation with the local population and other stakeholders. On a wider scale, the Academic Partnership will strengthen cooperation on academic activities on tourism development in the Caucasus region, and facilitate better coordination, coherence and integration of research outcomes into public policy in this field, via cooperating with and supporting activities of the regional Scientific Network for the Caucasus Mountain Region. The overall project goal is contribution to Capacity building for the universities in transdisciplinary teaching (case study teaching format, interdepartmental cooperation etc).

     

    The Project is funded by the Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education and Research for Development (APPEAR) under the fifth call, implemented by the Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research (OeAD).

  • Department of Business
    business

    Enterprise 4.0 – Success in the digital age

    819

    The point of departure for this research project was the following question:

    In what specific ways can the digital revolution known as Industry 4.0, with its new technologies and forms of work, help manufacturing companies in the region to stay...

    The point of departure for this research project was the following question:

    In what specific ways can the digital revolution known as Industry 4.0, with its new technologies and forms of work, help manufacturing companies in the region to stay competitive and therefore maintain and create prosperity and jobs?

     

    Implementation applied the Enterprise 4.0 methodology, which analyses Industry 4.0 initiatives as follows:

    • Digital transformation: Which technologies were used and how? (incremental or disruptive innovation)

    • Internationalisation: What effect does the project have on the company’s global competitiveness? (return on sales, cost advantages, new business opportunities, effects on employment, site acquisition, ...)

    • Entrepreneurship: What business challenges need to be overcome?

    The members of E4.0 were all leading industrial firms that intensively discussed and worked together on Industry 4.0 topics (at management level and in detail at expert level) in a highly confidential setting. The project was highly focused on implementation and each company brought one of its major Industry 4.0/digital transformation projects to the table, in order to develop the topic with peers within the framework provided by the research project. Each of the companies was an industry leader in their sector, but none of them were direct competitors.

     

    The participating companies were NOVOMATIC AG, BENE GmbH, buntmetall amstetten Ges.m.b.H., Doka Österreich GmbH, Franz Haas Waffelmaschinen GmbH, Georg Fischer Fittings GmbH, HOERBIGER Kompressortechnik Holding GmbH, RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems GmbH, RIC (Regionales Innovations Centrum) GmbH, TEST-FUCHS GmbH and Welser Profile GmbH.

     

    The research partners were IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Vienna University of Economics and Business, TU Wien, St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, and University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt.

     

    Enterprise 4.0 was a project from the mechatronics and plastics cluster initiatives by ecoplus, the Lower Austrian business agency.

     

    Links to further information:

     

    Enterprise 4.0 project folder: www.ecoplus.at/media/4604/folder-projekt-enterprise-vier-punkt-null.pdf

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Metabolic plasma profiling of the metabolic syndrome and cancer cachexia

    445

    Abdominal obesity together with insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and hypertension are hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome (MeS). Furthermore, this disease is also characterized by a low-grade-inflammatory status of adipose tissue causing changes in...

    Abdominal obesity together with insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and hypertension are hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome (MeS). Furthermore, this disease is also characterized by a low-grade-inflammatory status of adipose tissue causing changes in lipid metabolism of adipocytes by misbalancing uptake, deposition and release of lipids and free fatty acids (FFAs). Markers for abnormal lipid metabolism and inflammation are also found to be elevated in patients suffering from cancer cachexia (CaC). We suppose that pathological alterations of the lipid metabolism are main contributors in MeS and CaC. Therefore, we hypothesize that metabolic signatures comprising lipid, eicosanoid and cytokine patterns are reflecting disease states and disease progression and can help to monitor the impact of clinical interventions. In this study, a comprehensive plasma profiling will be applied to characterize the lipid, eicosanoid and cytokine patterns of patients suffering from MeS and CaC. The goal of the project is to identify metabolic signatures indicative for the onset and progression of the diseases and for determining the therapeutic efficacy of clinical interventions. The Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences holds the lead of the project. Additional partners are the University of Vienna and Medical Universities of Vienna and Graz.

     

    The project was funded by the Niederösterreichische Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H. (NFB).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Testing of recombinant polyclonal antibody fragments against gluten peptides

    805

    Testing the recombinant avian polyclonal antibody fragments against gluten peptides that are produced and made available. These antibodies will be investigated using in vitro test systems (cell culture, intestinal epithelial cells) for their...

    Testing the recombinant avian polyclonal antibody fragments against gluten peptides that are produced and made available. These antibodies will be investigated using in vitro test systems (cell culture, intestinal epithelial cells) for their potential to inhibit inflammatory reactions in the intestinal epithelium caused by gluten peptides.

     

    The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under its basic programme.

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    Josef Ressel Centre for the Foundation of Personalised Music Therapy: Horizons of personalised music therapy in neurorehabilitation

    476

    The Josef Ressel Centre runs from September 2016 to August 2021.

     

    The JRZ is dedicated to creating the basis for research in "real-world settings" to assess the real and individual therapy process. The research centre develops new methodological...

    The Josef Ressel Centre runs from September 2016 to August 2021.

     

    The JRZ is dedicated to creating the basis for research in "real-world settings" to assess the real and individual therapy process. The research centre develops new methodological approaches for evidence-based and personalised music therapy in neurological rehabilitation in phase C. (See www.neuroreha.at/phasenmodell.html)

     

    The international research team of the JRC interprets "personalisation" from a humanistic-anthropological point of view and is methodologically oriented - among other things - to principles of social neuroscience, with the central question of how people interact.

     

    Clinical case reports often contain descriptions of interpersonal resonance experiences. The research team interprets these descriptions as expressions of the existential need to understand and be understood.

     

    One research goal is to find out under which conditions such resonance can be fostered in the therapeutic context and how therapists can train their compassion for it.

    Another special feature is to bring the laboratory to the bedside in "real world settings" and synchronise different data (videography, ECG, EEG, biomarkers, etc.).

     

    Three coordinated projects are being carried out

     

    Project 1: Right Period: Patients need recovery periods between therapies; how can this be recognised? How can they be planned?

    Aim: more precise individualised therapy planning based on chronobiological rhythms and questionnaires developed within the framework of the JRZ for self-assessment and assessment by others.

    Perspective: more efficient therapies - better outcomes - cost savings.

     

    Project 2: Right Moment: in every therapy there are special moments that are crucial for therapy progress.

    Aim: To recognise and induce therapeutically special moments as a basis for therapy progress.

    Perspective: Insights into the neurobiological mechanisms of successful therapeutic interaction. Achieve the status of one of the leading research teams in the field of music therapy and social neuroscience.

     

    Project 3: Empathy: Therapists need special sensitivity & training for such moments of encounter.

    Aim: Development of valid measurement methods, as well as targeted training of empathy in MT.

    Perspective: valid training & maintenance of empathy in all GESWISS professional groups.

     

     

    The project is funded by Josef Ressel Centre Programme of the Christian Doppler Research Association, by NÖGUS, ProMente Reha and by s-team solutions GmbH.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Digital Business Transformation

    184

    Digital transformation of companies and businesses goes beyond changes in the technological environment and application – it affects the very nature of a company. Surviving in a digitalised economy is an entrepreneurial challenge. There are new...

    Digital transformation of companies and businesses goes beyond changes in the technological environment and application – it affects the very nature of a company. Surviving in a digitalised economy is an entrepreneurial challenge. There are new business models and value chains, new industrial networks as well as new digital products. Digital technologies change business processes and top- down and bottom-up organisational structures. Digital transformation is an entrepreneurial challenge.

     

    The project aims to explore the success factors and conditions for the effective digital transformation of companies, and places a strong emphasis on the transformation from analogue to digital and digitalised business models.

     

    The research focuses on established companies, including international firms, in the process of digitalising their business models. It seeks to identify the most transformative developments in their industries and why and how they are responding to these.

     

    The project is co-financed by the Province of Lower Austria (Department K3 - Science and Research) and leading companies in the region.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    The role of NRF2 in melanoma progression - insights into the mechanism of

    431

    Melanoma is one of the most frequent tumours in young adults. Even though it only accounts for 4% of all cases of skin cancer, melanoma is responsible for 79% of all skin cancer-related deaths. Despite the progress that has been made in the treatment...

    Melanoma is one of the most frequent tumours in young adults. Even though it only accounts for 4% of all cases of skin cancer, melanoma is responsible for 79% of all skin cancer-related deaths. Despite the progress that has been made in the treatment of melanoma (e.g. with BRAF inhibitors), patients finally succumb due to resistance mechanisms acquired by the tumour. Many lines of evidence have shown that especially a metastatic melanoma exhibits a strong metabolic turnover, which is required to fuel cell proliferation and anabolic pathways. This increased cellular turnover also results in an increased demand to maintain the redox homeostasis. Here we propose analysing this high metabolic and therefore also ROS (reactive oxygen species) generating stress as a possible Achilles heel of melanoma. One of the major regulators of stress response in cancer is NRF2. It plays a central role in the protection of cells against oxidative and xenobiotic stresses.

     

    The inhibition of NRF2 or its target genes might re-establish the sensitivity of melanoma to apoptosis driven by ROS. This mechanism could also prevent resistance mechanisms frequently observed in metastatic melanoma and may eliminate the frequently observed activation of endothelial cells, which surround tumour cells. It is highly likely that a combination of state of the art melanoma treatment with compounds that inhibit the generation of ROS scavengers potentiates the effectiveness of the current treatment regiments. Here we will use CRISPR-based methods as well as pharmacological inhibition to elucidate the mechanistic role of NRF2 in melanoma cells and on endothelial cells. We will also Transfer knowledge gained from our model by closely cooperating with clinicians who routinely care for melanoma patients. We propose that eliminating the antioxidative response by suppressing NRF2 directly, or its targets, will be an effective weapon in the battle against metastatic melanoma.

     

    The project is funded by NÖ Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H (NFB).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Extremophiles

    436

    Extremophilic microorganisms often have special properties and also special metabolic pathways due to the cellular mechanisms necessary for their natural environment. These metabolic pathways include, among other things, the ability to use unusual...

    Extremophilic microorganisms often have special properties and also special metabolic pathways due to the cellular mechanisms necessary for their natural environment. These metabolic pathways include, among other things, the ability to use unusual carbon sources and to produce various end products therefrom. These products are of interest for many applications, including pharmaceutical applications. Products are for example various polyunsaturated fatty acids and also pigments. The cultivation of these organisms is possible with the equipment available at the IMC FH Krems and through international contacts to the TU Bratislava or the Sultan Quaboos University in Oman, there are possibilities to preserve the organisms or to use the methods of analysis and to bring them to Krems in the long term. Identified substances can then be tested for bioactivity using the cellular test systems developed in-house.

     

    The project is funded by the Province Lower Austria (Department Science and Research) under the technology fund programme ATHENOE.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    DNA methylation in non-small call lung cancer and associated genderspecific influences on therapy efficience

    437

    Lung cancer is characterised by genderspecific differences in carcinogenesis, prevalence

    and types of mutations as well as response to targeted therapies. The impact of a patient's

    gender on the tumor's DNA methylation pattern and on the efficiency...

    Lung cancer is characterised by genderspecific differences in carcinogenesis, prevalence

    and types of mutations as well as response to targeted therapies. The impact of a patient's

    gender on the tumor's DNA methylation pattern and on the efficiency of latest epigenetic

    therapies is still unknown and thus the research topic of this project.

     

    The Project is funded by FFG Talente - 4th Call FEMtech Research Projects.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Sustainable innovations in the hotel industry

    677

    The debate on social and environmental challenges is slowly but steadily changing the sustainability understanding of a growing number of hoteliers, with the focus increasingly shifting to the perception of innovation opportunities, away from...

    The debate on social and environmental challenges is slowly but steadily changing the sustainability understanding of a growing number of hoteliers, with the focus increasingly shifting to the perception of innovation opportunities, away from sustainability as a tool for image enhancement. It is of particular importance that sustainability is perceived as an innovation opportunity, with the possibility of gaining a competitive advantage in order to stand out from the competition.

    Suggestions on the extent to which sustainable innovations can be implemented in the holiday and city hospitality sector are given in particular by four best practice examples, which were investigated by the IMC Fachochschule Krems.

     

    In all case studies, it is clear that corporate values ​​play a key role in sustainability and responsibility. The hotels have essential ideals and values ​​that they live with and which have often existed since the company's foundation or for several generations. They influence the assessment of new solutions and the future orientation of the activities of a hotel to a considerable extent.

     

    Sustainability is seen as an opportunity rather than a risk in our study. Developing solutions for societal challenges does not necessarily mean that this will lead to a cost increase for companies, but the use of innovative technologies, processes and management approaches can lead to increased productivity and an expansion of markets. Companies can discover a variety of opportunities to take on social responsibility, while at the same time expanding their competitive edge.

     

    The project is a result of the project "CSR and Innovation", funded by the COIN "Aufbau" (capacity building) funding line of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency.

  • Department of Business
    business

    VR for SME

    763

    The task was to develop innovative applications and solutions for SMEs and their environment with the help of students in different semesters and ideally different courses of study. These were used by the use of Virtual Reality (VR) to gain...

    The task was to develop innovative applications and solutions for SMEs and their environment with the help of students in different semesters and ideally different courses of study. These were used by the use of Virtual Reality (VR) to gain advantages in the context of their business operations in defined areas of application. For example: a better understanding among customers, acceptance of the company as an employer, aftercare in the medical-therapeutic area, virtual tour, virtual space, etc.

    The task was also to communicate in distributed teams and communicate interdisciplinarily and to improve the products / demos by means of different methods (Agile Programming, Open Innovation, Design thinking, ..). In addition to online communication with distributed teams, the students also learned how to communicate with customers and their visions regarding projects that affect your processes. In addition, a good insight into the world of VR / AR was achieved and the possibilities for the use of such technologies were mediated.

     

    The Project was funded by the Province of Lower Austria (Department K3 - Science and Research).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Engineering of therapeutic Peptides for cancer and regenerative medicine

    461

    Proteins and peptides are key molecules in all biological processes. Their unique chemical properties make them particularly well suited for use as therapeutic agents. They have high biological activity and specificity with comparably few toxic side...

    Proteins and peptides are key molecules in all biological processes. Their unique chemical properties make them particularly well suited for use as therapeutic agents. They have high biological activity and specificity with comparably few toxic side effects, and can be used to produce a range of highly diversified compounds that are not subject to intellectual property restrictions. The market for synthetic therapeutic peptides is growing steadily, making it an increasingly attractive area for pharmaceutical companies.

     

    The research project’s specific focus was the development of peptides and antibodies that modulate the activity of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs, e.g. epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and AXL). The work was performed in close cooperation with the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg. In many cancers, the RTK signaling pathways are fundamental for proliferation, survival, angiogenesis and metastasis of cancer cells. Hence, inhibition of particular RTK pathways can induce apoptosis or senescence in the tumor cells. In addition, peptide or antibody mediated activation of RTKs could be beneficial for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This project has fostered the development of sustainable and cost-effective technologies for biopharmaceutical drug discovery, therapeutic apheresis, toxin neutralization and tissue engineering.

     

    The project was funded by the Niederösterreichische Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H. (NFB).

  • Department of Business
    business

    Europe Engage - Developing a Culture of Civic Engagement through Service-Learning within Higher Education in Europe

    682

    Europe Engage' seeks to embed the idea of the civic university through service-learning as a pedagogical approach within the participating universities, which enables students and universities to connect with society in order to maintain and develop...

    Europe Engage' seeks to embed the idea of the civic university through service-learning as a pedagogical approach within the participating universities, which enables students and universities to connect with society in order to maintain and develop democracy and healthy levels of social capital within the European context. Service-learning is a key approach in terms of incorporating a culture of civic and political literacy among the student population into higher education.

     

    The ‘Europe Engage’ Project seeks to embed the concept and practice of the civic university through Service-Learning (S-L) and student engagement with community. The overall aim of ‘Europe Engage’ will be to promote Service-Learning as a pedagogical approach that embeds and develops civic engagement within higher education, students, staff and the wider community.

     

    Europe Engage is a three-year project involving twelve institutions of higher education with experience and interest in this methodology.

     

    Link to project card:

    ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/eplus-project-details/

     

    The project is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the EU.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Co-cultivation of microorganisms

    454

    Fermentation is an increasingly important area of the pharma- ceutical industry. Until now, academic research and industry have focused mainly on monocultures. However, it has been observed that many microorganisms only realise their full biochemical...

    Fermentation is an increasingly important area of the pharma- ceutical industry. Until now, academic research and industry have focused mainly on monocultures. However, it has been observed that many microorganisms only realise their full biochemical potential in tandem with others. As a result, co- cultivation has become a key pharmaceutical research Topic in the field of biotechnology.

     

    Research in this area concentrates on identifying potential co-cultures and establishing a fermentation process that harnesses the products and capabilities of microbial communities for drug discovery and industrial applications.

     

    The project represented an initial feasibility study of whether it is possible to identify conditions under which two selected microorganisms can grow separately from one another, and also of whether a stable co-culture can subsequently be established. The co-cultures were then analysed in terms of their ability to produce new substances.

     

    The project was funded by the Province of Lower Austria and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    The right moment - Pilot study on the representation of circadian and ultradian rhythms of patients in phase C neurorehabilitation by means of heart rate variability

    481

    Over the last decade personalised medicine has become increasingly important in the fields of pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenomics, clinical diagnostics, and in particular chronopharmacology, which is concerned with the optimal point in time for drug...

    Over the last decade personalised medicine has become increasingly important in the fields of pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenomics, clinical diagnostics, and in particular chronopharmacology, which is concerned with the optimal point in time for drug delivery. However, with respect to therapeutic interventions (in a clinical context), there has been virtually no inquiry into the most beneficial time to give therapy in relation to a patient’s chronobiological rhythms. This project focused on the question of the ideal time to administer therapy in relation to individual biological rhythms, measured using heart rate variability (HRV).

     

    The primary aim was to establish how individual circadian and ultradian rhythms could be represented most effectively by means of HRV analysis.

     

    The project was financed by the Science and Research Department (K 3) of the Province of Lower Austria.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Establishing molecular toxicology for rapid, early and sensitive toxicity determination and biocompatibility

    458

    The goal of the project is to combine a method comprising both cellular reporter assays and gene expression studies into a sensitive method. This would make it possible to show toxicological effects on human cells at significantly reduced...

    The goal of the project is to combine a method comprising both cellular reporter assays and gene expression studies into a sensitive method. This would make it possible to show toxicological effects on human cells at significantly reduced concentrations. If established successfully, the combined method could make a contribution to risk minimisation for newly developed biotech products and could also lead to an innovative screening procedure for the detection of toxic environmental pollutants not detectable using current analytical methods. The technology developed will be made available to biotech companies in Lower Austria in partnership projects.

     

    The project was financed by the Science and Research Department of the Province of Lower Austria.

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    Pilot Study: Measurement of empathy using the combination of psychometric and biometric procedures

    479

    Ability for empathy applies in therapeutic work as essential factor of the relationship between patient and therapist and as crucial component during recovery. It is seen as a key factor in (musica-)therapeutic work to establish a confident,...

    Ability for empathy applies in therapeutic work as essential factor of the relationship between patient and therapist and as crucial component during recovery. It is seen as a key factor in (musica-)therapeutic work to establish a confident, therapeutic relationship between patient and therapist. Within this framework the therapist’s empathic care leads to a reduction of the opponent’s anxiety or rather stress reaction and enables a transformation into relaxation. In order to understand these processes it is necessary to explore empathy phenomenon. The focus of this project was the change of oxytocin-level in organisms in consequence of a empathic reaction caused by video sequences from clinic-therapeutic context.

     

    The Project was co-funded by the NÖGUS.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Hybrid parks – development of a measurement model

    524

    This project, for Die Gärten Niederösterreichs (the gardens of Lower Austria association), is concerned with the economic, ecological and sociocultural impacts of parks and gardens (e.g. quality of life, image, qualitative regional effects) and will...

    This project, for Die Gärten Niederösterreichs (the gardens of Lower Austria association), is concerned with the economic, ecological and sociocultural impacts of parks and gardens (e.g. quality of life, image, qualitative regional effects) and will identify relevant indicators and measurement approaches to analyse these. In addition, proposals and recommendations for mutual (international) implementation will be developed. Based on the outcomes, a “toolbox” will be developed and recommendations derived.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Developing a design Pipeline for innovative protein-protein interaction inhibitors

    459

    The functioning of living organisms is to a large extent dependent on the interplay between the biomolecules they are composed of. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are a basic mechanism that regulates this interplay. Consequently, in the past few...

    The functioning of living organisms is to a large extent dependent on the interplay between the biomolecules they are composed of. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are a basic mechanism that regulates this interplay. Consequently, in the past few years the search for active compounds that have a therapeutic influence on protein-protein interactions has been intensified. In most cases these compounds are inhibitors of these interactions.

     

    The aim of the project was to use a bacterial enzyme system in order to develop a prototypical workflow for the generation of hit structures for inhibition of protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Starting from the ACP/ACPS-system of Staphylococcus aureus peptides were identified that inhibit the ACP-ACPS-interaction. Peptide-ACP-interactions as well as ACPS-ACP-interactions were analyzed by NMR experiments. The insights obtained, together with structural information from available X-ray structures, led to the development of pharmacophore models that were used in virtual screening to identify potential small molecules PPI inhibitors.

     

    The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under the 15th call for the BRIDGE 1 programme line.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Metastasising melanoma specific antibodies (MEMESA)

    457

    Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. If metastasis occurs, currently only about 10% of patients with the disease respond to standard treatment. This situation can be improved if patients at risk of metastasis are identified early, and...

    Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. If metastasis occurs, currently only about 10% of patients with the disease respond to standard treatment. This situation can be improved if patients at risk of metastasis are identified early, and if patients in which metastasis has already occurred undergo targeted treatment. In this project we describe the generation of new types of antibodies that can identify metastasis-specific antigens in a targeted manner, and which are being tested for suitability for diagnosis. The strength of our approach lies in the combined use of completed preclinical studies, established cell culture methods and in vivo models, as well as the antibody production expertise of Sciotec Diagnostic Technologies GmbH.

     

    The Project under the consortial leadership of the Medical University of Vienna was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under the BRIDGE programme.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) und Innovation Management

    761

    CSR can play a major role in companies’ competitiveness. As a strategic and management approach, CSR can help businesses to exploit the opportunities for innovation presented by current and future social and environmental challenges. However, in...

    CSR can play a major role in companies’ competitiveness. As a strategic and management approach, CSR can help businesses to exploit the opportunities for innovation presented by current and future social and environmental challenges. However, in practice CSR activities are still rarely – or only to a limited degree – linked with innovation management.

     

    The project aimed to illustrate the effects of CSR on the various phases of the innovation cycle, and to develop suitable instruments and tools for SMEs and family businesses. This generated scientifically-based recommendations for ways in which SMEs and family businesses can optimise or implement innovation processes, on the basis of their CSR strategy and Goals.

     

    The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under the fourth call for the “Aufbau” line of the COIN – Cooperation & Innovation programme (programme owners/sponsors: Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology; Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy).

  • Department of Business
    business

    InRuTou - Innovation in Rural Tourism

    617

    The InRuTou project aimed to address the challenges of rural mountain communities and to facilitate sustainable tourism in rural mountainous areas, by creating and testing a set of tools and innovative models and by training existing and new local...

    The InRuTou project aimed to address the challenges of rural mountain communities and to facilitate sustainable tourism in rural mountainous areas, by creating and testing a set of tools and innovative models and by training existing and new local tourism operators, which have various degrees of experience as well as different professional and educational backgrounds. The project brought together partners from universities, research institutes and regional development organisations from six countries (Austria, Great Britain, Italy, Romania, Poland, Ukraine) and its activities were implemented in six pilot areas located in five countries and across three different mountain ranges: the Alps, the Apennines and the Carpathians.

     

    The project was funded under the EU-Programme Lifelong Learning Programme.

  • Department of Health Sciences
    health-sciences

    Positron Emission tomography (PET) and music therapy pilot study

    480

    Brain injuries bring about a variety of physical and psychological complaints. The site and severity of the brain lesion is always a decisive factor for the patient’s outlook in terms of disability.

     

    Additionally, damage to the pathways between the...

    Brain injuries bring about a variety of physical and psychological complaints. The site and severity of the brain lesion is always a decisive factor for the patient’s outlook in terms of disability.

     

    Additionally, damage to the pathways between the brain centres can cause dysfunction in communication between them, and therefore secondary functional loss and processing problems. This results in neurological disorders such as poor concentration, attention and alertness.

     

    Music therapy can establish new communication paths in the brain and is therefore a promising form of therapy for rebuilding communication structures between brain centres. This process is of central importance in every course of neuro- rehabilitation therapy.

     

    The primary aim of the research was to determine the changes in brain activity (frontal lobe, hippocampus and cerebellum) and behaviour that can be brought about in vegetative state patients by means of music therapy. The project also examined if there are any links between changes in brain activity and behaviour.

     

    The project was co-financed by Niederösterreichischer Gesundheits- und Sozialfonds (NÖGUS).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Development of complex extracorporeal carcinoma models for the identification of personalised Cancer therapies

    455

    Intensive research into the molecular causes of cancer has led to the development of a range of innovative and targeted therapies which are used to selectively inactivate the molecular mechanisms responsible for tumour progression and the growth of...

    Intensive research into the molecular causes of cancer has led to the development of a range of innovative and targeted therapies which are used to selectively inactivate the molecular mechanisms responsible for tumour progression and the growth of cancer cells. These therapies can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and induce programmed cell death (apoptosis). They are not effective in all cancer patients due to the genetic heterogeneity of tumours. Personalised oncology aims to establish a direct link between tumour cell genotypes and sensitivity to bioactive substances, so that the patient first and foremost receives the targeted therapy with the maximum clinical benefit.

     

    In the project an experimental approach is being developed to complement diagnostic biomarker studies. We plan to develop organotypic cancer models that enable the direct testing of the clinical efficacy of cancer therapies in cell and tissue cultures (in vitro). A large number of potential cancer therapies, which are often combinations of targeted drugs and conventional chemotherapeutic agents, could

    be quickly tested for their clinical efficacy on a personalised Basis.

     

    The project is funded by Niederösterreichische Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H. (NFB).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    AdsorbTech: Development of a new techology platform for peptid-based therapeutic aphereses systems

    385

    The aim of this project was the setup of a new technology platform in Lower Austria to make possible further developements and production of peptid-based adsorber in a quick, standardized and efficient way. Thus the aphereses could be established as...

    The aim of this project was the setup of a new technology platform in Lower Austria to make possible further developements and production of peptid-based adsorber in a quick, standardized and efficient way. Thus the aphereses could be established as an effective therapy against autoimmune disorders and sepsis in hospitals.

     

    The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under the call of the Bridge Programme line.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Developing new immunoregulatory peptides and gender specific organotypic cell models for human sepsis

    456

    Sepsis is one of the most frequent causes of death worldwide, including in Austria and Germany. Depending on the stage of the illness, between 25% and 60% of patients die despite receiving the maximum available treatment. In cases of sepsis, the...

    Sepsis is one of the most frequent causes of death worldwide, including in Austria and Germany. Depending on the stage of the illness, between 25% and 60% of patients die despite receiving the maximum available treatment. In cases of sepsis, the human immune system produces a hyperinflammatory response to an infection that has entered the blood stream, and this overreaction can lead to cardiovascular failure. This hyperinflammation is followed by immunosuppression – an attempt initiated by the immune system itself to counter this overreaction. Due to the reduced attentiveness of the immune system, many patients die from serious secondary infections during this phase. Owing to the complex progression of the disease, available sepsis therapies focus predominantly on tackling symptoms and are unfortunately ineffective in many cases.

     

    Peptides that modulate immune responses are currently regarded as promising new drug candidates for the treatment of sepsis. In this project, we aimed to develop and test new peptides that neutralise TRAIL/TNFSF10, one of the key immune regulators. Animal studies had suggested that inactivation of TRAIL/TNFSF10 is likely to reduce morbidity and mortality among patients suffering from sepsis. In addition, a gender- and cell-culture-based model for human sepsis was created, meaning that gender-specific differences (e. g. hormone status) could be taken into account when developing and validating potential new sepsis therapies.

     

    The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under the first call for FEMtech research projects

    in 2011.

  • Department of Business
    business

    HEI-up: Improvement of Business Process Management in Higher Education institutions

    703

    SMEs and Enterprises, which perform their activities on the market usually have their core business processes well managed. Identified, documented, standardized, managed, automatized business processes ensure they stay competitive on the market....

    SMEs and Enterprises, which perform their activities on the market usually have their core business processes well managed. Identified, documented, standardized, managed, automatized business processes ensure they stay competitive on the market. Nowadays, HEIs (higher education institutions) are faced with a shift from mass education, almost uniform age group (adolescents), employment status of students and finance sourcing to very different position. HEIs should adapt to study programme specialisation, broader target age group (lifelong learning), already employed students, which come from companies and various sources and combinations of financing (state, tuitions, projects, services, ...). Not only private HEIs, public HEIs are faced with mentioned changes also to improve HEI clients (=students, employees, partners) satisfaction and to remain competitive, HEI’s should manage their business processes similar to Enterprises and SMEs. Therefore, a business process management knowledge transfer should be initiated and maintained. Business Process Management (BPM) methodologies should be adapted to HEI specifics. Additionally, best practices of business processes from the enterprises and SMEs should be gathered, analyzed, modified and compiled into unified methodology for management of HEIs. Constant flow of BPM knowledge between HEIs and enterprises should also be maintained, to ensure exchange of field-based BPM experiences and theoretical knowledge.

     

    The Project was funded under the EU Programme Lifelong Learning Programme.

  • Department of Business
    business

    Cultural (garden) heritage as a focal Point for sustainable Tourismus - CultTOUR

    495

    Demand is growing for cultural tourism, a segment that stands out for its enormous variety of attractions on offer. However, very little research has been conducted in many areas of cultural tourism, including garden tourism. Parks, gardens and other...

    Demand is growing for cultural tourism, a segment that stands out for its enormous variety of attractions on offer. However, very little research has been conducted in many areas of cultural tourism, including garden tourism. Parks, gardens and other landscaped, green open spaces are now seen as important cultural attractions for tourist destinations, and are increasingly being developed to cater for tourists. Such locations also provide leisure opportunities for the local population, and can make a contribution to an area’s cultural identity and sustainable regional development.

     

    In the course of the three-year project, strategies and concepts were developed for preserving public and privately owned parks, gardens and other open spaces, and for their use in tourism. Feasibility studies were also conducted. A strategic management tool – the CultTour analysis tool – was developed to support parks and gardens managers in making their sites attractive to visitors and securing long-term income from tourism, while also taking account of environmental, economic and sociocultural sustainability.

     

    The project was funded by the South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Programme and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (2007-2013).

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Development of new methods for improving oncological immunotherapy procedures

    377

    For many cancer patients, conventional forms of chemotherapy are only partially successful due to their unspecific mode of action and their toxic side-effects. Innovative cell biological procedures involving the activation of tumour-specific T cells...

    For many cancer patients, conventional forms of chemotherapy are only partially successful due to their unspecific mode of action and their toxic side-effects. Innovative cell biological procedures involving the activation of tumour-specific T cells using dendritic cell therapy are possible alternatives. Dendritic cells are loaded or activated with tumour-associated antigens (RNA or proteins/peptides). The cells are then returned to the cancer patients in order to achieve in vivo a strong stimulation of tumour-specific cytotoxic and helper T cells, which attack and destroy the tumour. In a project conducted in collaboration with Life Research Technologies (LRT) GmbH, we have improved existing experimental strategies as well as developed new methods for the detection and quantification of the activity profiles of immune cells, in parallel with clinical studies.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Functional validation of predictive biomarkers for targeted cancer therapies

    398

    The genomic revolution has boosted the development of novel cancer therapeutics targeting critical oncogenic signaling molecules. The therapeutic agents often inactivate protein kinases resulting in growth arrest and death of cancer cells. However,...

    The genomic revolution has boosted the development of novel cancer therapeutics targeting critical oncogenic signaling molecules. The therapeutic agents often inactivate protein kinases resulting in growth arrest and death of cancer cells. However, clinical benefit is limited to subpopulations of cancer patients. Personalized cancer medicine seeks to identify the genetic factors (biomarkers) that influence drug sensitivity. The genetic characterization of tumors will be instrumental for the individualization of treatments and for successful patient outcome and minimization of drug toxicity.

     

    In the present project, we developed standardized diagnostic procedures that allow the detection of genetic biomarkers that can predict clinical drug response in cancer patients. The clinical relevance and the predictive value of the biomarkers have been partially validated in a retrospective clinical study focusing on breast cancer. The work required an interdisciplinary and multi-institutional collaboration between clinics, diagnostic centers and universities in Lower Austria, Tyrol, and Vienna. Genetic testing of cancer patients prior to therapy will increase the drug efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of clinical treatments in cancer.

     

    The project was funded by the Niederösterreichische Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H. (NFB).

  • Department of Business
    business

    dEUcert - Dissemination of European Certification Schema ECQA

    689

    The dEUcert project promoted the European Certification and Quality Association (ECQA) and its Services. In the course of the project, a unified version of dissemination material was elaborated in English language and translated in 13 local languages...

    The dEUcert project promoted the European Certification and Quality Association (ECQA) and its Services. In the course of the project, a unified version of dissemination material was elaborated in English language and translated in 13 local languages for 60.000 individual persons. The partners focused their research activities on the interest of local markets about usage of ECQA services for existing and for new qualification schemes and developed a database for interested parties on local market and to integrate them at European level. On the basis of the research activities the ECQA portal was improved and the content was updated.

     

    The project was funded by the EU-Programm Lifelong Learning.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Establishing innovative, vascular equivalents for the development of detection modules for high-throughput screening and for the development of anti-inflammatory peptides

    383

    Peptides are isolated using phage display against TNF alpha and TNFR2, and then tested for anti-inflammatory properties in the planned vascular models. The vascular models should be suitable for high-throughput screening (HTS) and provide a basis for...

    Peptides are isolated using phage display against TNF alpha and TNFR2, and then tested for anti-inflammatory properties in the planned vascular models. The vascular models should be suitable for high-throughput screening (HTS) and provide a basis for the development of specialist detection modules by Beckman Coulter. Further tests on the isolated peptides were carried out by the industry partner. The data from the project will be used for the construction of prototype modules for the HTS market, and the peptides produced by the screening are expected to be further commercialised in follow-up projects.

     

    The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under the BRIDGE programme.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Development of innovative human tumour mimetics for the screening of bioactive agents

    386

    Cancer-related morbidity and mortality represent a huge social and economic problem worldwide. Despite significant public and private investment in cancer research, there have still been no major advances in the treatment of most types of cancer....

    Cancer-related morbidity and mortality represent a huge social and economic problem worldwide. Despite significant public and private investment in cancer research, there have still been no major advances in the treatment of most types of cancer. Success in the selection of anti-carcinogenic substances (agents) using high-throughput screening (HTS) has been very modest, due to the limited physiological relevance of the cancer models and cellular assays used up to now.

     

    In this project, we developed innovative cell biological procedures which will help to create new generations of cancer models. A range of methods to generate three-dimensional (3D) cultures were developed. These 3D models included spheroids, heterotypic co-cultures and reporter cell lines. Using the models, it was possible to partially reconstruct the pathophysiological state of a tumour in vitro. In the course of several test series, it was shown that the standardized screening of agents was possible using the new 3D cell cultures.

     

    The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under the “Aufbau” funding line of the COIN – Cooperation and Innovation programme.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Biopharm - Isolation of bioactive compounds from cyanobacteria

    387

    The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly focusing its attention on the wide variety of natural substances developed in the form of secondary metabolites in microorganisms. Marine algae in particular contain a significant, untapped resource in the...

    The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly focusing its attention on the wide variety of natural substances developed in the form of secondary metabolites in microorganisms. Marine algae in particular contain a significant, untapped resource in the shape of chemical structures with the potential to play a major part in the development of innovative medications.

     

    The project examined potential applications of constituents of blue-green algae in medical research on the treatment of chronic inflammations and cancer.

     

    The project involved purification of secondary metabolites from cyanobacteria using state-of-the-art chromatography processes and characterisation by means of mass spectrometry. The different fractions were then examined using human cell-culture models to identify their impact on inflammation processes and on cancer.

     

    The project was co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.

  • Department of Business
    business

    EUCert. European Certificates Innovative Online Training Campus. Further development of an online learning platform system on the basis of the results of the EQN project. Lifelong Learning Programme.

    692

    The objective of this project is to build on the established EU Certificates Association (www.eu-certificates.org, network for innovation in education, and pool of European professions applying the same quality and certification criteria in EU...

    The objective of this project is to build on the established EU Certificates Association (www.eu-certificates.org, network for innovation in education, and pool of European professions applying the same quality and certification criteria in EU countries based on the European Qualification framework, Aug 2005 – July 2007, Leonardo Network) and to integrate the results from a European research project which developed an integrated selective online learning platform system (EPI – Educational Partnership through ICT, 2003 – 2005, ) to build an online learning system for all the professions for training organisations from 14 European countries.

     

    The project was funded under the EU-Programme Lifelong Learning Programme.

  • Department of Science & Technology
    life-sciences

    Cell-based test systems for bioactive substances

    412

    In the development phase of optimised cell-based test systems, new active substances were identified and one of the identified peptides was also mechanistically characterised. The substances bring about increased sodium uptake and oedema resorption...

    In the development phase of optimised cell-based test systems, new active substances were identified and one of the identified peptides was also mechanistically characterised. The substances bring about increased sodium uptake and oedema resorption in the lungs. Drugs currently available for the treatment of pulmonary oedema have many negative side effects, especially in the case of patients with heart disease. In collaboration with industry partners, the extent to which the substances maintain the integrity of endothelial and epithelium monolayers was tested, as well as the extent to which they were suitable for treatments of diseases of the lungs and sepsis. Additionally, a method of rapidly and reproducibly distinguishing between metastasising and non-metastasising cancer cells was developed by means of the optimised use of ECIS and confocal laser scanning microscopy.

     

    The project was funded by the FH Plus initiative under the COIN programme.