Research Report 2016/17
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www.donau-uni.ac.at/research Research Report 2016/17 Danube University Krems. The University for Continuing Education. Foreword 3 Seizing challenges, building bridges Danube University Krems has continued to broaden its research activities over the past two years and has developed a clear research profile in the four fields Health and Medicine, Educational Research and Lifelong Learning, „We build bridges between European Integration, Migration and Econom- basic research and practical ics, Art, Culture and Architecture. application, between indivi- By establishing this profile we have been able to make great developmental strides forward. dual disciplines and, most To name but a few, these include our first PhD programs Regenerative Medicine and Migrati- of all, to society.“ on Studies. Research at Danube University Krems is cen- tered on contemporary and future challenges facing society. In a transdisciplinary context we build bridges between basic research and practical applica- tion, between individual disciplines and – as befits a university for continuing education – most of all to society. One cornerstone of our success is the com- petence and motivation of our staff, and their tireless commitment to innovation. On that note we invite you to explore the re- search conducted at Danube University Krems, and to meet the people behind it. Prof. Viktoria Weber Vice-Rector Research 4 Introduction 5 Overview Application-oriented and transdisciplinary: research at Danube University Krems Danube University Krems centers on research- The 2016/17 Danube University Research In the same year, following a selection proce- “Our research activities at the Faculty of ing current and future societal challenges. Report summarizes the research activities dure, the first two interdisciplinary research Health and Medicine are guided by its These range from searching for new therapy in four main chapters: Health and Medicine, groups at Danube University Krems took up societal and medical effectiveness. Close approaches, regenerative methods and pre- Open Society, Building Science and Cultural their work. Scientific staff from various depart- collaboration with clinics ensures that in ventive practices in medicine to digitalization Heritage, Educational Research and Lifelong ments and faculties joined forces to meet so- most cases the latest research findings and its benefits for businesses and public Learning. At the same time, it clearly shows cietal challenges, for example investigating the can be transferred seamlessly to every- administration; social cohesion in times of how research at Danube University Krems efficacy of continuing education in preventing day medical practice, while collaboration growing migration flows, through to preserv- has progressed and intensified during the dementia or studying the social and economic with national and international industrial ing cultural heritage and ensuring sustainable past two years within this strong, structural impact of migration on the health system. partners promotes our innovations to the building. and organizational framework. The number market.“ of publications has risen to 503 since the Science and society Prof. Stefan Nehrer Two-way knowledge transfer 2014/2015 Research Report, of which 157 The responsibility that public universities have Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medicine With its transdisciplinary approach, Danube are first publications in SCI, SSCI and AHCI towards society expresses itself in giving the University Krems bridges basic research with scientific journals. public an insight into research, involving them, practical application, at the same time integrat- and making science and research attractive to “Global change processes – for example ing knowledge stemming from non-academic PhD programs and interdisciplinary young people. in the wake of digitalization or migration sources. This approach ensures intensive research groups To this effect, in 2016, Danube University Krems flows – also present innovation opportuni- knowledge transfer not only in one direction – One major step forward in the development again took part in scientific communication ties. To shape this process sustainably, namely from research to practice, but also vice of research at Danube University Krems con- events such as “The Long Night of Research,” the Faculty of Business and Globalization versa. cerns a structural aspect: following accredita- “The Young University” and, as every year, pursues the principle of transdisciplinarity tion by AQ-Austria in 2015, the first two PhD gave female students an opportunity to ac- in teaching and research across all depart- Research on strong corner stones programs at Danube University Krems were tively experience the research profession on ments in a two-way learning process be- Three faculties provide the organizational successfully launched in 2016: “Regenerative Girls’ Day. tween science and society.“ framework for research at Danube University Medicine” and “Migration Studies”. Prof. Gerald Steiner Krems. The thematic focus is based on clear Dean of the Faculty of Business and Globalization research profiles in the fields of Health and Medicine, Educational Research and Lifelong Learning, European Integration, Migration and Economics as well as Arts, Culture and “The research activities at the Faculty Architecture. of Education, Arts and Architecture are to a considerable degree characterized by the symbiotic correlation between pure and applied research. We strive to find answers to current and future societal challenges – be it, for example, by preserving and developing material and immaterial cultural heritage, developing new educational technologies and con- cepts, or utilizing building and residential structures from the aspect of ecological and economical sustainability.” Prof. Christian Hanus Dean of the Faculty of Education, Arts and Architecture Danube University Krems, Research Report 2016/17 6 Contents 7 Foreword Prof. Viktoria Weber, Vice-Rector Research 3 Overview Application-oriented, transdisciplinary: Research at Danube University Krems 4 Health and Medicine 8 Regenerative Medicine 10 Inflammation 16 Magnetic Sensor Systems and Materials 22 Neuro-Sciences and Prevention 28 Psychotherapy and Bio-Psychosocial Health 32 Open Society 34 Security 36 Data-Driven Governance 40 Migration and Integration 44 Democracy Research 50 Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine 52 Legal Studies 56 Building Science and Cultural Heritage 58 Sustainable Building Design 60 Image Science and Media Art Research 66 Museum Collections Management 68 Educational Sciences and Lifelong Learning 70 Assuring Quality and Professionalism 72 Technology-Aided Learning Arrangements 76 Professionalization in Higher Education Management 80 Transfer and Validation of Informal Learning 84 Research Clusters 86 WasserCluster Lunz 88 Interdisciplinary Research Groups 90 Facts and Figures 92 Science and Society 94 Research Service and International Affairs 96 Newly Appointed Professors 97 Key Figures 98 Selected Publications 100 Impressum 102 __ Danube University Krems, historical building and “Loops” taken August 2015 Danube University Krems, Research Report 2016/17 8 Research Report 2016/17 Health and Medicine Regenerative Medicine Inflammation Magnetic Sensor Systems and Materials Neurosciences and Prevention Psychotherapy and Bio-Psychosocial Health www.donau-uni.ac.at/research 10 Regenerative Medicine Health and Medicine > Regenerative Medicine 11 Spotlight PhD program “Regenerative Medicine“ In the summer semester of 2016, the The PhD program Regenerative Medicine Faculty of Health and Medicine launched comprises the following topics: the PhD program Regenerative Medicine, • Methods of organ support and thereby underscoring Danube University • extracorporeal blood purification Krems’ goal to advance this spearheading • Pathophysiology of sepsis and investigating medical field in teaching and research. inflammatory mechanisms • Interaction of blood and/or tissue with Current medical practice largely focuses on • biomaterials repairing damage and treating symptoms with • Regeneration of articular surfaces (cartilage therapies. However, regenerating damaged transplants, therapy with growth factors, cells, tissue and organs is a comparatively implanting mesenchymal stem cells) new approach – and in the scientific spotlight • Immune regulatory mechanisms of at Danube University Krems. • mesenchymal stem cells • Tissue and organ replacement/regeneration Restoring damaged functions using stem cells Regenerative medicine deals with restoring • Neuro-rehabilitation the function of damaged organs or tissue. • Geriatric rehabilitation This is done by replacing tissue or organs Regenerating damaged cells, tissue and organs is a relatively by means of extracorporeal therapies or by stimulating the body’s own regeneration and young branch of study in medicine – and one of the scientific repair processes. By these means not only areas in the spotlight at Danube University Krems. It focuses complications caused by illness or disease can be prevented, but illnesses or diseases that on developing new therapies and/or improving existing thera- have been difficult or impossible to treat may be cured. pies for orthopedic problems in the musculoskeletal system. A variety of cell culture methods and cell resources are sci- en-tifically investigated while biomaterial is analyzed with respect to its biocompatibility and cell-matrix interaction, as well as their clinical application.