Research Report 2012 Research Report 2012 Research Report 2012
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Research Report 2012 Report Research Research Report 2012 www.cemm.at Research Report 2012 Director’s Intro — Discussion on the Origin of Ideas — pp. 6—8 pp. 9—15 Research Section — pp. 16—57 ,QÁXHQFH³5HÁHFWLRQ³ pp. 18—23 pp. 24—29 5HQHZDO³$FFXUDF\³$VVRFLDWLRQ³'\QDPLFV³ pp. 30—35 pp. 36—43 pp. 44—49 pp. 50—57 3ULQFLSDO,QYHVWLJDWRUV³/HFWXUH6HULHV³¬ pp. 60—75 pp. 84—89 Workshops and Conferences — CeMM and Society — pp. 94—97 pp. 98—99 Brain Lounge Opening — Ph.D. Program and pp. 104—106 6RFLDO/LIHDW&H00³6FLHQWLÀF$GYLVRU\%RDUG³ pp. 107—113 pp. 118—120 Sponsor Us — Directory — Publications — Facts pp. 122—123 pp. 124—129 pp. 130—133 DQG)LJXUHV³$FNQRZOHGJHPHQWV³+RZWR5HDFK pp. 134–137 pp. 140—141 CeMM — Imprint pp. 142–143 pp. 144 It is almost scary. After an “annus mirabilis” in There have been too many important scientific arts, economy, and politics. Seldom has society 2011, the year 2012 has been just as full of events, achievements to summarize them all here and been so much in wanting of really new, good advancements and achievements. The last few I do not want to anticipate too much of the ideas. And again we were lucky. We found in CeMM years have become one long adrenaline rush. Yet following report. Yet I would like to highlight the Vienna-based designer duo Walking Chair, we are certainly still far from a peak of productiv- the discovery of the mechanism by which a Fidel Peugeot and Karl Emilio Pircher, two very ity, given the last Principal Investigator to join, long non-coding RNA molecule, called Airn, congenial partners who made the Brain Lounge, Christoph Bock, started only in January 2012, and negatively affects transcription of the IGFR2 against their own economic logic, a priority. Our Research more than half of all researchers have been at gene from within the same genetic locus. The joint ideas caught fire and captured a number of CeMM for less than two years. The opportunity intellectual rigor and the uncompromising fantastic artists: Brigitte Kowanz, Esther Stocker, facing these rising stars is immense. The entire dedication with which Denise Barlow and her Martin Walde, Peter Kogler (who, of course was campus of the Medical University, our congenial team have pursued the answer to this elusive also the magical author of the CeMM facade), Report partner, with its 2,000 medical doctors, is actively problem counts as one of the very best scientific Eva Schlegel, Dorothee Golz, Thomas Feuerstein, evaluating the merits of genome-informed achievements in the field of epigenetic regulation Alois Mosbacher as well as the Berlin-based medicine, and we are there to share the first ideas in the last years, worldwide. As the rest of the fashion designer Daniel Kroh. And yet more 2012 and provide fertile ground to support the growth best research we have done and we will do, will join in its future. The result is a community of new initiatives. Christoph Bock, bearing a dual the Barlow study relies on clever ideas. The project, a symbol, a totem, a living oracle, a affiliation with the Medical University, has hit little sparks of genius that sometimes strike vehicle for intellectual journeys and most the ground running by establishing the CeMM/ us, I am afraid not often enough, like lightning. importantly an ever-changing platform ideal for ,QWURGXFWLRQE\*LXOLR6XSHUWL)XUJD Medical University Biomedical Sequencing But where do they come from? And more fostering interactions with the rest of society, Facility, already very productive, and is building importantly, can we induce them? Discussing beyond the boundaries of science and medicine up a unique additional competence, namely this amongst ourselves (and also with artists and the campus of the General Hospital. I would computational epigenomics (the marks that and colleagues from the medical and the social like to thank the designers and artists along tissues leave on genes), which is one of the sciences), it became apparent that the process with the mainly private persons who so far have next frontiers in biomedicine. Proteomics has of inspiration, of obtaining ideas, is something sponsored the project. We are recruiting more also become more medically amenable, with we do not usually dare to speak about. As if it ideas and volunteers to test the Brain Lounge and its ability to characterize the expression of tens is something a bit obscene or too intimate. Or would like to appeal to everybody who values the of thousands of proteins in a given tissue and something nobody would admit to lacking. It sheer beauty and importance of ideas to consider make quantitative comparisons. Together with is as if we consider it a side product of our daily sponsoring the project (see page 122). the informatics network-based evaluation of routine that happens perhaps under the shower, drug action, predictions on the most effective or, so the legend goes, in pubs after profuse If CeMM has become in a relatively short time a therapeutic strategies for treating individual alcohol intake. A dirty little secret. We found it research institute with impressive success, good patients is becoming more feasible. But make no paradoxical that the single most important step international repute, and significant impact on mistake, this is still mostly at the experimental in the entire research process, the creative act, is the medical campus, it is due to its extraordinary level, and it will be several years before we indeed precisely the one that is not acknowledged. It research and teaching faculty. This is also proven can help patients. Yet we have been encouraged is also not budgeted, does not have a dedicated for instance by two ERC and one FWF Starting by the Scientific Advisory Board, who visited space in buildings, and isn’t mentioned in the Grant to Sebastian Nijman and Kaan Boztug and us in November, to accept the challenge for the “methods” section of scientific papers. Yet what one ERC Starting Grant to Thijn Brummelkamp, next five years to pursue yet more translational does the most sophisticated of scientific instru- our Adjunct Principal Investigator at the projects without compromising on our mentation and the hardest research work matter Netherlands Cancer Institute. Of all the privileges mechanism-of-disease based research mode. if the thought-out concept is not a good one? If of the CeMM Scientific Director, the highest and I wish here to thank the entire scientific advisory the original idea is not truly good? most exhilarating is having this current team of board and particularly David Livingston, for open clever, creative research group leaders as a fully yet passionate suggestions. We decided to take action and have made a accessible, fast-reacting and dedicated planning, cultural statement: The Brain Lounge. More sounding and execution board. I wish to thank than a room: an art installation and open-end the truly incredible amount of energy spent for experiment dedicated to the power of thinking. the CeMM research cause. I dare hypothesize Particularly in times of economic crisis and that we form one of the first modern groups budgetary restrictions, the risk is to adopt a of research “super-cooperators”, in the diction narrow, utilitarian view of the research process. of Martin Nowak, the Harvard-based Viennese We wanted to dispel the notion that research is biologist and game-theoretician. People who just the “turning of a crank in a research engine”. understand that the more efficient research A mechanical, automatable process that can be paradigm is through modular and synergistic reduced to the equation: x much money, over y access to each other’s brains and capabilities: much time, equals z much output. Breakthrough The future is yours! innovation in research is a much more complex The designer duo Walking process, strongly influenced by soft factors Chair, Fidel Peugeot and and cultural environment. The Brain Lounge is .DUO(PLOLR3LUFKHUZLWK &H00·V6FLHQWLÀF'LUHFWRU designed to symbolize the psychological and Giulio Superti-Furga. sociological importance of creativity in the cultural advancement process, not only in medi- cine, science, and technology, but also in the Ce — M—M — Research Report 2012 6 7 The scientific research process with all its unique The CeMM research report is structured around requirements and idiosyncrasies is kept well concepts that the art in the Brain Lounge inspired functioning by a lean and efficient administration. and that echo themes and properties of biological Discussion on the Staying out of the limelight, they deserve a good systems and their investigation: Influence, share of the credit for CeMM’s success. It has Reflection, Renewal, Accuracy, Association and not been an easy year. While CeMM has grown Dynamics. Once again, the report has become in size, the budget hasn’t, and extra work and much more than a list of people, projects and Origin of Ideas creative solutions have been requested. On behalf published papers. It has its own cultural identity of all scientists and collaborators I would like and value as an integration of the CeMM research $URXQGWDEOHZLWK8OULNH)HOW%ULJLȪH+XFN to thank the entire administration, particularly programs and medicine, arts, design, and photo- 0LFKDHO)UHLVVPXWK+HUEHUW*RȪZHLV Gabriel Ó Ríordáin, Sigrid Strodl, Mischa Pilz, graphy. This is thanks to the merit of many -RVHI6PROHQDQG*LXOLR6XSHUWL)XUJD Eva Schweng and Stephan Boos-Waldeck, who people. First and foremost Eva Schweng, who lead their respective teams, and Anita Ender and project-leads with great love and attention. The Gerhard Schadler who have expertly orchestrated text is crafted masterfully by Helen Pickersgill, the entire process. Well done! a scientific writer of increasing elegance and effectiveness who now knows CeMM’s research The Board and the management team of the inside out and integrates text bites contributed by Austrian Academy of Sciences are thanked for many people.