Annual Report 2019
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Annual Report University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna Contents 04 Facts & Figures 04 Sites and Establishments of Vetmeduni Vienna 08 Unique in Austria – Internationally Recognised 10 Study 10 Degree Courses: Skills for Working Life 12 Teaching: Innovative and Forward-Looking 14 Awards for Teachers 16 Awards for Students 18 Research 18 We Present: Current Research Projects 23 Research Projects at a Glance 25 Scientific Events 28 Awards for Researchers 30 Science for All 34 Science Communication and Public Relations The motto of this year’s report of Vetmeduni Vienna revolves around microscopic items. Research means going into detail, which is why the present report comes with a variety of microscopic images from his- 36 Media Echo: Research in the Media tology, a field that often provides essential information to researchers and veterinarians in their quest for answers to scientific questions. All pictures have been taken at Vetmeduni Vienna. 40 University Clinics 40 Animal Welfare and Cutting-Edge Medicine 42 Knowledge Transfer to Animal Owners and Veterinarians 46 Organisation 46 Working at Vetmeduni Vienna 49 Regionalisation Initiative ‘VetmedRegio’ 51 Organisation and Organisational Chart of Vetmeduni Vienna 55 Publishing Information University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna Facts & Figures Facts & Figures Sites and Establishments of Vetmeduni Vienna 1. Campus Floridsdorf, Vienna 2. Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology / Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology Ottakring, Vienna 3. VetFarm 4 Kremesberg estate, Pottenstein, Lower Austria 5 Rehgras estate, Furth/Triesting, Lower Austria 7 1 Haidlhof estate, Bad Vöslau, Lower Austria 2 NÖ Medau estate, Berndorf, Lower Austria 6 W OÖ 4. Wolf Science Center (WSC) 3 Ernstbrunn, Lower Austria 5. Satellite of the Austrian Ornithological Centre (AOC) Seebarn/Grafenwörth, Lower Austria 6. Reproduction Center Wieselburg V 8 S ST Wieselburg, Lower Austria T 7. Interuniversity Department for Agrobiotechnology – IFA Tulln together with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and the K Vienna University of Technology 8. Satellite Office: Ruminants in the Alpine Region Innsbruck, Tyrol 4 5 Facts & Figures Students as at: 04/01/2020 Animal Patients Study Programmes women men 2019 2019 Diploma Programme: animal patients* Veterinary Medicine 1,936 531 45,450 animal patients* 45,450 Bachelor’s Programmes: visited five species-specific visited five species-specific Biomedicine and Biotechnology university clinics 2,467 university clinics Equine Sciences 3 total Doctoral Programme: * FiguresUniversitätskliniken do not include poultry and visits for the Veterinary Medicine * purposeFiguresUniversitätskliniken do of notherd include health poultrymanagement and visits (livestock) for the purpose of herd health management (livestock) PhD programme Master’s Programmes: European Master in Comparative Vertebrate Morphology (EUCOMOR, in English)1 Interdisciplinary Master in Human-Animal Interactions (IMHAI, in English) Master in Evolutionary Systems Biology (in English)2 Comparative Biomedicine (in English) Wildlife Ecology and Wildlife Management3 StaffStaff as at:as 31/12/2019 at: 31/12/2019 UniversityUniversitätskliniken Clinics as at: 31/12/2019 Staff 1 In cooperation with the universities of Antwerp (BE), Gießen (DE), Poznan (PL) and Naples (IT), the programme expired on 30 Sept 2019 1,0161,016* * 526 526 2 In cooperation with the University of Vienna 1,016* 526 3 In cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna 4141professorsprofessors 41 +1professors professor+1 professor with with Poultry and Fish double+1 professordouble appointments appointments with totaltotal double appointments Research Priorities 1,542total1,542* * 5 * 5 711711 1,542 791791 RuminantsWiederkäuer Universitäts-University SmallKleintiere Animals Research activities at Vetmeduni Vienna are concentrated around these core topics: administrativeadministrative711 & & academicacademic791 staff staff klinikenClinics Endocrinology (excl.(excl. professors) professors) administrativesupportsupport staff staff & academic staff fürfor... ... B Nutrition physiology support staff (excl. professors) * Since* Since one person one person is counted is counted as belonging as belonging both toboth the to general the general Infectious diseases (fish, poultry, swine) (administrative (administrative & support) & support) and the and scientific the scientific staff, westaff, have we havean instance an instance of of * Since one person is counted as belonging both to the general Food microbiology and risk analysis of animal-based food products double (administrative double counting counting & which support) which is adjusted and is adjustedthe forscientific in forthe in totalstaff, the number.wetotal have number. an instance of double* Sincecounting one which person is adjustedis counted for as in belonging the total number. both to the Population genomics general (administrative & support) and the scientific staff, we have an instance of double counting which is adjusted SchweineSwine HorsesPferde Translational medicine and comparative medicine for in the total number. Behavioural biology and behavioural ecology (incl. cognition) Wildlife ecology and medicine The year 2019 brought a number of far-reaching decisions. Alongside my re-election as The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, is better placed than ever before in interna- Rector, of which I was very pleased personally and which is a major motivation, Vetmeduni tional comparison as shown by its excellent 5th place in the Shanghai Global Ranking of Vienna could lay a number of forward-looking milestones: with the establishment of a new satel- Academic Subjects. This is not only due to governing bodies which are ambitious and for- lite entity in Tyrol, we want to move the topic of ‘Ruminants in the Alpine Region’ ward-looking while exercising due caution, but also to ongoing cooperation centre-stage with long-lasting effect. In addition, the European Association of between researchers, teachers and students in a professional university envi- Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) attested excellence and ronment characterised by mutual appreciation. Under these preconditions, excellent management of our establishment during its on-site visitation, an the Univer sity of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, is well equipped both for a assessment that instills a sense of pride and gratitude. successful long-term development at top international level and for providing training of a high recognised standard to the veterinary community in Austria. Petra Winter, Rector Johannes Khinast, Chairman of the University Council Photo: Doris Kucera/Vetmeduni Vienna Photo: Doris Kucera/Vetmeduni Photo: Lichtmeister 6 7 Image of water channels in the cell membrane (aquaporin 3/brown) in the kidney of a horse. Unique in Austria – (Paraffin section, immunohistochemistry) Internationally Recognised Vetmeduni Vienna is the only university in Austria specialising in veterinary medi cine. It is among the leading higher education and research institutions of veter inary medicine in Europe. EAEVE Visitation Since 2013, Vetmeduni Vienna has been one of the few veterinary uni- versities to be fully accredited by the European Association of Estab- lishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE). In November 2019, an in- ter national visitation team re-exam- ined Vetmeduni Vienna on site. At the end of the one-week visitation, the EAEVE team of experts told the governing bodies of the university that it would issue a positive report without citing any major or minor de- ficiencies. This assessment was veri fied by the EAEVE Decision Board (ECOVE) in June 2020. If the final decision is positive, Vetmeduni Vien- na will have its full EAEVE accredita- tion renewed for another seven years. Photos: Michael Bernkopf/Vetmeduni Vienna Photos: Michael Bernkopf/Vetmeduni 5th Place for Vetmeduni Vienna in the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects Vetmeduni Vienna moved from 6th to 5th place in Veterinary Sciences in the Life Sciences category of this international ranking system, thus being among the world’s top ten in this field. Since 2017, the number of subjects reviewed and evaluated by this Global Ranking of Academic Sub- jects in the categories of Natural Sciences, Engineering, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences and Social Sciences has grown to 54, the number of universities covered worldwide to more than 4,000. Study 8 Hygiene measures: as of the winter semester Study 2019/2020 students answer questions on the video’s Study content in the course of selfassessment. Degree Courses: Diploma Degree Programme in Veterinary Medicine: Skills for Working Life Focus on Hygiene Hygiene measures are among the priorities of Vetmeduni Vienna offers first-class training to its students: training is student- the diploma degree programme in veterinary centred and based on clearly defined learning objectives. Teaching at Vetmed- medicine. Within the Outpatient Clinic I Class, uni Vienna provides scientifically based competences and hands-on skills. students have their first contacts with animal patients in the outpatient departments during regular office hours. The recently produced ani- mated short film ‘Hygiene at Vetmeduni Vienna – Part 1’ provides a humorous account of how to Graduates Students as at: 04/01/2020 behave when coming into contact with poten- tially infectious animals or specimens in special- 2019 Women Men Total Students as at: 04/01/2020 women men ly dedicated