Performance Report 2014 Department of Pathophysiology & Allergy Research Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology Medical University Vienna Coordinated by: Marion Sack Content Page Introduction 3 Organigram 6 Personnel 9 Impulsseminare 11 1. Detailed Reports of Divisions 13 1.1. Division for Comparative Immunology and Oncology 13 1.2. Division for Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology 39 1.3. Division for Immunopathology 65 1.4. Division for Medical Biotechnology 89 1.5. Division for Allergy Research 109 Rooms 119 Social Events 121 Science knows no country because it is the light that illuminates the world. Louis Pasteur __________________________________________________________________________ As head of the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research (IPA) I am proud to introduce this detailed overview on our scientific and academic achievements by mentioning that 2014 has been a successful year! I would like to continue this performance report by announcing that the budget situation has improve and that funding of research has increased, however, this is unfortunately not true. Nevertheless, despite the current situation of more and more restricted funding and a reduction of personnel the IPA has shown that it can rely on a very strong team. During the past year, we have continued to grow together, our team spirit has increased and the internal communication has improved. These developments led to a remarkable output in terms of science and academic teaching. I wish to express my sincere thanks to all IPA members who have contributed to our notable success! I also wish to express my sincere thanks to Univ. Prof. Hannes Stockinger, the head of the centre for Pathophysiology, Infection, and Immunology (CePII), for his continuous support and transparent policy. If we continue our exemplary internal and international teamwork, laudable commitment and a high level of identification with the major goals of the IPA and of the Medical University of Vienna we will easily combat the more strenuous times regarding financial support for research and personnel in the future. This will allow us to continue to perform excellent science and academic teaching in a cooperative atmosphere! Barbara Bohle Head of the IPA 3 General overview Twenty highly active research groups at the IPA have worked successfully on both basic and translational aspects in cellular and molecular pathophysiology, immunopathology, comparative immunology, oncology, medical biotechnology and allergology. Their efforst resulted in numerous publications in peer-reviewed high-impact journals, research awards and many contributions to prestigious scientific national and international meetings were accomplished. A total sum of 235 impact factors was gained in 2014 which is higher than 2013! Figure 1 gives an overview on the development of the IPA´s impact factors in the past decade. Figure 1 450 400 350 300 250 new calculation of IF 200 150 100 total sum of impact factors impact of sum total 50 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2014 was also a very successful year in terms of recruiting third party funding and research grants. Congratulations to all project leaders who successfully run research projects funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and other funding agencies, e.g. the Österreichische Nationalbank, the medizinisch-wissenschaftlicher Fonds des Bürgermeisters der Stadt Wien and the European Commission! The total sum of third party funding makes 95% of the IPA budget and 61% of our staff is paid by this money. This positive funding situation also reflects that the members of the IPA are highly active researchers and well embedded in the international fields of their expertise. The IPA is proud of several successful and long lasting collaborations with national and international research partners. In addition to research, the IPA takes teaching and education very seriously. In 2014, a total of 114 Austrian and international bachelor, diploma and PhD students were educated. Figure 3 shows that the total numbers of diploma (white circles), PhD (black circles) and bachelor 4 students (black triangles). Several group leaders are involved in the three doctoral programs IAI, CCHD and MCCA funded by the FWF which also reflects the high quality of training of PhD students at the IPA. The high commitment of the IPA’s members to teaching is reflected by the total numbers of semester hours of the members of the IPA held at the Medical University from 2004-2014 (Figure 2). Figure 2 Figure 3 300 70 250 60 50 200 40 150 30 100 20 total number of students of number total 50 10 sum of semester hours at the MUV the at hours semester of sum 0 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Moreover, the IPA regularly held “Impulse Seminars” which can be regarded as advanced training for IPA members but also external guests. In these seminars the different group leaders at the IPA introduce and discuss their latest scientific achievements. Furthermore, members of the IPA are active in teaching and examining at other universities. Several IPA members also act as reviewers of external diploma and PhD theses, Habilitations, scientific manuscripts and research grants, and are active on editorial and advisory boards and on the boards of national and international research societies. In summary, we are looking back at a very successful year! Our reference values were achieved by outstanding individual efforts, a strong team spirit and the great commitment of all IPA members. We are a strong and successful team and can be proud of that! 5 Performance Report 2014 Organigramm Organigram (December 2014) Head: Barbara Bohle, PhD, Professor for Cellular Allergology Deputy Head: Peter Pietschmann, MD, Assoc. Professor Department Secretary: Marion Sack Check point: Andreas Kunrath Student Secretary: Marion Krones (50%), Zorica Stanojevic (50%) Division for Comparative Immunology and Oncology Head: Erika Jensen-Jarolim, MD, Professor for Pathophysiology, Professor for Comparative Medicine Secretary: Nora Diallo Erika Bajna, CTA, 50% WG AllergoOncology: Head: Erika Jensen-Jarolim, MD, Professor Beatrix Pfanzagl, Ass. Professor Caroline Stremnitzer, PhD-Student Franziska Roth-Walter, PhD Jordakieva Galateja, PhD-Student Lukas Einhorn, PhD- Student Martina Muhr, Diploma Student Judit Fazekas, PhD- Student Irene Fürdös, Diploma Student Josef Singer, PhD-Student Stefanie Wagner, Diploma Student Helen Szöllösi, PhD-Student Cornelia Belik, Diploma Student Oida Kumiko, PhD-Student Sarah Meitz, Bacherlor Student Jelena Gotovina, PhD-Student Miroslawa Matz, Tech. Ass WG Tumor Pathology: Head: Enikö Kallay, PhD, Assoc. Professor Charlotte Gröschel, PhD-Student Abhishek Aggarwal, PhD-Student Irfete Fetahu, PhD-Student Teresa Manhardt, CTA Samawansha Tennakoon, PhD-Student Maria Elena Manfredini, Project manager WG Gastrointestinal Immunology: Head: Eva Untersmayr-Elsenhuber, MD, Assoc. Professor Katharina Beitl, Diploma Student Sarah Exenberger, Diploma Student Anna Ondracek, Diploma Student Cornelia Schultz, BMA Division for Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology Head: Peter Pietschmann, MD, Assoc. Professor Secretary: Birgit Schwarz Erika Bajna, CTA, 50% WG Bone, Cartilage and conn. Tissue Research: Head: Peter Pietschmann, MD, Assoc. Professor Ursula Föger-Samwald, PhD-Student Robert Wakolbinger, PhD-Student Eduardo Maldonado-Gonzalez, PhD-Student Florian Körbler, Diploma-Student Adalbert Raimann, PhD-Student Christiane Lamm, Diploma-Student György Vekszler, PhD-Student Katharina Wahl, CTA WG Cell Biology: Head: Renate Fuchs, PhD, Assoc. Professor Haleh Ganjian, PhD-Student Julian Otto, Diploma Student Thomas Spanberger, Diploma Student Katharina Gelles, BMA 6 Performance Report 2014 Organigramm WG Pathophysioloy of the Placenta: Head: Isabella Ellinger, PhD, Assoc, Professor Lukas Klameth, PhD-Student Arife Sener, Diploma Student Richard Liedauer, PhD-Student Martin Schaffhauser, Diploma Student Elisabeth Straka, PhD-Student Jost Kemper, Diploma-Student Wolfgang Seebacher, Diploma Student Martin Reiter, Diploma Student Christoph Jungwirth, Diploma Student Agnes Voss, Diploma Student Andreas Maier, Diploma Student WG Cellular Pathology and Pharmacokinetics: Head: Theresia Thalhammer, PhD, Assoc. Professor Rentsen Erdentetsetseg, PhD-Student Aida Larijani, Diploma Student Radu Rogojanu, PhD-Student Yasemin Durmaz, Diploma-Student Michaela Ganster, Diploma Student Branislava Eric, Diploma-Student Isabel Ackermann, Diploma Student Nora Geissler, Diploma Student Bolis Marian, Diploma Student Maidah Sheikh, Diploma Student Wenyi Zhang, Diploma Student WG Molecular System Biology and Pathophysiology Head: Diana Mechtcheriakova, PhD, Priv.-Doz. Anastasia Meshcheryakova, PhD-Student Division for Immunopathology Head: Rudolf Valenta, MD, Professor for Allergology Secretary: Doris Werjant Editorial Secretary: Sanna Lippert SFB-Secretary: Anna Guentcheva Milena Weber, CTA WG Molecular Immunopathology: Head: Rudolf Valenta, MD, Professor Birgit Linhart, PhD Cornelius Carolin, PhD-Student Christian Lupinek, MD Narayanan Meena Balakumari, PhD-Student Raffaela Campana, PhD Raphaela Freidl, PhD-Student Katarzyna Niespodziana, PhD Dzoro Sheron, PhD-Student Curin Mirela, PhD, Pia Gattinger, PhD-Student Wei-Chen Kuan, PhD Borochova Kristina, PhD-Student Cabauattan Clarissa, PhD Kiss Renata, CTA Gallerano Daniela, PhD-Student WG Immunotechnology: Head: Susanne Vrtala, PhD, Assoc. Professor Irene Mittermann, PhD