The Danube Allergy Research Cluster is a new centre for allergy research that will work on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of allergic diseases. The Federal Province of Lower Austria is supporting this project with a total of around 7.6 million euros over the next three years. Internationally leading researchers and clinicians in allergy research from Lower Austria and Vienna will work together within the framework of these projects. An international PhD programme with an allergy focus will also be part of the research programme.
Participating in the Danube Allergy Research Cluster are the Karl Landsteiner Private University, the Medical University of Vienna, the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (IFA Tulln), the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, the Austrian Institute of Technology (Competence Unit Bioresources, Tulln) and the University Hospitals St. Pölten and Krems. This center is headed by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Rudolf Valenta.
One of the 16 research projects will be headed by Priv.-Doz. DI Dr. Angela Sessitsch, Head of Competence Unit Bioresources of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, and Vice President of the Austrian Society for Molecular Biosciences and Biotechnology (ÖGMBT). The focus of this research project is on the investigation of fungal allergens. This is because moulds are found everywhere in the environment, and mould growth can occur in poorly ventilated living spaces, in flower pots, air conditioning systems or even in food. Moulds are also of great importance in some workplaces such as waste management or mushroom cultivation.
Dr. Markus Gorfer and DI Clara Pogner, together with a PhD student of the cluster, will research previously unknown mould allergens. So far, research has only concentrated on five species. Many mould allergens are still unknown. This is partly due to the almost unimaginable biodiversity of moulds. In addition, the complex interaction between pollen, fungal spores, bacteria and other air constituents is being studied.
“The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has many years of experience in the investigation of airborne moulds indoors as well as outdoors, and in recent years has built up a collection of moulds from very different habitats. This collection will be examined in detail with regard to allergenic effects in order to be able to develop improved diagnosis and therapy options", says Priv.-Doz. DI Dr. Angela Sessitsch about her research project.
"In poorly ventilated living rooms, such as bathrooms, mould is often found on the walls, sometimes even behind furniture. Mould is also found in flower pots and even in food, but also in air conditioning systems or humidifiers. Many people suffer from allergies and react to mould spores. While several typical mould allergens are now very well researched and are also used in diagnostics, there is a large number of previously unknown mould allergens. This is partly due to the almost unimaginable biodiversity of fungi, but also to the complex interactions of pollen, fungal spores, bacteria and other air constituents," explains Sessitsch.
Dr. Markus Gorfer has been researching the biodiversity of moulds in the environment for decades. As a molecular biologist, he specialises in finding species that are difficult or impossible to cultivate. At the AIT, the detection of mould from the ambient air has been optimised using new technologies. The best collection method was tested by DI Clara Pogner with the help of a bioaerosol chamber. Based on many years of work indoors and outdoors, a collection of moulds from different habitats has been created in recent years. This collection will be examined in detail with regard to allergenic effects in order to be able to develop improved diagnosis and therapy possibilities.
Danube Allergy Research Cluster at "Niederösterreich Heute":
https://tvthek.orf.at/profile/Niederoesterreich-heute/70017/Niederoesterreich-heute/14052653
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