22 universities and almost 3,500 companies conduct research
Compared to many other countries, Austria is relatively small – but the research landscape in this country is nevertheless considerable and diverse. In Austria there are 22 public universities, plus 3,489 companies that carry out research projects. This includes, for example the Tyrolean company Montavitwho has been developing medicines in the fields of gynecology, urology and allergy therapy for over 75 years. In general, small and medium-sized enterprises in Austria do research, but international corporations that have their headquarters in Austria also play a major role. There are also some non-university research institutions and groups, such as the Austrian Institute of Technology. In 2017, more than 76,000 people were employed in research and development in Austria – around a quarter of them were women – and these numbers are rising steadily. The largest area within research is on experimental development, which is the most important type of research in Austria. Applied research ranks behind and, finally, basic research takes third place. When it comes to comparing federal states, Vienna is clearly in first place due to its many universities and institutes. 32 percent of all research projects take place here. Second place is shared by Upper Austria and Styria, which are roughly equal. Tyrol joins them.
Current research projects in Austria
But what exactly is being researched? Health is and will remain a major area of ​​research, which is why this article deals specifically with it. Three current research projects are presented below as examples.
Graz discovered herbal active ingredients against cancer
Every year, many people develop cancer – one of the most dangerous forms is black skin cancer. If the disease is detected early, there are still options to treat it. However, once the body has metastasized, it becomes increasingly difficult. A research group at the University of Graz has now succeeded in proving the effectiveness of a medicinal plant that has long been valued in traditional Chinese medicine: it is a specific type of solder root. These plants belong to the predatory family, which also includes borage and the forest forget-me-nots. For the Research project financed by the Austrian Science Fund FWF More than 250 extracts from different plants were created and tested on different cancer cells – with success! A certain ingredient in solder eliminates cancer cells – not only in the laboratory, but also in mice that have already developed skin cancer.
Salzburg researchers are researching helper cells that could help with chronic wounds
Wounds are not only caused by accidents and acute events, but for many people they are also chronic. These include, for example, so-called butterfly children. Such people suffer from a congenital, as yet incurable disease, which makes their skin so vulnerable that it is likened to the wings of butterflies. But diabetes or circulatory disorders can also lead to chronic injuries. All these people can now draw hope, because American researchers have recently discovered a new type of immune cell in the blood that is likely to have a major influence on the healing process. Scientists at the University of Salzburg will now deal more profoundly with these T helper cells by 2025 and hope to gain even more knowledge.
Viennese work with peptides obtained from mites
Mites are actually not people’s favorite animal friends – and yet they are indispensable and could also play a role in drug development in the future. Researchers at MedUni Vienna achieved groundbreaking evidence: They proved that a peptide hormone obtained from these small animals activates a very specific, secondary messenger substance in humans. What is this good for now? Nowadays, many drugs not only lead to desired reactions, but also to side effects. The peptides obtained work like natural tools that can contain them. This could lead to better drugs and therapies in the future.
Studies related to the corona pandemic
The corona pandemic is still a relevant topic – it therefore largely determines research activities in Austria. So are currently about 150 COVID-relevant research projects carried out alone at the Medical University of Vienna. This includes drug studies and those for therapy development as well as surveys and accompanying research projects. One example of this are studies that deal with the effects of domestic isolation in the context of the pandemic on the physical and mental health of Austrians. But the current risk factors and the work situation of health workers are also researched. Studies are also ongoing on transcultural differences in psychological well-being during the pandemic in Austria and Turkey, or studies that deal with the influence of educational level on risk self-assessment. Finally, there are also a lot of research projects that deal with diagnosis, the course of the disease and immunity.
11/02/2021