KL Young Researchers pitch at the Technopol Breakfast at the Kesselhaus

PhDs and post-docs from all four universities of Krems were represented with three-minute pitches. The topics ranged from the field of regenerative medicine to basic molecular biology research, target therapy and artificial intelligence in medicine to bacterial detection methods for water quality and antibacterial properties of endogenous substances. KL provided four of the eleven speakers, the other contributions came from researchers at the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, the University of Continuing Education Krems and the Danube Private University.

Manuel Hessenberger presented the latest efforts of the Obermair Lab, Division of Physiology, to establish a nanobody database. While antibodies for researching protein structures can be expensive and, depending on the field of application, also too large, the research group produces smaller nanobodies for identifying proteins relatively inexpensively in bacteria. The small particles can also penetrate into narrow structures such as the presynaptic cleft of nerve cells. 

Stefanie Weiß from the Divion of Pharmacology talked about new findings on the role of STAT3 isoforms in acute myeloid leukaemia. Drug inhibition of the STAT3 regulator has not led to the hoped-for progress in the fight against cancer. The relationship between the two isoforms STAT3alpha and STAT3beta, which has received too little attention so far, seems to be responsible for this. The ratio of STAT3-beta to -alpha can be increased by drugs. This effect is to be used in drug combinations to be researched for an optimised therapy.

Denisa Cont studies the effects of heparin on the antibacterial effect of small proteins in human blood at the Division of Water Quality and Health. Her work has already confirmed the effectiveness of antimicrobial peptides against bacteria and demonstrated the inhibitory effect of heparin. Now the group focus on the question whether other anticoagulants show similar effects to heparin.

At the end of the event, Sophia Steinbacher, also from the Division of Water Quality and Health , spoke about the possibilities of monitoring water quality and pollution, the many factors that influence water quality and the impact of the research group's work on all of our daily lives. 

It was not only the event format in a relaxed, informal setting that convinced the visitors, but above all the variety of exciting topics and the innovative spirit of the young researchers at Technopol Krems.