Habilitation colloquium of Irene Mittermann, Birgit Linhart and Miranda Suchomel – congratulations !

On 15th October 2014, Irene Mittermann and Birgit Linhart from the Institute for Pathophysiology and Allergy Research as well as Miranda Suchomel from the Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology habilitated in the special fields "Molecular Allergology" and "Hygiene".

• Dr.rer.nat. Irene Mittermann: Special field Molecular Allergology

In her habilitation "From the molecular and immunological characterization of allergens to the diagnosis of allergies" Dr. Irene Mittermann showed that nonglycosylated recombinant bee and wasp venom allergens allow to distinguish patients with bee and wasp allergy. Moreover, here findings in the field of IgE-autoreactivity provide insight into the maintenance of severe and chronic forms of allergy.

• Ass.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Birgit Linhart: Special field Molecular Allergology

In the course of her work "Vaccines for allergen-specific immunotherapy" Dr. Birgit Linhart was concerned with the generation of recombinant allergy vaccines. Based on sequences and structures of the clinically relevant allergens from tree and grass pollen she developed strategies for the construction of recombinant allergen derivatives. In contrast to the currently used allergen extract-based vaccines these molecules allow an efficient and save treatment of Type I allergies.

• Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Miranda Suchomel: Special field Hygiene

In her habilitation thesis "Improvement of the WHO-recommended formulations for hygienic and surgical hand disinfection" Dr. Suchomel improved the alcoholic formulations for hygienic and surgical hand disinfection which are recommended by the WHO for local self-production in developing countries. She was able to increase the efficacy of both formulations significantly, thus both formulations comply now also with the European requirements. These modified formulations are now tested for feasibility and acceptability and shall be included as new WHO-recommended formulations into the "Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care" of the World Health Organization.