(Vienna, 5th December 2012) The FWF Science Fund sponsors new PhD Doctoral Schools at the MedUni Vienna in the fields of allergy and cell research, further boosting Vienna’s position as an international centre for allergy research.
The Austrian FWF Science Fund has approved two Doctoral Schools for the MedUni Vienna at its final Board of Trustees Meeting. The sponsorship covers the new PhD Doctoral School entitled “Molecular, Cellular and Clinical Allergology” (MCCA, Coordinator Winfried F. Pickl, Institute of Immunology, Centre for) and the existing Doctoral School entitled “Cell Communication in Health and Disease” (CCHD, Coordinator Stefan Böhm, Institute of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Centre for Physiology and Pharmacology), creating 20 PhD training places.
“In addition to the financial aspects of the funding being provided, this sponsorship by the FWF represents tremendous acknowledgement of the scientific work being carried out by our researchers in the fields of allergology, immunology and infectious diseases,” says Vice Rector Markus Müller.
Global leaders in allergology, immunology and infectious diseases
This research cluster at the MedUni Vienna will be upgraded further with the FWF funding that has now been approved. Over 75 groups of researchers are already involved with this interdisciplinary, Vienna-based research network, working both in fundamental research and in applied and clinical research. This cluster also includes three highly specialist Christian Doppler laboratories, which translate new scientific information into economically useful products.
The FWF also plays an important role in the sponsorship of innovative new approaches in the field of allergy research. A year ago, for example, the Science Fund approved the sponsorship of a specialist research division at the MedUni Vienna for a period of eight years which will develop new strategies for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of allergies.
Doctoral School combines learning with top-level scientific research
The new MCCA PhD Doctoral School gives the MedUni Vienna yet another attractive facility for highly talented, international graduate researchers. The scientists are employed as “young investigators” and will work closely as part of their dissertation projects with renowned research organisations. As with the MedUni Vienna's existing Doctoral School, students are admitted following a two-stage international evaluation process.
The CCHD “Cell Communication in Health and Disease” Doctoral School has been running successfully since 2006 and has now been extended for another four years. This PhD programme focuses on neurobiology, vascular biology, immunology and inflammatory processes.