The Center for Translational Medicine follows the ‘from bench to bedside and back’ approach. This means that new findings from basic research reach patients as quickly as possible. Conversely, researchers at MedUni Vienna draw on the experience and knowledge gained from patient care at University Hospital Vienna (AKH) in the research and development of diagnostics and therapies.
The aim is to bridge the gap between basic science and clinical practice and to jointly develop new research and clinical trial projects. To this end, the centre brings together a seamless chain of processes – from experimental laboratory investigations to Phase I/II clinical research – under one roof.
The new centre serves as a hub for several basic science disciplines and university hospitals at University Hospital Vienna (AKH) and MedUni Vienna. Core facilities provide easy access to state-of-the-art, high-end equipment and cutting-edge technologies.
In addition to office and laboratory space, the centre houses not only a GMP facility for cell therapy, radiopharmacy and biologics, core facilities, an animal facility with pre-clinical imaging and a biobank, but also a clinical centre for Phase I and II trials, complete with a patient ward.
This highly efficient infrastructure enables new research findings to be incorporated into therapies (for example, for cardiovascular and immunological diseases as well as cancers) as quickly as possible, and facilitates the development of modern diagnostics and innovative therapeutic strategies. This further advances personalised medicine.
14,000 m² for conferences, laboratories and clinical trials
Of the approximately 14,000 m² of usable floor space two levels of the new Center for Translational Medicine are accessible to the public via the main entrance. These house a large conference area featuring the Eugene Braunwald Auditorium, which seats approximately 750 people, and various seminar rooms of different sizes that can be combined in a modular arrangement. The entrance area features a cafeteria, whilst an open gallery forms the centrepiece of the upper floor, serving as a workspace and library area.
The other floors are not open to the public and house office and laboratory spaces, service rooms and the clinical Phase I/II centre with patient rooms.
The new research facilities will also serve as a local link between teaching, laboratory work and clinical practice: they are situated on the axis between the University Hospital Vienna (AKH) and the MedUni Mariannengasse Campus, where pre-clinical facilities from various locations are being consolidated to create a new, modern learning environment for students.
The Center for Translational Medicine comprises:
- Clinical Phase I/II Centre (22+12 beds)
- Core facilities, screening platform, biobank (2,130 m²)
- Bioinformatics (600 m²)
- GMP Unit – Radiopharmacy
- GMP Unit – Biologics (840 m²)
- GMP Unit – Cell Therapy
- GLP Toxicology Laboratories (in vitro & in vivo)
- Mouse facility (including imaging and germ-free)
- Project-specific research areas (3,200 m²)
- Meeting and seminar rooms
- Space for communication and interactions
- Eugene Braunwald Auditorium & seminar rooms (750 + 630 people)