How technical solutions can protect us from diseases is the common theme of six scientific projects at three Graz universities. The University of Graz, TU Graz and Med Uni Graz provide funding as part of their cooperation BioTechMed-Graz the research with around 3.7 million euros.
Elias Karabelas, Institute for Mathematics and Scientific Computing, University of Graz:
Offer heart patients personalized therapy: This should be possible thanks to machine learning. Of the ComputerScientist Elias Karabelas is researching how virtual replicas of the heart can help find tailored treatments.
Linda Waldherr, Chair of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Med Uni Graz:
Classic chemotherapy not only kills tumor cells, but also damages the immune system. The biochemist Linda Waldherr is therefore developing an implant that enables chemotherapy that can be precisely controlled locally and strengthens the effect of immune therapies.
Mahmoud Abdellatif, Department of Cardiology, Med Uni Graz:
One speaks of heart failure when the muscle can no longer contract properly or fill with blood. The cardiologist Mahmoud Abdellatif is researching how dysregulations in heart muscle cells can contribute to this disease.
Simon Sedej, Clinical Department of Cardiology, Med Uni Graz:
Can the combination of increased vitamin B3 metabolism and physical activity reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes? That’s what the consortium wants INTERACD+ find out under the direction of Simon Sedej.
Daniel Kracher, Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, TU Graz:
How can pathogenic microorganisms hide from the immune system? Biochemist Daniel Kracher wants to find out using the example of the cholera pathogen. Specifically, he is investigating a type of protein molecule that allows bacteria to become “invisible”.
Horst Lechner, Institute of Biochemistry, TU Graz:
Horst Lechner works on the specific design of enzymes, which should then have certain properties. The biochemist uses Deep-Learning-Methods to implant the binding sites of one enzyme into the active site of another. In this way, protein molecules can be designed for special biochemical applications, such as separating proteins at specific sites.
news-text-info">A portrait of the TU Graz researchers Daniel Kracher and Horst Lechner can be found in the Rubric Young talents.