Since 2011, the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna have been setting up inter-university cluster projects as a measure to promote innovative cooperation and to build bridges in research between the two universities. Cluster projects enable original and innovative interdisciplinary translational research. With a one-off start-up funding, the two rectorates will support research on focused issues "from bench-to-bedside" for up to three years. Successful inter-university cluster projects lead to follow-up projects financed by third parties (EU, FWF, WWTF, CDG, FFG, etc.).
Link to website: https://www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/forschung/forschungsprojekte/clusterprojekte-mit-der-universitaet-wien/
The rectorates of both universities last established four projects in 2017, which will run until the end of 2020. These were selected from a total of 33 project applications based on the results of the evaluation by international experts:
"Novel scaffolds for GABAA receptor modulators" University of Vienna: Steffen Hering (Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology) & Thierry Langer (Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry); Medical University: Stefan Böhm (Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology)
"Shared and modular resources in the human brain as a basis for new therapeutic interventions" University of Vienna: William TS Fitch (Department of Cognitive Biology); Medical University of Vienna: Roland Beisteiner (University Clinic for Neurology)
"The premature gut microbiome and the influence on neonatal immunity, brain development and white matter injury" University of Vienna: David Berry (Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Research); Medical University of Vienna: Angelika Berger (Department of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropaediatrics)
"Translational Cancer Therapy Research" University of Vienna: Bernhard Keppler (Institute of Inorganic Chemistry); Medical University of Vienna: Walter Berger (Institute of Cancer Research)
Due to the success of the measure, it was agreed with the BMBWF to continue this funding instrument in the present performance agreement period. To this end, a call for proposals for new cluster projects has been launched. Ongoing projects can also participate in the call. Short proposals can be submitted to both rectorates until Tuesday, 30 June at 14:00.
More information here: Link to the call for proposals
