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Roland Ludwig is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Food Technology, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). He is also the current Senate Chairman at BOKU, demonstrating strong institutional leadership. His research is centered on enzyme technology, biocatalysis, biosensors, and electrochemistry, with a particular focus on oxidoreductases such as cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs), which are crucial in biomass degradation and bioenergy applications. His research interests span food biotechnology, enzyme technology, biocatalysis, biosensors, process engineering, electrochemistry, and nanobiotechnology. He investigates the molecular mechanisms of electron transfer in redox enzymes, their application in biosensors and biofuel cells, and their role in the depolymerization of lignocellulosic biomass. His work integrates biochemical, electrochemical, and structural approaches to understand and engineer enzyme function. The recent publication trends highlight a strong focus on LPMOs and CDHs, with studies on their kinetics, substrate specificity, domain dynamics, electron transfer mechanisms, and engineering for improved stability and activity. These works frequently appear in high-impact journals such as ACS Catalysis and Bioelectrochemistry, reflecting the significance and innovation of his research in biocatalysis and bioelectrochemistry. International DropSens Award for Applied Electroanalytical Chemistry Medal of Honour, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb RIZ Genius Award for Innovative Sensor Technology Austrian APART Fellowship INiTS Award 2007 (Life Science) Förderpreis der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Biotechnologie Roland Ludwig actively supervises students and leads multiple externally funded research projects from FWF and EU, including grants focused on electron transfer in oxidoreductases and the kinetic analysis of oxidative biomass-degrading enzymes. He collaborates with international research groups and is a frequent speaker at major scientific conferences. His research contributes to sustainable bioprocesses, green chemistry, and the development of novel bio-based technologies. He is involved in research teams and collaborative projects such as the FWF-funded Doktoratskolleg "Biomolecular Technology of Proteins" and participates in interdisciplinary initiatives bridging food technology, biotechnology, and materials science. His lab focuses on enzyme characterization, protein engineering, and the development of bioelectrochemical devices.

• Food biotechnology
• Enzyme technology
• Biocatalysis
• +13 more

Benedikt Warth is a Full Professor for Food Chemistry and Exposome Research at the Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna (since 2022). He coordinates the Austrian node of the ESFRI research infrastructure EIRENE and leads the 'Global Exposomics and Biomonitoring Laboratory' since 2017. His work bridges chemistry and toxicology, focusing on exposomics and metabolomics to assess chemical exposure and its health impacts. Education: PhD in Analytical Chemistry (2012), Master’s in Biotechnology (2009), Bachelor’s in Food Science and Biotechnology (2007) Research interests center on exposomics , metabolomics , and analytical chemistry , particularly for environmental and food-related toxicants. Recent articles highlight advancements in mass spectrometry for exposome-scale analysis, combining targeted and non-targeted approaches, and exploring chemical interactions (e.g., xenoestrogens, mycotoxins, flame retardants) in biological systems. Key trends in his publications include: Development of hybrid LC-MS methods (targeted/untargeted) for sensitive exposomics Integration of AI and cognitive computing for pathway analysis Global biomonitoring of mycotoxins and xenobiotics in vulnerable populations Standardization frameworks for non-targeted analysis (SRT) Notable awards include the 2025 Chemical Research in Toxicology Young Investigator Award , Brigitte Gedek-Science Award , and multiple grants (ERC Consolidator, Erwin-Schrödinger Fellowship). He has delivered over 20 invited talks on exposomics, including sessions at ACS Fall Meetings and international conferences. His laboratory's projects span: Breast cancer exposomics (linking environmental exposures to disease onset) High-throughput sample preparation for exposome-wide studies Systems toxicology of chemical mixtures (e.g., flame retardants, mycotoxins) Development of global metabolomic assays for toxicity prediction

• Exposomics
• Metabolomics
• Analytical Chemistry
• +4 more

Lea Atanasova is a Senior Researcher and Principal Investigator at the Institute of Food Technology, Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU). She holds a PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) and a Master’s degree (Mag. rer. nat.) and has extensive postdoctoral experience in fungal molecular biology and genomics. Her research is centered on mycoparasitic fungi such as Trichoderma and Clonostachys , with a focus on carbohydrate-active enzymes, signal transduction, gene expression, and ecological genomics. Her research interests span molecular biology, genetics, genomics, microbiology, mycology, and enzyme technology. She investigates the functional roles of genes and proteins in fungal biocontrol, nutrient acquisition, and host interactions. Her work integrates comparative genomics, transcriptomics, and functional proteomics to understand fungal evolution and ecological niches. The most recent publications highlight a strong trend in understanding fungal signaling pathways (e.g., TOR and MAPK), enzyme diversification (e.g., CDHs, pectate lyases), and the molecular mechanisms of mycoparasitism. Her work also extends to fungal secondary metabolites, host-microbe interactions, and advanced imaging techniques for protein localization. Scientific Awards: Carl Trygger scholarship for research at SLU (Uppsala, Sweden) GSA fungal meeting award, Genetics Society of America (Asilomar, CA, United States) FEMS Young Scientist Meeting Grant, Federation of European Microbiological Societies (Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Spain) Price Award for best Master-/Diploma research, Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GFÖ) (Bayreuth, Germany) Austria National Park Research Award, Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (Vienna, Austria) Ad Futura Special Achievements Fellowship for studies abroad, Slovene human resources development and scholarship fund (Ljubljana, Slovenia) Lea Atanasova has supervised several Master’s and Diploma theses on topics related to fungal biotechnology and enzymology. She leads an Austrian Science Fund (FWF)-funded project on GMC oxidoreductases in Clonostachys rosea . She is actively engaged in the scientific community, serving on editorial boards and as a guest editor. She has organized and chaired sessions at major conferences, including ECFG, and frequently presents her research internationally. She is a key member of the research community at BOKU, contributing to knowledge transfer through student supervision, editorial roles, and conference participation. Her work bridges fundamental fungal biology with applications in agriculture and biotechnology.

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Genomics
• +21 more

Rainer Schuhmacher is a Full Professor for Plant and Microbe Metabolomics at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), affiliated with the Department of Agricultural Sciences and the Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics in Tulln an der Donau. His research focuses on metabolomics, analytical chemistry, and plant-microbe interactions, with emphasis on fungal secondary metabolites, mycotoxin resistance, and environmental stress responses in crops. He leads projects funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), European Commission, and national agencies. Research interests span: Metabolomic profiling of plant-pathogen interactions (e.g., Fusarium -wheat systems) Stable isotope-assisted techniques for metabolic pathway analysis Cold stress mitigation in plants using Antarctic bacteria Development of computational tools for untargeted metabolomics data processing His work integrates analytical chemistry, bioinformatics, and molecular biology to study metabolic crosstalk in agricultural systems. Awards include the Fritz-Feigl-Preis (2012) and Dr.-Wolfgang-Houska-Preis (2005). He has supervised multiple PhD projects and leads the Plant-Microbe Metabolomics group, managing core metabolomics platforms and international collaborations. Key projects: Chemical crosstalk in mycoparasitic interactions (FWF) Metabolomics of cold stress tolerance mediated by psychrotolerant bacteria Extension of metabolomics platforms for plant-pathogen studies

• Metabolomics
• Analytical Chemistry
• Plant-Microbe Interaction
• +2 more

Harald Pichler is an Associate Professor and Team Leader at the Institute of Biotechnology (IMBT) at Graz University of Technology. His research focuses on membrane biology, enzyme engineering, and industrial biotechnology using yeast systems like Pichia pastoris . Key projects include engineering microbial membranes for protein secretion, optimizing biocatalysts for terpenoid synthesis, and studying lipid interactions with membrane proteins. Collaborations with companies like DSM and LONZA highlight industrial applications of his work. Research interests span microbial membrane modifications, sterol biosynthesis, and metabolic engineering for producing valuable metabolites. Major contributions include developing yeast strains for high-throughput screening of terpenoids and engineering hydratases for biocatalytic applications. His team also explores protein secretion pathways and membrane protein expression in yeasts, with patent filings for key genetic targets. Current projects involve lipid raft dynamics, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interactions with membranes, and low-cost cell culture media alternatives. Collaborations with academic partners like the University of Geneva and Wageningen University emphasize interdisciplinary approaches. Publications frequently address membrane biophysics, enzyme mechanisms, and yeast strain engineering, reflecting a blend of fundamental and applied research.

• Membrane Biology
• Industrial Biotechnology
• Enzyme Engineering
• +4 more

Theresa Scharl-Hirsch is a Senior Scientist and Deputy Scientific Director at the Core Facility Bioinformatics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). She holds concurrent appointments at the Institute of Statistics, BOKU, and has extensive experience in bioprocess modeling, machine learning, and statistical computing. Her work bridges biochemical engineering with advanced data science methodologies. Her research focuses on real-time monitoring of biopharmaceutical processes, clustering of high-dimensional data (particularly RNA sequencing), and application of explainable machine learning techniques. She has developed statistical models for process optimization and quality prediction in antibody capture and protein purification, with a strong emphasis on industrial implementations using R programming. Key trends in her publications include three-way data analysis, matrix-variate Gaussian mixture models, and permutation-based variable importance methods for deep learning architectures. Her work spans bioprocess engineering, bioinformatics, and industrial data science applications.

• Machine Learning
• Statistical Computing
• Cluster Analysis
• +2 more

Simone Bachleitner is a Researcher at the Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology within the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science at University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) . Her work focuses on fungal genetics, epigenetic regulation, and metabolic engineering of yeast for organic acid production. She actively investigates chromatin structure's role in secondary metabolite gene expression in Fusarium species and develops engineered Komagataella phaffii strains for bio-based acid production from methanol. Her research bridges molecular biology, industrial biotechnology, and plant pathology. Recent publications highlight her contributions to: H3K27me3 epigenetic regulation in plant pathogens Mxr1/Mit1 transcriptional activation for lactic acid production Nonribosomal peptide synthetase cluster analysis in Fusarium Methanol-based itaconic acid bioprocess optimization She supervises graduate students and contributes to collaborative projects funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and European Commission.

• Fungal Genetics
• Epigenetics
• Metabolic Engineering
• +3 more

Gordana Wozniak-Knopp is a researcher at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), affiliated with the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology under the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science. Her work focuses on antibody engineering, molecular biotechnology, and protein stability optimization. Key research areas include Development of multispecific antibodies using controlled Fab-arm exchange and SEED technology Engineering antigen-binding sites in Fc regions Stabilization of antibody fragments via disulfide bonds and domain exchange Extracellular vesicle functionalization for targeted drug delivery Design of diagnostic antibody microarrays and SARS-CoV-2 antigen platforms Between 2020–2024, she led an FWF-funded project on therapeutic antibodies for birch pollinosis and a 2016–2023 CD Laboratory for Innovative Immunotherapeutics. Her recent publications (2022–2023) emphasize trispecific antibody design, SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics, and CD81-based delivery systems. Scientific contributions include peer-review activities for journals like Protein Science , Nature Communications , and Scientific Reports , along with organizing events such as the Lange Nacht Der Forschung 2024 . She actively participates in international conferences and project evaluations for organizations like Poland’s National Science Centre.

• Medical Biotechnology
• Genetic Engineering
• Antibody Engineering
• +4 more

Daniel Dörler is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), where he has been employed since 2019. His academic background includes a doctorate in Natural Resources and Life Sciences from BOKU and studies in Biology/Zoology from the University of Vienna. He is a leading figure in the Austrian and European citizen science movement, with a focus on biodiversity, road ecology, and public engagement in science. Institution: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) Department: Institute of Zoology Position: Senior Scientist (wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter) Email: daniel.doerler@boku.ac.at ORCID: 0000-0003-2056-4084 Daniel Dörler’s research interests center on citizen science, biodiversity monitoring, and ecological research, particularly in urban and road environments. He investigates the role of public participation in data collection for scientific research and conservation, with a focus on roadkill and amphibian populations. His work bridges ecology, social science, and science communication, emphasizing the transformative potential of citizen science for both science and society. He is deeply involved in methodological development, quality criteria, and the scalability of citizen science projects. His recent publications demonstrate a strong trend towards the integration of technology, policy, and community engagement in citizen science. Works such as automated species detection for anurans, roadkill hotspot analysis, and the development of scalability toolkits highlight a move towards data-driven, policy-relevant, and ethically sound citizen science. The articles consistently focus on practical applications, project design, and the societal impact of participatory research, spanning sub-fields like conservation biology, bioacoustics, and science policy. Daniel Dörler has received numerous scientific awards, reflecting his excellence in research, teaching, and public outreach: 2023: Ars Docendi Award for excellent teaching, Honorary Mention for the Roadkill project (EU Citizen Science Prize), and multiple awards for co-supervised Master’s theses. 2022: Sustainability Award from Austrian Federal Ministries. 2017: BOKU Sustainability Prize and recognition as a Pioneer of Open Innovation in Science. 2018: Nomination for the National Animal Welfare Prize. Dörler is a principal investigator and project leader on numerous research grants from the European Commission, Austrian Science Fund (FWF), and national agencies. He is a key figure in the Citizen Science Network Austria and the platform "Österreich forscht." He frequently presents at international conferences, contributes to policy discussions, and mentors students. His collaborative work with Florian Heigl and others has established a robust network for citizen science in Austria and beyond. Daniel Dörler is a core member of the Citizen Science Network Austria and leads multiple projects such as "Leading Lights," "STEM education," and "Explore Research from East to West in Austria." He is also deeply involved in the "Roadkill" project and the "AmphiBiom" initiative for amphibian conservation. His work fosters a collaborative environment that brings together researchers, citizens, and policymakers to address pressing environmental challenges.

• Citizen Science
• Biodiversity Monitoring
• Road Ecology
• +7 more

Markus Neureiter is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Environmental Biotechnology within the Department of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). His research focuses on environmental biotechnology applications, particularly in bioprocess engineering, fermentation technologies, and waste valorization for sustainable chemical and biopolymer production. Key Research Areas: Bioprocess engineering, PHA production from agricultural and industrial waste, volatile fatty acid platform development, biorefinery processes, and renewable energy systems. Recent Trends: Publications emphasize pilot-scale biopolymer production, carbon source optimization, and integration of enzymatic pretreatment with microbial fermentation. Academic Awards & Community Services: Markus serves as a reviewer for journals including PLoS One , Metabolic Engineering , and Renewable Energy . He has organized conferences like the European Biotechnology Congress and contributed to EU-funded projects such as CAFIPLA and VOLATILE. Supervised Students: Guided 16 university theses (PhD and Master's) on topics like biopolymer synthesis, yeast cultivation, and waste-to-chemicals strategies.

• Environmental Biotechnology
• Bioprocess Engineering
• Fermentation
• +5 more

Dr. Alexandra Machado Ferreira Castilho is a leading researcher at the Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology within the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) . She has served as Principal Investigator since 2018 and previously as Scientific Coordinator of the Laura Bassi Center PlantBioP (2010-2017). Her work focuses on Plant Molecular Farming and Glycoengineering , aiming to optimize plant-based production of therapeutically relevant glycoproteins. Specializes in tailoring N-glycan profiles for biopharmaceuticals Develops plant cell factories for antibody and decoy receptor production Key projects include SARS-CoV-2 neutralization strategies and cancer immunotherapy agents Her recent publications analyze glycoengineering techniques in Nicotiana benthamiana , covering topics like ACE2-Fc decoys for viral neutralization, PD1/PDL1 blockade for oncology, and protease suppression for protein stability. She has received funding from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) for projects on immune checkpoint inhibitors and glycosylation pathway modulation.

• Plant Biotechnology
• Molecular Biology
• Biochemistry
• +4 more

Tim Causon is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna, Austria. With a PhD from the University of Tasmania and habilitation in analytical chemistry, he has established himself as a leading expert in mass spectrometry and metabolomics applications. His research focuses on developing advanced analytical methods with particular emphasis on ion mobility mass spectrometry techniques and their applications in biotechnology and metabolomics. Dr. Causon's research interests center on method development for mass spectrometric analyses in metabolomics, particularly for biotechnology and bioprocess engineering applications. His work explores fundamental studies of molecular ions and analytical applications of ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS), with significant contributions to capillary electrophoresis, chromatography, and metabolomics. His laboratory develops innovative approaches for metabolite identification, structural characterization, and quantitative analysis, with applications spanning from bioproduction to environmental analysis. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on advancing ion mobility mass spectrometry techniques, with particular attention to collision cross section measurements, metabolite identification, and method development for complex biological and environmental samples. His work spans fundamental studies of ion behavior to practical applications in biotechnology, food science, and environmental analysis. Scientific Awards: Fritz Feigl Award from the Austrian Society of Analytical Chemistry (2022) Dr. Causon has successfully secured substantial research funding through numerous projects, including the EU-funded MobiliTraIN: Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Training Network (2024-2028) and several industry collaborations. He has supervised multiple doctoral and master's students whose work focuses on analytical method development, metabolomics, and ion mobility applications. His laboratory maintains strong collaborations with both academic and industrial partners across Europe. As an active member of the scientific community, Dr. Causon organizes major conferences such as the IMS Symposium 2023 and serves on editorial boards and as a reviewer for leading analytical chemistry journals. His laboratory is well-equipped for advanced mass spectrometry research with multiple ion mobility-capable mass spectrometers and complementary analytical instrumentation.

• Analytical Chemistry
• Mass Spectrometry
• Metabolomics
• +4 more

Teresa Steininger-Mairinger serves as an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Analytical Chemistry within the Department of Chemistry at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). She earned her doctoral degree from BOKU in 2017 with a dissertation focused on mass spectrometry-based analysis of primary metabolites in 13C-based metabolic flux analysis experiments. Prior to her current position, she worked as a Senior Scientist at BOKU's Institute for Analytical Chemistry (2020-2023) and completed a PostDoc at eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology in Dübendorf. Her research focuses on advanced mass spectrometry techniques, particularly in non-targeted analysis, metabolomics, and environmental applications. She has published extensively on topics including plant metabolomics, food authenticity, water analysis, and ion mobility mass spectrometry. Her recent work demonstrates expertise in dual column chromatography, LC-IM-TOFMS analysis, and the development of analytical methods for environmental contaminants and food quality assessment. Dr. Steininger-Mairinger leads and participates in multiple significant research projects, including a Christian Doppler Laboratory for the biological degradation of water-soluble polymers, food authenticity marker development, and PFAS bioremediation research. Her analytical chemistry expertise spans both environmental and food applications, with particular emphasis on method development and validation. Agnes and István Halász Young Scientist Award (2017) JunganalytikerInnen-Preis (young analytical chemist award) from the Austrian Society of Analytical Chemistry (ASAC) (2017) She actively contributes to the scientific community through service on the scientific advisory board for the 18th International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment (2023) and as an organizing committee member for the 38th Agilent Forum Analytik (2024). Her professional memberships include the European Chemical Society (EuChemS), Swiss Chemical Society (SCS), Austrian Society for Analytical Chemistry (ASAC), American Society for Mass Spectrometry (ASMS), and the Austrian Chemical Society (GÖCH).

• Mass spectrometry
• Metabolomics
• Non-targeted analysis
• +7 more

Joseph Strauss is a Full Professor at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), leading the Institute of Microbial Genetics. With a career spanning over three decades, he has focused on fungal genetics, epigenetics, and bioactive metabolite discovery, particularly in filamentous fungi and pathogens. His work bridges fundamental research with applications in agriculture, medicine, and environmental biotechnology. Research Focus: Epigenetic regulation of fungal secondary metabolism, chromatin dynamics, bioactive compounds, nitrate signaling, and microbial interactions. Projects: Leads multiple grants from Austrian Science Fund (FWF), European Commission, and industry partners, including studies on chromatin engineering, fungal biotechnology, and toxin biosynthesis. His recent publications highlight advancements in chromatin proteomics, fungal pathogenicity, and novel bioactive molecules like luteapyrone and rasfonin. Articles emphasize broad disciplines such as Fungal Genetics, Epigenetics, and Natural Product Discovery, with subfields including secondary metabolite clusters, histone modifications, and stress response mechanisms. Scientific Awards: 2021 - Keratinophyton straussii fungal species named after him 1999 - START Preis 1995 - EMBO Stipendium 1994 - OTTO LOEWI Stipendium He has supervised over 69 theses and contributed to 186 publications, reflecting his leadership in fungal genomics and its applications. Projects like 'Bioaktive Mikrobielle Metaboliten' and 'TASSMATA' underscore his commitment to translating research into sustainable solutions.

• Mycology
• Molecular Biology
• Genomics
• +6 more

Mona Schalk (Dipl.-Ing., Mag.pharm.) is a researcher at the Institute of Cell and Tissue Culture Technologies, affiliated with the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). The institute focuses on developing nanotechnology and molecular self-assembly tools for biological and medical applications, aiming to create novel "smart" materials inspired by natural systems. Her work aligns with BOKU's broader research mission in sustainable technologies and bioeconomy, though specific details about her individual projects, publications, or teaching activities are not disclosed in the available data. The institute emphasizes fundamental understanding of nanoscale physics and chemistry to advance engineered biological materials.

• Nanotechnology for Biological Systems
• Molecular Self-Assembly
• Biotechnology
• +1 more