Clemens Röhrl

Clemens Röhrl serves as a Research Professor at the Center of Excellence Food Technology and Nutrition within the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria. Holding a Privatdozent qualification with Habilitation in Medical Biochemistry (2018) and PhD in Vascular Biology (2011), his academic profile demonstrates deep expertise in lipid metabolism and nutritional biochemistry at the intersection of plant science and human health.

His educational background includes:

• Medical Biochemistry, Habilitation (Awarded January 29, 2018)
• Vascular Biology, PhD (Awarded March 16, 2011)

Röhrl's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of cholesterol transporters (particularly SR-B1), HDL metabolism, and the health-promoting effects of regional plants. His work bridges fundamental biochemistry with applied nutritional science, investigating how plant extracts enhance bioavailability of fat-soluble vitamins and counteract pathological processes like foam cell formation. The fingerprint analysis of his 43 research outputs reveals concentrated expertise in lipid metabolism (49%), cholesterol pathways (60%), and high-density lipoprotein research (50%), with particular emphasis on photooxidation and electron microscopy techniques.

His recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate continued innovation in nutraceutical delivery systems, with particular focus on micellization processes for fat-soluble vitamins, bioactive components of spearmint, and elderberry compounds. These studies consistently apply high-content screening and in vitro modeling to evaluate plant-based interventions for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular health.

Röhrl actively contributes to academic service through conference organization and editorial work, having chaired the Austrian Atherosclerosis Society annual meeting in 2019 and served on the editorial board of Scientific Reports (2018-2020).

His current research portfolio includes two significant projects: the active Regio-Plants initiative (2023-2027) investigating health-promoting effects of regional plants across Bavaria-Tyrol-Upper Austria, and the completed TC PhytoCluster project (2019-2020) focused on in silico screening of phytogenic compounds for metabolic syndrome applications. These projects demonstrate his commitment to translating basic research into practical applications for regional health and nutrition.

Röhrl leads the Research Center Wels, which functions as an interdisciplinary hub connecting food technology, nutritional science, and biochemical research. His team employs advanced techniques including high-content screening, electron microscopy, and in vitro metabolic modeling to investigate plant-based interventions for cardiovascular and metabolic health.