Every week, scilog features an exemplary project funded by the FWF. The presentations shed light on scientific questions and report on recent insights gained in basic research. The projects not only reflect the great variety of scientific disciplines, but also the range of support options offered by the Austrian Science Fund.
A research group from Graz is investigating the complex interaction between the intestine and the brain. In a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the team has gained new insights into how intestinal bacteria, the immune system and obesity can lead to mental illnesses. Continue reading “How intestinal bacteria can cause depression”
In order for a tumour to grow, it needs cholesterol to build new cell walls. At the same time, the so-called “good” cholesterol or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is regarded as a protective factor against cancer. Schrödinger fellow Raimund Bauer investigated the effect of HDL on tumours more closely and was able to show that a […] Continue reading “How “good cholesterol” gets to do even more good work”
In a project funded by the FWF, a research group led by computer scientist Martin Urschler has developed a new, low-impact method for determining the age of young people using biological characteristics. An algorithm improves objectivity and guarantees the reproducibility of results. Continue reading “New method for age determination”
With support from the Austrian Science Fund FWF, a research team from Innsbruck conducted a field study on the question of whether customers can protect themselves against being defrauded by sellers in a credence goods market by seeking online information. The market for computer repairs served as an example. Continue reading “Misinformed consumers pay more”
Tests commonly used to examine creativity rarely relate to daily life, which is why they have only limited suitability for exploring creative processes in everyday situations. Researchers from Graz and Cologne have now developed special test tasks for soccer players that can also be applied in a neuroscience laboratory. Continue reading “Creativity in soccer now measurable”
In a project financed by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, a research group from Klagenfurt examined what budgetary policy measures a small eurozone country might take to cushion the consequences of a crisis. Slovenia served as an example. Continue reading “Research and education alleviate economic crises”
Many Europeans have a mobile lifestyle involving commuting between countries. A multinational research project supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF showed that this entails major obstacles in terms of social security arising from complex underlying causes. Continue reading “Unequal access to social security”
Calcium deposits in the abdominal and leg arteries – so-called media calcification – are a frequent complication of kidney failure or diabetes mellitus. With the support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF, researchers explored how cell cultures and mice react to inadequate blood purification and how to prevent the ossification of vascular walls. Continue reading “Cell recycling to fight atherosclerosis”
In a project supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the biologist Jitka Polechová created a theoretical model to describe the spreading of animal and plant species. She was able to show that the underlying mechanisms are simpler than previously thought, which has important consequences for species conservation. Continue reading “A new model for the geographic ranges of species”
With the support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the chemist Zita Csendes has defined and tested iron complexes as a sustainable, inexpensive and efficient alternative to precious-metal catalysts. The shift from catalyst solution to reusable pore coating required mastering many chemical parameters. Continue reading “Catalytic converter with a green profile”