The work and publications of the Austrian subconsortium were carried out and remunerated as part of a commission by the Federal Ministry of the Republic of Austria for Education, Science and Research based on a performance contract with the Austrian consortium of Knowledge Platform Food, Diet, Intestinal Microbiomics and Human Health.

Austria

• Ina Bergheim University of Vienna

  The research focus of the group of Ina Bergheim is on the interaction of nutrition with intestinal barrier function in settings of metabolic liver diseases e.g. alcoholic and non-alcoholic and aging.

• Rudolf Bauer University of Graz

  Our research group has extensive expertise in the analysis, isolation, structural characterization and pharmacological testing of plant and microbial secondary metabolites and natural product drug discovery. We are especially focused not on primary, but on secondary metabolites, such as terpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, etc. Many of these compounds remain unabsorbed in the upper intestinal tract. Therefore, they reach the colon where they get into contact with the gut microbiota. Based on our expertise, our research group is analyzing the metabolism of plant constituents by human intestinal bacteria by means of untargeted and targeted LC-MS metabolomics. We have also expertise in the isolation and structure elucidation of metabolites by means of spectroscopic techniques. For testing the pharmacological activity of metabolites, our research group has established a panel of in-vitro and cellular bioassays on anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity. In addition, we have a broad range of collaborations offering us the opportunity to perform bioassays on many other activities. In order to address the question of bioavailability of microbial metabolites and the chance for systemic activity, we have expertise in performing in-vitro resorption studies and in-vivo pharmacokinetic studies by means of targeted LC-MS analysis.

• Evelyne Mann-Selberherr University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Institute for Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science

  We have a special interest in microbial flows within the 'one health' context (from farm to fork to gut). In our lab, we investigate the interaction of microbiomes with each other and with nutrition sources available in products, along production chains, or in the gastrointestinal tract of farm animals. Our lab is specialised in high throughput data analysis and we model microbial transmission scenarios during food processing and along production chains. We have expertise with physiological and pathological microbiome shifts in various animal species, including pigs, cattle, chicken and pet animals.

• Barbara Strasser Sigmund Freud University Vienna Link to external homepage

  Our main research focus is to study aging processes at the physiological functional level in order to get a better understanding on age-related changes and impairments, in particular measuring how muscular fitness and lifestyle (physical activity, diet, and nutrition) help to improve, preserve or restore functional capacity, with an emphasis on muscle–immune interactions. This provides the basis to develop tailored prevention and treatment programs in order to delay or prevent age-related challenges, including obesity and sarcopenia, but also to manage other diseases of muscle loss.

• Eva Untersmayr-Elsenhuber, Enikö Kallay Medical University of Vienna Link to external homepage

  Our main research focus is the impact of nutrients on the immune response in the gastrointestinal tract. Our research group has extensive expertise investigating the role of diet on healthy ageing. Our laboratories are currently involved in preclinical as well as several clinical studies at the Medical University of Vienna aiming to define novel biomarkers or treatment strategies for patients with food allergies, intestinal inflammations and cancer. Several projects investigate the role of dietary compounds in these diseases including research on microbiota composition.

• Peter M. Abuja Medical University of Graz

  MUG provides expertise in biomedical and clinical research regarding nutrition, metabolism and microbiome in health and disease. Focal capacities involve:

  • Biobanking of human biological samples (tissue, blood, body fluids), including standardization of sampling, storage and preanalytical processing as prerequisites for reliable data:
    • MUG played a major role in establishing BBMRI-ERIC, a pan-European Research Infrastructure.
    • Inception of European and ISO standards of sampling, preservation and pre-analytical processing, with leading roles for in-situ techniques and microbiome pre-analytics.
  • Standardization and monitoring of lifestyle interventions:
    • Impact of nutrition in health and disease on metabolic networks including the connection to genetic and environmental factors, including microbiome.
  • Clinical research on the health impact of the microbiome of the entire gastrointestinal tract, and pertinent interventions:
    • Metabolic phenotyping and microbiome profiling, including non-bacterial components (archeae, fungi).
    • Interaction of food ingredients with the gastrointestinal microbiome.
    • Basic microbiome (gastrointestinal, hospital microbiome) and metabolomics research are integrated with clinical interventions, e.g. transplantation of the gastrointestinal microbiome.