News and Press

Can­cer research: MYC ant­ago­nist deco­ded in gre­a­ter detail

 The cancer factor MYC has been the focus of Markus Hartl's research for years. The biochemist's research group is pursuing an approach that aims to reactivate BASP1 – a natural antagonist of MYC – in tumor cells. A study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) now shows that this approach can work.

Deco­ding the Mole­cu­lar Signa­tu­res of Night Blind­ness

Congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) is caused by mutations in a specific calcium channel. A comprehensive proteomic study by researchers at the University of Innsbruck now reveals how these mutations trigger complex, mutation-specific molecular changes. For the first time, this work provides a solid foundation for the development of personalized therapeutic approaches.

December 22, 2025

Bio-inspi­red che­mistry for inno­va­tive plant pro­tec­tion pro­ducts

Thomas Magauer's research group has achieved an important breakthrough in natural product chemistry. Using a bio-inspired synthesis approach, the researchers were able to develop a new, efficient method for producing highly effective natural lignans – molecules with great potential for plant protection and sustainable pest control.

December 5, 2025

Can­cer cells under pressure

Cancer cells respond to mechanical pressure with an energy boost that helps them repair DNA damage and survive in confined environments within the body. A team led by Verena Ruprecht from the University of Innsbruck and Sara Sdelci from the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona has described this protective mechanism of cancer cells for the first time. The discovery paves the way for new strategies to curb tumor spread.

July 31, 2025

Stem cells restore mye­lin

Induced neural stem cells are capable of repairing chronic tissue damage in the central nervous system in mice. This has been demonstrated by researchers at the University of Cambridge and the University of Innsbruck in a new study. The results suggest that stem cell-based therapies could be a promising approach to treating chronic demyelinating diseases, particularly progressive multiple sclerosis.

July 8, 2025

Rese­arch group inves­ti­ga­tes gene muta­ti­ons respon­si­ble for rare disea­ses

Voltage-gated calcium channels are associated with numerous diseases. A new research group led by Nadine Ortner from the Institute of Pharmacy at the University of Innsbruck is investigating gene mutations that cause dysfunction in a channel subtype called CaV1.3. The five-member interdisciplinary team is receiving €1.64 million in funding from the FWF.

May 12, 2025

A mole­cu­lar foun­tain of youth for the brain

What happens in the brain as we age? Might it be at all possible to rejuvenate nerve cells? Seeking answers to these questions, a research group led by Frank Edenhofer at the Department of Molecular Biology has succeeded for the first time in observing mini-brains age.

February 17, 2025

New mass spec­tro­me­ter for bio­mo­le­cu­lar research

Researchers at the Department of Organic Chemistry and the Center for Molecular Biosciences (CMBI), led by Kathrin Breuker, have been awarded funding for a state-of-the-art mass spectrometer in a competitive FFG infrastructure call. The instrument will open up new possibilities for biomolecular research at the University of Innsbruck.

January 27, 2025

New che­mistry for the engi­nee­ring of cova­lent RNA comple­xes

Researchers from the University of Innsbruck have developed a new method for covalently labeling RNA in the cell. In the journal Nature Chemical Biology, they show how it can be used to map RNA movements in the cell.

January 7, 2025