25 April 2023

Vienna, Austria

PoND
2nd Postdoc Networking Day
 Organizers

VBC Postdoc representatives:

Flavia Corsi (IMBA)
Federico Teloni (IMBA)
Franziska Lorbeer (IMP)
Rupert Mayer (IMP)
Pierre Bourguet (GMI)
Aleksandra Kornienko (GMI)
Celine Sin (MPL)
Audrey Mat (MPL)
Michel Fasnacht (MPL)
Administration and support:
Christopher Robinson
Manuela Steurer
Catering Team
Illustrations and Booklet:
IMP Graphics Team
Amarbaya Davaatseren

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Postdoc Networking Day (PoND) Program
8:45–9:15: Registration and poster hanging (IMP Atrium)
9:15-9:30: Welcoming words (IMP Atrium)
9:30–10:45: Talks – Session 1 (IMP Lecture Hall)
Katie Emelianova (Uni Wien) – 10 minute talk
Laura Kracht (IMBA) – 5 minute talk
Jan Korbel (MedUni Wien) – 10 minute talk
William Schueller (CSH & VetMedUni) – Anna Igolkina (GMI) – 10 minute talk
5 minute talk
Kyojiro Ikeda (Max Perutz) – 10 minute talk
Gabor Tajti (MedUni Wien) – 5 minute talk
Maria Gonzalez (IMBA) – 10 minute talk
10:45–11:45: Poster session with coffee (IMP Atrium)
11:45–13:00: Talks – Session 2 (IMP Lecture Hall)
Henrique Colaco (CeMM) – 10 minute talk
Yoav Voichek (GMI) – 10 minute talk
Robert West (TU) – 5 minute talk
Roxane Licandro (MedUni Wien) –
10 minute talk
Pablo Rischbeck (BOKU) – 5 minute talk
Elad Bassat (IMP) – 10 minute talk
13:00–14.00: Lunch and coffee (IMP Cafeteria)
14:00–15:00: Talks – Session 3 (IMP Lecture Hall)
Ilse Kraetschmer (ISTA) – 5 minute talk
Thea Rogers (Uni Wien) – 10 minute talk
Ekaterina Krasnopeeva (ISTA) – 5 minute talk
Philipp Schatzlmaier (MedUni Wien) –
5 minute talk
Agnieszka Razim (MedUni Wien) –
10 minute talk
15:00–15:20: Coffee break (IMP Atrium)
15:20–16:20: Talks – Session 4 (IMP Lecture Hall)
Tomas Masson (ISTA) – 5 minute talk
Rajesh Jethwa (ISTA) – 10 minute talk
Ricardo Rao (MedUni Wien) – 5 minute talk
Maya Voicheck (IMBA) – 10 minute talk
Victoria Deneke (IMP) – 5 minute talk
Darrin Schultz (Uni Wien) – 10 minute talk
16.20–17.30: Poster session and drinks (IMP Atrium)
17:30-19:00: Social event with snacks and drinks
(IMP Cafeteria/Bridge)
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Session 1

Katie Emelianova (Uni Wien)

Repeated evolution of persimmons on new caledonia, a biodiversity hotspot
Diospyros is a tree genus known for Ebony and Persimmon, but it also holds a fascinating example of a plant adaptive radiation on the South Pacific is-
land of New Caledonia, a biodiversity hotspot. Over millions of years, long distance dispersal has introduced Diospyros to New Caledonia at least 4 times,
3 of which did not lead to substantial diversification. One event, however, resulted in an explosion of speciation and adaptation, forming 30+ species
which have repeatedly adapted to heavy metal rich soils, contrasting climates, and variable elevation. We want to know why some groups speciate readily
and others do not, and ultimately how the biodiversity we see today is formed.

Laura Kratch (IMBA)

Effects of microglial maturation on neuronal function in the context of ASD
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder and has a strong genetic component. All known associated genes are
collected in the SFARI database. Neurons and microglia are the cell types most affected in ASD. Microglia are the innate immune cells of the central
nervous system (CNS) and have versatile functions during development, which are crucial for proper neuronal development. In humans, microglia
mature from an activated, phagocytic state towards an immune-surveillance state, already during the early second trimester of pregnancy. Roughly 50
of microglial genes important during the different transcriptional states observed in development overlap with ASD-related genes. However, the way in
which perturbation of these genes affects microglia maturation and consequently the development of other CNS cells, is unknown. Therefore, I propose
to investigate the effects of microglia maturation on neuronal functioning by a CRISPR/Cas9 screen of microglial developmental genes in brain organoids.

Jan Korbel (MedUni Wien)

Homophily-Based Social Group Formation in a Spin Glass Self-Assembly Framework
Homophily, the tendency of humans to attract each other when sharing similar features, traits, or opinions, has been identified as one of the main driving
forces behind the formation of structured societies. Here we ask to what extent homophily can explain the formation of social groups, particularly
their size distribution. We propose a spin-glass-inspired framework of self-assembly, where opinions are represented as multidimensional spins that
dynamically self-assemble into groups; individuals within a group tend to share similar opinions (intragroup homophily), and opinions between
individuals belonging to different groups tend to be different (intergroup heterophily). We compute the associated nontrivial phase diagram by solving a
self-consistency equation for “magnetization” (combined average opinion). Below a critical temperature, there exist two stable phases: one ordered with
nonzero magnetization and large clusters, the other disordered with zero magnetization and no clusters. The system exhibits a first-order transition to the
disordered phase. We analytically derive the group-size distribution that successfully matches empirical group-size distributions from online communi-
ties. Ref: PRL 130, 057401

William Schueller (Complexity Science Hub & VetMedUni)

Systemic risk in Open Source Software ecosystems: how one person missing could break the Internet
Open Source Software is omnipresent: our phones, our cars, websites we visit, and even on Mars! Thousands of people -- often volunteers -- build and
maintain thousands of software packages depending on each other, constituting ‘ecosystems’. Individual software packages can be at risk for two reasons:
the developer disappeared and nobody is here to solve the bugs, or they depend on another software that has a bug. What is happening in one package
can trigger a cascade of failures through the dependency network and have disproportionate consequences. Overwhelmed volunteers working on
infrastructure used in transportation, banks or healthcare, what could go wrong? My work focuses on building models of how these risks can propagate,
defining metrics of global health of the system, and studying policies that can improve its resilience.

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Kyojiro Ikeda (Max Perutz)
Cells that perform 3D printing of extracellular objects in Platynereis dumerilii
Remodelling of the cortex of the cell is used to build extracellular objects called chaetae in Polychaetes. Chitin containing exhibit species-specific nano-
metric details and stereotypicity. Each chaetae are produced by a speciliased cell according to an additive construction process that mimic 3D-printing.
During the construction of chaetae actin-containing cell protrusions (microvilli) form stereotypical patterns that mimic the shape of the part of the chaeta
that is being constructed. The number of microvilli appear to be under tight control and exhibit stoichiometric relation to the features on the chaeta.
Treatment with inhibitors against actin polymerisation causes malformations of the features on the chaetae. Our work establishes a tight correlation
between actin-mediated dynamics and the architecture of the resulting chaeta.

Gabor Tajti (MedUni Wien)

Inside or outside? -Infection and sensing of SARS-CoV-2 by circulating monocytes
The innate immune system is the first line defense against viral infections, such as SARS-CoV-2. Monocytes are an important cellular component of
antiviral innate immunity, however, the mechanism how these cells sense SARS-CoV-2 is not yet clearly understood. Since Toll-like-receptors (TLRs)
are important cell surface and intracellular innate sensors, widely expressed in monocytes, we set out experiments to characterize the TLR-mediated
activation of circulating monocytes by SARS-CoV-2. As virus uptake/infection is also a prerequisite to stimulate intracellular TLRs, we also studied the
entry and subsequent stimulatory effect of SARS-CoV-2 on intracellular TLRs expressed in monocytes.
We can report three primary findings: Firstly, monocytes are activated in the presence of SARS-CoV-2 by a cell surface expressed TLR-independent
manner. Secondly, the virus can enter and infect monocytes through a yet unknown mechanism. Lastly, intracellular, RNA-sensing TLRs, specifically TLR7
and TLR8, may be involved in the innate immune reaction of monocytes to SARS-CoV-2.

Maria Gonzalez (IMBA)

Elucidating the brain wide impact of autoimmune neuroinflammation in neuronal activity
Multiple sclerosis (MS) represents the number one cause of neurological related disability in young adults. MS research has largely focused on the demye-
linating aspect of the disease, disregarding the changes in grey matter (GM) and normal appearing white matter (NAWM) which are clearly involved in MS
pathology and may be better indicators of earlier phases of disease. The prodromal stage of MS is poorly understood. Thus, we aim to provide a scaffold
of neuronal network modifications related to the prodrome by employing the most common MS animal model: experimental autoimmune encepha-
lomyelitis (EAE). Our preliminary data shows neuronal activity changes at peak of disease, in key areas of the brain, involved in cognition, information
relay, visual perception, among others. We intend to analyze the prodromal phase of the disease; a brain wide approach will likely reveal meaningful
pre-symptomatic changes in GM and NAWM probably involved in the early disease development.

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Session 2

Henrique Colaco (CeMM)

Ammonia and the gut-brain axis during viral infection
Viral infections impose vast immune, metabolic and behavioral changes to the host. Upon infection, mammals experience complex behavioral
adaptations known as sickness behavior. We currently lack an integrated view about how infection-associated metabolic changes impact on organismal
functions, including sickness behavior.
Our group has reported that viral infection leads to hepatic urea cycle reprogramming with a concomitant increase in blood ammonia (PMID:31784108).
Despite being typically considered as a toxic waste product, ammonia is a small, gaseous molecule that might modulate cellular functions in distant
tissues. Therefore, we set out to identify the physiological roles of hyperammonemia during infection, including its potential contribution to sickness
behavior.
We observed that hyperammonemia is dependent on bacterial metabolism in the gut, and that infection increases ammonia uptake in the brain. We are
currently exploring this gut-brain connection in detail. Our work aims to increase our understanding of how inflammation and gut microbial metabolism
influence brain function.

Yoav Voichek (GMI)

Controlling transcription from within transcribed regions in plants
Transcriptional regulatory sequences control when and where genes are transcribed. Despite separate evolution of cell type-specific gene expression
mechanisms, knowledge of plant transcription regulation is often extrapolated from animal systems. We investigated how transcription regulatory se-
quences are organized in A. thaliana. We found that transcription factor binding and expression of quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) are enriched downstream
of the transcription start site (TSS). Using a massively parallel reporter assay in four plant species, we show sequences downstream of the TSS control
transcription, losing this ability when upstream of the TSS. This position-dependent effect is unique to plants, unlike animal enhancers that are position
independent. We also identified a sequence motif within transcribed regions and controls gene expression of thousands of genes during development.
These observations likely describe only the tip of the iceberg of differences between plant and animal transcription.

Robert West (TU)

Chemical Species Separation by Desorption on Nanomechanical Resonators
Suspended nanomechanical resonators in vacuum are highly sensitive to change in mass and temperature due to stress tuning upon molecular
absorption of light. We have shown that time-resolved analysis of IR spectra during isothermal desorption reveals nicely a separation of chemical species
according to their spectra. These resonators have been shown capable of single-molecule mass spectrometry and absorption spectroscopy, and they are
able to detect absorption bands across the spectrum in a variety of methods, including FTIR and potentially UV spectroscopy, and various light sources,
including lasers and lamps or LEDs. The molecular absorption is the limit, as long as the resulting ground state vibrational relaxation of the molecules
transfer heat to the resonator.

Roxane Licandro (MedUni Wien)

Early Life Image Analysis and Spatio Temporal Modelling of the Developing Brain
The fetal brain undergoes rapid morphological and functional changes starting in early pregnancy. Complex developmental dynamics involve brain
tissue folding, expansion patterns and myelination. In this delicate prenatal period it is extremely important to detect deviations from neurotypical
developmental processes as early as possible, to timely identify indicators for diseases to guide clinical decisions or potential therapies. When does
human intelligence arise and where does artificial intelligence end? In my talk I will present recent results of functional and structural fetal brain analysis
based on advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques developed at the Computational Imaging Research (CIR) at the Medical University of Vienna.
Our research spans from developing novel high resolution reconstruction approaches for in-utero resting state fMRI, over multi-model assessment of fetal
brain structures in-vivo and postmortem.

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Pablo Rischbeck (BOKU)
Drought and nitrogen stress phenotyping at VBCF-PS
At the Vienna Biocenter Corefacility - Plant Sciences a pot trial with cereals was phenotyped in the PhenoPlant Facility. The crops were treated with
drought and nitrogen stress. Crops showed distinct biomass growth and nutrition status. Thermal and spectral images will be analysed for detecting
stress indicators. An agronomic statistical analysis of the trial will be conducted.

Elad Bassat (IMP)

Transcriptomic analysis of injured axolotl hearts reveals AXL-GAS6 as potential mitogenic signal for
cardiac regeneration
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world, partly due to the post-mitotic nature of adult cardiac muscle cells (CMs).
Unlike adult mammals, neonatal mice and, to a greater extent, zebrafish retain regenerative capabilities after injury. In addition to these, axolotls are
regenerative salamanders which can regenerate their cardiac ventricle while having similar heart size to mice. Past works in the field focused on changes
occurring in the CMs themselves and largely didn’t attempt to decipher the cardiac cellular-crosstalk or its contribution to regeneration.
We hypothesized that signalling events specifically at the infarct–border zone intersection enable regeneration. To identify these, we generated single
nucleus RNA and ATAC-seq analysis of the regenerating axolotl heart. Leveraging the large size of the heart, we performed spatial transcriptomic analysis
and obtained the first-of-its-kind, spatially resolved “atlas” of heart regeneration. We identified border zone CMs (BZ-CMs) and, using trajectory analyses,
we could delineate their behaviour after injury. We analyzed which cell types are in proximity with BZ-CMs, allowing us to curate the “spatially relevant”
ligand-receptor interactions. We identified conserved pro-regenerative signalling events, as well as signalling pairs which were not previously described
in this context, such as Tyrosine-protein kinase receptor UFO (AXL), found solely in the injury-responsive CMs, and its ligand Growth arrest-specific protein
6 (Gas6) in endothelial cells.
Our results provide a new/novel atlas of axolotl cardiac cells, a comprehensive analysis of changes occurring during cardiac regeneration, and identifica-
tion of novel pro-regenerative pathways.

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Session 3

Ilse Kraetschmer (ISTA)

A multi-trait method for multi-omics data
Recent advances in technology have enabled the generation of large scale multi-omics data, including genomic, gene expression, methylation, and
proteomic data. Understanding how variation in multiple outcomes relate to these “omic” measures is a challenging problem in quantitative genetics.
Here, I present a novel Bayesian multi-trait method that jointly models multiple outcomes and leverages the shared genetic effects between phenotypes
to improve prediction accuracy. I describe how our method can partition the genetic variance and estimate correlated effects, providing insights into the
underlying biological mechanisms.

Thea Rogers (Uni Wien)

Novel regulatory units underlie the evolution of complex traits in coleoid cephalopods
Our understanding of how genomic changes translate into organismal novelties is often confounded by complex and multi-layered genome architecture.
Coleoid cephalopods have large, uniquely structured brains, as well as many species-specific innovations, such as camouflaging ability, complex be-
haviours and novel organs. These have recently been identified to be the result of an interplay of various of genomic mechanisms, including large- scale
genome reorganization in the ancestor of all coleoid cephalopods, repetitive element expansions, and tandem gene duplications. However, regulatory
aspects of this genomic architecture remain understudied. We use Micro-C, ATAC-seq and transcriptomic data from several cephalopod species in
order to address how mode of regulatory evolution has yielded unique cephalopod innovations. We extend and redefine microsyntenies associated
with cephalopod innovations (MACIs) and test the evidence that these regions of the genome evolved under the gene bystander model, in contrast to
ancestral, metazoan microsyntenies. Furthermore, we test for association of key genomic features with MACI emergence, including, but not limited to,
noncoding elements, alternative splicing, and patterns of RNA editing, and suggest that mechanisms of novel cephalopod gene regulation evolved under
different selective constraints to that of the pre-coleoid genome. Taken together, our results describe a distinct ‘unit’ of regulatory evolution for coleiod
cephalopods.

Ekaterina Krasnopeeva (ISTA)

Glass transition in E. coli cytoplasm
Bacterial cytoplasm has been shown to undergo a glass transition in non-metabolising cells. In my project I’m trying to characterise this process, identify
the key parameters that cause the transition, and understand it’s relevance for cell survival in a non-growing state.

Anna Igolkina (GMI)

The Mobilome in Structural Variants of Arabidopsis thaliana
Mobilome is the set of jumping sequences in the genome, and every jump (copy&paste) leads to a new structural variant in the place, where the jumping
sequence was inserted. Structural variants (SVs) are the result of many different genomic dynamics, and I’m trying to describe the mobilome part of them.
Usually, under the mobilome, people consider transposal elements (TEs) activity, however, is our knowledge about mobilome complete? I analysed 28
Arabidopsis thaliana genome assemblies (PacBio technology, long reads), extracted all insertions and deletions, and clustered the mobilome members.
In the actual mobilome of A.thaliana, I observed new TEs, unknown short and long mobilome players (including short peptides and long non-coding
elements), pushing us to extend the definition of the mobilome term and rethink sources of the genome dynamics.

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Philipp Schatzlmaier (MedUni Wien)
Immunity of lipid-lowering drugs
High levels of pro-atherogenic LDL-cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Consequently,
lipid-lowering drugs are among the most-prescribed medications, effectively reducing atherogenic inflammation. Cholesterol, however, is a pleiotropic
molecule, shaping membrane composition and signalling capacity throughout the body. Its metabolites are essential precursors for broadly operating
molecules, including vitamin D and steroid hormones. Thus, cholesterol-targeting therapies exert complex effects on e.g. antigen presentation, vaccine
response, cognitive function, tumour surveillance, osteoporosis and depression.
In a collaborative effort, we therefore aim to investigate the longitudinal effects of lipid-lowering therapies (statins, PCSK9 inhibition) alone and in
combination on various biomarkers and bodily systems, including circulating hormones, hepatic fat composition, and skeletal microarchitecture. Our
immunological focus is 40-color spectral flow cytometry to phenotype leukocytes in high quality and unprecedented detail prior to and three, six and
twelve months after therapeutic intervention.

Agnieszka Razim (MedUni Wien)

Probiotic extracellular vesicles as a platform for the specific anti-allergic therapy.
About 30% of us are allergic. Mostly to birch or grass pollens but also to dust mites, animal dander and mold. Probiotics were already shown to have
anti-allergic properties, however the usage of a life bacterial strain is problematic due to regulatory and safety reasons. Postbiotics are probiotic-derived
products that may have similar properties as the bacterial strain. Extracellular vesicles are round structures produced by bacteria which cargo has
immunostimulating properties. My project is about using an allergen-producing strain of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum to produce extracellular vesicles
that can be used in intranasal, allergen-specific immunotherapy. So far, we were able to obtain, purify and characterize L. plantarum extracellular vesicles.

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Session 4

Tomas Masson (ISTA)

Evolution of Motion Vision Circuits Across Diptera
Evolution has generated the astonishing diversity of insect behaviors that we see in nature. Part of these behaviors are innate and controlled by neuronal
networks with a unique set of embedded algorithmic rules that contributes to insect ecological success. How evolution shapes neural circuits in order
to provide insect behavior with such remarkable adaptability remains poorly explored. In particular, we still don’t know the molecular principles that
orchestrate the precise wiring of these circuits and how they change thanks to evolutionary forces. In this proposal, I aim to build a framework to study
these neuronal adaptations, from a behavioral and evolutionary perspective, to understand the structure-function relationship of circuit specializations
inside Drosophila’s optic lobe. In doing so, I will shed light into general principles that govern neural wiring evolution.

Rajesh Jethwa (ISTA)

Take a Breath and go with the Flow: Organic electroactive materials for M-Air and Redox Flow Batteries
Sustainable mobile and grid-level energy storage are required to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to a decarbonised grid. Such storage must
provide a high durability, long calendar life, high efficiency, low cost, and fast response time. However, the high capital costs, low energy density and
chemical stability of current systems preclude wide-scale deployment. Therefore, new chemistries need to be explored to enhance the energy density
and lower the cost of such portfolio technologies. Organic materials typically offer fast kinetics, high tunability, and low cost. Using computational
quantum chemistry (DFT) in combination with electrochemical techniques (CV, GCPL, EIS) and on-line analysis (UV-Vis, OEMS, EPR), we hope to identify
promising candidates for use as energy dense storage media or as homogeneous catalysts for flow battery and air battery applications, respectively.

Ricardo Rao (MedUni Wien)

Chemical and energy fluxes in biochemical networks
Cellular processes are grounded on networks of biochemical reactions converting chemicals and energy from one form into another. A notable example
of such processes is metabolism, in which the chemical energy of energy-rich molecules, such as sugars, is converted into forms that cells can use to fuel
their functioning, typically ATP. A mechanistic and dynamical understanding of the fluxes of chemicals and energy involved in these processes would
greatly advance our understanding of cellular functioning, but it is hindered by the complexity of cellular biochemical networks as well as the fact that
they operate far from thermodynamic equilibrium, i.e. they require a continuous supply of energy. In my presentation, I will introduce an algorithmic way
of characterizing chemical and energy fluxes in biochemical networks of arbitrary complexity, as well as find simplified descriptions of the dynamics of
biochemical processes.

Maya Voicheck (IMBA)

Learning new infectivity tricks from old endogenous retroviruses
Endogenous retroviruses are abundantly embedded within their host genome and provide a unique snapshot of multiple past viral infections. Over
time, these ancient retroviral “relics” contribute important regulatory and protein-coding functions to the host. However, due to their repetitive nature
and degenerate sequences, endogenous retroviruses are challenging to study. In this talk, I will present our efforts to uncover new mechanisms of viral
infectivity by studying endogenous retroviruses. We have shown that a group of endogenous retroviruses in Drosophila is able to infect neighboring cells,
yet lacks the classic infective envelope glycoprotein. Instead, encoded in their genome is a highly conserved small open reading frame (sORF) that bears
uncanny resemblance to fusion-associated small transmembrane (FAST) proteins. FAST proteins are extraordinary in the sense they mediate cell-cell, not
virus-cell, fusion, and thus may functionally replace the envelope as an entirely new virulence trait in retroviruses. By studying the function and phylog-
eny of endogenous retroviral sORFs, this project is expected to yield insights into the evolutionary processes that drive innovation and diversification of
viral infectivity strategies.

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Victoria Deneke (IMP)
Identification of a trimeric complex on zebrafish sperm and its implications in fertilization
Fertilization – the fusion of sperm and egg – is a remarkable event essential for the reproduction of all sexually reproducing species. However, the
molecular mechanisms driving this key process remain to be uncovered. Only few sperm and egg factors have been demonstrated to be essential for
the binding and fusion of gametes in vertebrates thus far, and none of the tested ones are individually sufficient to induce their union. We previously
identified the transmembrane proteins Spaca6 and Izumo1 as two sperm factors required for fertilization in zebrafish. Recently, we discovered an addi-
tional evolutionarily related protein through a bioinformatic approach. This sperm factor, Tmem81, shares structural similarities to Spaca6 and Izumo1.
We found that knocking out any of these three proteins results in a similar phenotype: mutant sperm fails to bind the oolemma leading to complete male
sterility. In addition, an unbiased Alphafold protein interaction screen predicted a trimeric complex consisting of Tmem81, Spaca6 and Izumo1. These
findings point towards the possibility of these three proteins acting together in a complex on the sperm membrane to induce fertilization. Preliminary
studies indicate that Spaca6, Izumo1 and Tmem81 interact on zebrafish sperm. Ongoing studies will focus on validating complex formation in zebrafish
using crosslinking mass spectrometry and investigating its functional importance in the binding and fusion of egg and sperm. The identification of a
trimeric complex formed by essential sperm fertility factors will provide fundamental new insights on vertebrate fertilization and enable future advances
in the understanding of this key event across species.

Darrin Schultz (Uni Wien)

New insights in animal evolution from chromosome-scale genomes
A central question in evolutionary biology is whether sponges or ctenophores (comb jellies) are the sister group to all other animals. These alternative
phylogenetic hypotheses imply different scenarios for the evolution of complex neural systems and other animal-specific traits. Conventional phyloge-
netic approaches based on morphological characters and increasingly extensive gene sequence collections have not been able to definitively answer
this question. Here we develop chromosome-scale gene linkage, also known as synteny, as a novel phylogenetic character for resolving this question.
Remarkably, we find ancient syntenies that are conserved between animals and their close unicellular relatives. Ctenophores and unicellular eukaryotes
share ancestral metazoan patterns, while sponges, bilaterians, and cnidarians share derived chromosomal rearrangements. Conserved syntenic characters
unite sponges with bilaterians, cnidarians, and placozoans in a monophyletic clade to the exclusion of ctenophores, placing ctenophores as the sister
group to all other animals. These findings provide a new framework for resolving deep, recalcitrant phylogenetic problems and have implications for our
understanding of animal evolution.

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Posters
Poster 1 – Sabryna Junker (IMP)
Development of a dual Clp-targeting BacPROTAC that impairs mycobacterial proteostasis and survival.
The ClpC1:ClpP1P2 protease is a core component of the proteostasis system in mycobacteria. To improve the efficacy of anti-tubercular agents targeting
the Clp protease, we characterized the mechanism of the antibiotics cyclomarin A and ecumicin. Quantitative proteomics revealed that the antibiotics
cause massive proteome imbalances, including upregulation of two unannotated yet conserved stress-response factors, ClpC2 and ClpC3. These proteins
likely protect the Clp protease from excessive amounts of misfolded proteins or from cyclomarin A, which we show to mimic damaged proteins. To over-
come the Clp security system, we developed a BacPROTAC that induces degradation of ClpC1 together with its ClpC2 caretaker. The dual Clp degrader,
built from linked cyclomarin A heads, was highly efficient in killing pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis, with >100-fold increased potency over the
parent antibiotic. Together, our data reveal Clp scavenger proteins as important proteostasis safeguards and highlight the potential of BacPROTACs as
future antibiotics.

Poster 2 – Vera Pfanzagl (BOKU)

Molecular mechanism of Myeloperoxidase inhibition by SPIN, a staphylococcal peroxidase inhibitor.
The heme enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a key player in the innate immune system. MPO produces reactive oxidants which indiscriminately kill
pathogens in the neutrophils’ phagosome. Staphylococcus aureus however can escape this fate, partly with the small protein SPIN (Staphylococcal
Peroxidase Inhibitor) which specifically inhibits myeloperoxidase in a complex manner. We solved crystal structures of MPO with SPIN-aureus, a truncated
variant and together with biological substrates to unravel the role of SPIN’s two domains in SPIN-aureus binding to MPO. We show that the C-terminal
“recognition” domain mediates specific binding to MPO. N-terminal “inhibitory” domain binding relies on hydrophobic effects and is less sequence-de-
pendent. Inhibition of MPO is achieved by reducing substrate migration but SPIN-aureus cannot completely block MPO activity. Its’ effectiveness is
inversely related to substrate size, with no other discernible factors. Aberrant MPO activity is implicated in many chronic inflammatory diseases and
SPIN-aureus is the first promising protein inhibitor.

Poster 3 – Celine Sin (Max Perutz)

Gene regulatory network remodeling through embryo development.
During embryo development, gene regulatory networks (GRNs) orchestrate dynamically changing gene expression programs to enable the complex
process of coordinated cell differentiation juxtaposed with stable maintenance of diverse cell types. Key transcription factors have been identified
to promote certain differentiation events, but it is not clear how GRNs can produce the dynamic range of expression programs. Network theory has
demonstrated numerous relationships between the structure of networks and the dynamic processes arising from them, but these principles have not
been linked to GRNs. We harmonized 21 scRNA-seq datasets (~5 million cells) following human embryo development to build a series of GRNs resolved
to cell types and developmental time. We trace pseudotime trajectories and reconstruct the transcriptomic manifold to evaluate for expression program
stability, attraction points, and bifurcation points. These local manifold properties are tied to the dynamic processes controlling cell fates and by linking
them to topological structure of the underlying GRNs, we will better understand GRN remodeling and how this contributes to the enormous dynamic
range of expression programs. Our findings guide future research in cell differentiation and are particularly relevant for the development of early embryo
organoids.

Poster 4 – Elizabeth Hollwey (ISTA)

Unified establishment and epigenetic inheritance of DNA methylation through cooperative MET1
activity
Methylation of CG dinucleotides (mCG), which regulates eukaryotic genome functions, is epigenetically propagated by Dnmt1/MET1 methyltransferases.
How mCG is established and transmitted across generations despite imperfect enzyme fidelity remains mysterious. We show that MET1 de novo activity,
which is enhanced by existing proximate methylation, seeds and stabilizes mCG in Arabidopsis thaliana genes. MET1 activity is restricted by active
demethylation and suppressed by histone variant H2A.Z. Based on these observations, we develop a mathematical model that precisely recapitulates
mCG inheritance dynamics and predicts intragenic mCG patterns and their population-scale variation given only CG site spacing as input. The model
reveals that intragenic mCG undergoes large, millennia-long epigenetic fluctuations, and can therefore mediate evolution on this timescale. Our results
demonstrate how genic methylation patterns are created, reconcile imperfect mCG maintenance with long-term stability, and establish a quantitative
model that unifies the establishment and epigenetic inheritance of mCG.

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Poster 5 – Sebastian Antreich (BOKU)
Unlock the walnut: Shell development of Juglans regia visualized in 3D.
The mature walnut shell is a rigid tissue, made entirely out of one cell type; 3D puzzle cells. These cells have multiple lobes interlocking with their neigh-
bouring cells forming a tough structure. To understand shell formation, we followed the walnut development with 3D methods including serial block
face-SEM and CT. During early morphogenesis, cell walls start to buckle causing the formation of cellulose reinforcements at sites with higher stresses.
There, the thickening acts like a belt, which restricts expansion and causes the cell to form multiple lobes. When sclerification starts, the interlocked cells
form secondary cell walls and incorporate lignin. This process is supported by an extensive pit channel network connecting the whole shell tissue. After
sclerification of the shell, the inner tissue dries via the intercellular space to prevent the seed from moulding. Finally, the shell is ready to fulfil its task as a
tough protective envelope.

Poster 6 – Miguel Vallebueno (GMI)

Maize adaptation to changing environments.
All organisms must contend with rapidly changing environments in the face of climate change in order to ensure the survival of the population.
Domesticated plants, with a 10,000 year history of adapting to new environments, provide an excellent model for understanding genetic responses to
changing climate as well as domestication genetics. Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays), a globally critical crop plant with extensive genomic resources, was
domesticated from the tropical grass teosinte (Zea mays spp. parviglumis). Although maize demographics during domestication and improvement were
not straightforward., populations fluctuated as people moved maize into increasingly novel environments, resulting in a wide variety of adaptations to
different environments in a short period of time. Maize has a complex demographic history and archaeological samples represent a unique opportunity
to directly sample ancient diversity and to evaluate allelic combinations not present in extant samples in the context of changing environments.

Poster 7 – Rupert Mayer (IMP)

Micropillar array chromatography, wide window acquisition and AI-based data analysis enable deep
coverage in single cell and other proteomics applications.
A comprehensive proteome map is essential to elucidate molecular pathways and protein functions. Despite tremendous progress in proteomics,
current studies still suffer from limited proteomic coverage and dynamic range. Here, we present an optimized platform utilizing prototype micro
pillar array columns (µPAC) in combination with wide-window acquisition (WWA) and the AI-based CHIMERYS search engine to achieve outstanding
comprehensiveness in several proteomics applications. µPAC allow to identify <50% more peptides and 24% more proteins, while offering improved
throughput. Combining wide precursor isolation widths with the CHIMERYS search engine identified 51-74% more proteins and 59-150% more peptides
at a well-controlled FDR. As opposed to a conventional workflow, our entire optimized workflow discovered 141% more proteins for a PPI study on the
chromatin remodeler Smarca5/Snf2h, yielding 92% more interactors. These comprise known Smarca5 interactors and undescribed ones including Arid1a,
which is another chromatin remodeler with key roles in neurodevelopmental and malignant disorders.

Poster 8 – Melina Kerou (Uni Wien)

Green Labs Austria, a network to promote sustainable lab practices in life science labs.

Poster 9 – Tushna Kapoor (ISTA)

Understanding the mechanistic basis of surface layer spreading in zebrafish epiboly.
Coordinated and large-scale reorganisation of embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues is a fundamental event during development, as it sets the
blueprint for the organismal body plan. One such highly conserved, major reorganisation event is epiboly, which involves the thinning and spreading
of tissue layers. During zebrafish embryogenesis, the blastoderm, and the yolk syncytial layer (YSL; a thin cytoplasmic layer over the yolk), undergo a
vegetally directed movement to accomplish blastopore closure. A number of studies have implicated the role of cytoskeletal forces, particularly an
actomyosin network, in providing the force required for this highly coordinated tissue spreading. However, the specific roles and contributions of the
different tissue layers in driving this process is unclear. In this study, we have established a technique, wherein by removing the blastoderm altogether,
we obtain embryos in which we can measure epiboly dynamics without the influence of the overlying blastoderm cells. We find that in the absence
of the blastoderm, the embryos have altered actin dynamics, and that they also epibolise faster than normal embryos. Furthermore, we find that the
now-exposed YSL layer also exhibits dynamic actin pulsations, which may contribute to the forces required for driving epiboly. Altogether, this work aims
to tease apart the tissue-specific contributions of how cytoskeletal forces and tissue mechanics function independently, and in concert, to orchestrate
embryo-scale morphogenesis.

13 | PoND
 Poster 10 – Chaitanya Chintaluri (ISTA)
The vanishing dopamine in Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease (PD), characterized by the absence of dopamine in the striatum, is caused by the death of the substantia nigra pars compacta
dopamine (SNcDA) neurons in the mid-brain. The cause of this cell loss is attributed to irreparable damage due to a dysregulation cascade originating
from excess cytosolic dopamine. However, it is unresolved if dopamine dysregulation in SNcDA neurons themselves is the cause of PD or if it is a mere
symptom. Here, we introduce a theory of specialized non-causal action potentials that serve metabolic homeostasis called ‘metabolic spikes’ which can
account for spontaneous activity observed in many neuron types including SNcDA. We propose that loss of these metabolic spikes in SNcDA can account
for both, the cause of PD and the subsequent dopamine dysregulation.

Poster 11 – Gayathri Singaraju (ISTA)

Exploring the role of cytoplasmic organization in during early embryogenesis.
Recent studies on Xenopus egg extracts demonstrated that the cytoplasm can self-organise into cell-like compartments that undergo consecutive
rounds of reductive divisions. This self-organising capacity relies on the interaction between neighbouring asters. This is reminiscent of the situation in
syncytial Drosophila embryos, where aster-aster repulsion is thought to determine the positioning of nuclei during blastoderm cellularisation. However,
mechanism(s) by which neighbouring asters repulse each other, thereby establishing robust microtubule exclusion zones, are only poorly understood.
To obtain insight into this process, we turned to early cleavage-stage zebrafish embryos, which we found to self-organise into cell-like compartments
undergoing consecutive rounds of reductive divisions, when cytokinesis was suppressed. Interestingly, 3D-shape analyses of these cell-like compart-
ments showed that their size and spatiotemporal division pattern in syncytial embryos closely resembled the situation in intact embryos undergoing
cytokinesis. Furthermore, similar to previous studies, we observed that these embryonic cell-like compartments were formed by microtubule exclusion
zones. These zones appear to form by antiparallel microtubule overlap between neighbouring asters, locally depolymerizing microtubules. Notably, and
different from the situation in Xenopus and Drosophila, we also found that F-actin accumulated at exclusion zones, important for proper compartment
formation and division orientation. Collectively, our work suggests that compartment formation is driven by both the local depolymerization of
microtubules at sites where neighbouring asters meet and subsequent recruitment of actin and other proteins that are typically present at forming
cleavage furrows during cytokinesis.

Poster 12 – Jaime Felipe Guerrero Garzón (Uni Wien)

Class IV lasso peptides synergistically induce proliferation of cancer cells and sensitize them to
doxorubicin.
Genome analysis of an Amycolatopsis sp. has led to the identification of a unique lasso peptide biosynthetic gene cluster. Heterologous expression of the
cluster accompanied with the overexpression of a LuxR regulator in Streptomyces host resulted in the production of two novel class IV lasso peptides,
felipeptins A1 and A2. Combination of the two felipeptins triggered proliferation of cancer cells, while having no effect on normal cells. Further studies
showed that felipeptins downregulate the tumor suppressor Rb in pre-treated cancer cells. Additionally, felipeptins pre-treatment made cancer cells
more sensitive to doxorubicin and re-sensitized doxorubicin-resistant cells to this anticancer agent. NMR analysis and binding experiments revealed a
molecular interaction between felipeptins leading to formation of a complex, which likely explains their synergistic activity on cancer cells. This work
might open the possibility for an alternative treatment of cancer, helping to eliminate quiescent cells that often lead to cancer relapse.

Poster 13 – Magdalena Picher (ISTA)

Burst coding in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons in vivo.
The hippocampal CA3 region plays an important role in episodic memory retrieval. Synapses between CA3 pyramidal neurons (PNs) are hypothesized to
be endowed with Hebbian synaptic plasticity to support pattern completion (Guzman et al., 2016, Science 353, 1117–1123). Recent evidence suggests
heterogeneity within CA3. First, the CA3 cell population exhibits an anatomical gradient in terms of functional properties and connectivity along the
proximo-distal axis (Kowalski et al., 2016, Hippocampus 26, 668–682). Moreover, a novel type of CA3 PNs was described, which lacks DG granule cell input
and was implicated in sharp-wave generation (Hunt et al., 2018, Nat. Neurosci. 21, 985–995). However, behavioral implication of the described CA3 PN
heterogeneity remain enigmatic. To shed light on cellular mechanisms and intrinsic parameters involved in CA3 PN activity, we combine intracellular
patch-clamp and multisite extracellular recordings in head-fixed mice navigating on a linear treadmill apparatus. While animals run for a water reward, a
series of somatosensory cues are presented to record sequential place-field activity. To correlate the anatomical position and morphological properties of
CA3 PNs with their activity pattern, recorded neurons are filled with biocytin for post-hoc morphological analysis. In total, we recorded from 40 morpho-
logically identified CA3 neurons (ntotal=61). To characterize information output by CA3 PNs we analyzed the suprathreshold activity during running and
immobile periods. CA3 PNs are very active (mean firing rate of 2.7±0.4 Hz) and their inter-spike-interval (ISI) distribution can be described by 4 Gaussian
log-normal components. Both single action potentials (APs) and bursts of APs can be observed, but burst firing is more frequent (mean burst Index: 0.92).
During theta modulation, spiking is phase-locked to the ascending theta phase. To elucidate intracellular subthreshold mechanisms underlying such
heterogeneous firing, we investigated membrane potential dynamics during quiet-run transitions, showing that CA3 PNs hyperpolarise (3.6%) and depo-
larise (3.2%) during running periods. As previously shown in CA1 place cells, CA3 PNs display intracellular theta modulation during running periods with
single APs being phase-locked to peak and descending theta cycle. Analysis of spatial tuning revealed that place cell firing in CA3 PNs was substantially
less prominent than previously described in CA1, suggesting that the activity of CA3 PNs is primarily governed by internal synaptic computations.

PoND | 14
Poster 14 – Narakorn Khunweeraphong (Max Perutz)
Mechanisms of drug transport and recognition at the binding pockets of a triple-gate ABCG2.
The human ABCG2 plays critical roles in physiological detoxification and in anticancer multidrug resistance (MDR), displaying a broad range of drug
substrate specificity. ABCG2 transporter in the inward-facing state reveal two distinct cavities (central cavity and upper cavity), that are delimited by three
respective gates (intracellular gate, hydrophobic valve, and extracellular lid), all in all building the drug translocation channel. However, the molecular
mechanisms of drug recognition at distinct binding sites, the route of drug extrusion and the gating mechanisms through the transporter core remain
ambiguous if not controversial. Molecular docking approaches identify five binding cavities with corresponding affinity scores in ABCG2 fold, revealing
a possible path for substrate transport. Of note, the binding sites at both triple helical bundles (THB) predict sites of substrate access via the intracellular
entry gate, in which the three residues E451, E446 and D477 are critical for function. The binding region in the central cavity is rather voluminous and
surrounded by a cluster of three conserved phenylalanines (F439-F432-F431). Biochemical assays with conformational analysis illustrate the dynamic
movements during drug recognition and suggest functional roles as “clamp-push-seal arms” to dive drug movement towards the upper cavity. Finally,
extracellular lid architecture acts as the third gate to facilitate drug release from the upper cavity into the extracellular space. This work study provides
mechanistic insights for a better understanding of drug recognition and gating mechanisms through the drug translocation channel, including the order
of events driving ABCG2-mediated drug efflux.

Poster 15 – Olha Schneider (Uni Wien)

Synthetic biology for drug discovery from bacteria.
The need for new drugs, in particular antibiotics, is urgent, and natural products represent a rich source of potential drug candidates. Bacteria of the order
Actinomycetalis are well-known producers of secondary metabolites (SMs), many of which have been developed into successful drugs against a wide
range of diseases (e.g. anti-bacterial vancomycin and erythromycin or anti-tumor drugs bleomycin and doxorubicin). Genome sequencing revealed an
enormous ability of these bacteria to produce SMs, as each genome can contain up to 50 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), i.e. groups of genes encoding
biosynthesis of structurally diverse SMs. However, only a few SMs are produced by bacteria in laboratory conditions, since the majority of BGCs (so-called
cryptic BGCs) are not expressed due to a lack of specific environmental stimuli. To circumvent this problem, a new concept of “genome mining” has been
developed. We can genetically manipulate the cryptic BGCs, which may specify potentially new compounds, to activate their expression and to identify
their products. This can be done using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system, allowing to precisely modify the BGCs and stimulate the production of
new, potentially bioactive, compounds. Using the approaches of synthetic biology it is also possible to construct new genetic “devices”, which are not only
able to activate the biosynthesis of SMs of our interest but also to detect their production with a help of compound-specific biosensors.

Poster 16 – Olga Sekurova (Uni Wien)

Synthetic biology for drug discovery from bacteria.
The need for new drugs, in particular antibiotics, is urgent, and natural products represent a rich source of potential drug candidates. Bacteria of the order
Actinomycetalis are well-known producers of secondary metabolites (SMs), many of which have been developed into successful drugs against a wide
range of diseases (e.g. anti-bacterial vancomycin and erythromycin or anti-tumor drugs bleomycin and doxorubicin). Genome sequencing revealed an
enormous ability of these bacteria to produce SMs, as each genome can contain up to 50 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), i.e. groups of genes encoding
biosynthesis of structurally diverse SMs. However, only a few SMs are produced by bacteria in laboratory conditions, since the majority of BGCs (so-called
cryptic BGCs) are not expressed due to a lack of specific environmental stimuli. To circumvent this problem, a new concept of “genome mining” has been
developed. We can genetically manipulate the cryptic BGCs, which may specify potentially new compounds, to activate their expression and to identify
their products. This can be done using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system, allowing to precisely modify the BGCs and stimulate the production of
new, potentially bioactive, compounds. Using the approaches of synthetic biology it is also possible to construct new genetic “devices”, which are not only
able to activate the biosynthesis of SMs of our interest, but also to detect their production with a help of compound-specific biosensors.

15 | PoND
 Poster 17 – Shamsi Emtenani (IMBA)
Investigating the role of (copy) neutral loss of heterozygosity (cnLOH) in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
(TSC) tumorigenesis.
One crucial mechanism driving malignancy is the loss or inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs), endowing cells with the ability to control
proliferation. In many tumor cell types, TSG mutations can become homozygous by copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity (cnLOH), an event in which the
entire segment of one chromosome is lost and replaced with the remaining mutant allele. This genomic aberration constitutes as a predisposition factor
for the development of both low- and high-grade tumors and is commonly associated with poor cancer prognosis. Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC)
is an autosomal disease in which TSC patients carry germline or somatic mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 genes, encoding inhibitors of mTOR signaling. TSC
involves the formation of initially benign brain tumors with a potential to develop more aggressive astrocytomas and even lethal invasive glioblastomas.
Nevertheless, it is still unclear in specific tumor contexts which exact mechanisms could underlie cnLOH during tumorigenesis. My project aims at
bridging this gap by utilizing a unique 3D cell culture model of human cerebral organoids (CORs) in which cnLOH occurs reproducibly in a tumor-relevant
context. This would allow the screening of genetic manipulations and uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying cnLOH during tumorigenesis.
Taking the advantage of TSC2+/- cortical organoids (CORs) in vitro model, I am generating the tools that will aid me to follow cnLOH event in live cells by
uniquely labelling the two alleles of TSC2 locus with distinct fluorophores. I introduced two distinct fluorophores on each allele in the genomic vicinity
of TSC2 gene in isogenic patient-derived TSC2+/- and TSC2+/+ iPSCs. Upon cnLOH, one fluorophore will be eliminated while the second is duplicated,
creating a unique and easily detectable indicator for cnLOH. Since TSC2 mutant undergoes telomeric cnLOH, I have inserted the fluorophores hemizy-
gously into an intergenic region upstream of TSC2 towards the telomere. So far, I have generated sensor lines with the bright and stable fluorophores
to allow visualization of cnLOH in a complex 3D tissue. I will utilize the stable sensor lines to determine the precise kinetics and cells of origin related to
the onset of cnLOH in TSC2 CORs. Generally, cnLOH of TSGs is thought to provide growth advantages in proliferative cells. However, our current evidence
demonstrates that cnLOH events can lead to a significant growth disadvantage in iPSCs as well as during early corticogenesis. Thus, I am generating a
second sensor line expressing destabilized fluorophores by which I can dynamically visualize cnLOH event and analyze those cells undergone cnLOH as
early as possible. In next step, to find out the negative regulators of TSC2 cnLOH, I will perform the genome-wide screening assay on iPSCs harboring
the destabilized cnLOH sensor. For that, I will infect the sensor line by the library of retroviruses to introduce gene knock-outs and subsequent cnLOH
events. Afterwards, I will isolate cells undergone cnLOH by FACS and perform genome genomic sequencing analysis to identify the sgRNAs responsible
for the event. By elucidating the underlying mechanisms generating cnLOH in TSGs, this study would shed more light on the initiation and progression of
tumorigenesis and its regulators. Therefore, we anticipate that our project results would potentially facilitate the discovery of novel drug targets for the
treatment of tumors associated with this process.

Poster 18 - Marta Palomo Irigoyen (MedUni Wien)

The role of S100A8, S100A9 and Calprotectin in skin inflammation
Skin diseases affect 900 million people worldwide. Skin colonization by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a hallmark of Atopic Dermatitis (AD), the
most common inflammatory skin disease (ISD). The expression of alarmins such as S100A8 (A8), S100A9 (A9) and their heterodimer Calprotectin (CP) that
can act as an antimicrobial peptide limiting bacterial overgrowth, was reported to be elevated in ISDs, which likely influences S. aureus growth. However,
the involvement of A8/A9 in AD and S. aureus infection is not fully understood. In the JunBΔep genetic mouse model of AD, constitutive epidermal
deletion of JunB leads to skin inflammation with S. aureus colonization and to a myeloproliferative disease with multi-organ involvement. Here, we
assess the contribution of A9 and CP in JunBΔep S100a9-/- compound mutants. Global inactivation of A9 in AD-like disease prevented SA colonization
in the skin and improved skin lesions with decreased neutrophil recruitment and reduced inflammatory mediators including G-CSF and IL-17A. Ongoing
experiments aim to identify cell specific function of A9 involved in ISD, using new transgenic mice with conditional epidermal deletion of A9 (JunBΔep
A9Δep) and bone marrow chimeras lacking A9 in neutrophils, achieved by transplanting bone marrow from mice with Mrp8-Cre mediated A9 inactiva-
tion, into JunBΔep mice, with the ultimate goal to prevent or ameliorate ISD.

Poster 19 – David Cocovi (BOKU)

Portable HPLC under 3 kg.
There is a growing interest in assessing quality and authenticity of food commodities in the field since it will increase the assessment confidence and
minimize the duration and economic impact of the analysis. In the present project we are redesigning the components of a commercial high perfor-
mance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system in order to make it handheld. Gradient pumps are substituted by a single bidirectional medium-pressure
pump, and the gradient is generated with piezoelectric or electroosmotic assistance. The sample preparation robot and autosampler are replaced by a
custom valve prototype that can perform inline sample preparation including turbulent flow chromatography. Optical or electrochemical detection will
be used until standalone ion mobility spectrometry is available. The system is currently powered by USB-C and weighs < 3 kg including the power bank
that allows it to run for 16h.

PoND | 16
Poster 20 – Wouter Masselink (IMP)
Somitogenesis-independent tail regeneration in axolotl
Axolotl tail regeneration is a remarkable example of accurate vertebrate primary body axis regeneration. Prior research has indicated that axolotl limb
regeneration requires the dedifferentiation and proliferation of connective tissue cells, followed by the redeployment of embryonic tissue patterning pro-
grams. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in tail regeneration have remained unclear. In this study, we show that tail regeneration
in axolotls is dependent on tendon-like resident progenitor cells located at the myo-tendinous junction (MTJ), which can contribute to all major somitic
lineages. Moreover using somitic clock mutants we show that these cells pattern the regenerating tail through a somitogenesis independent program.
Our findings reveal that multiple mechanisms of appendage regeneration can exist in a single species. In the future we aim to decipher the mechanism of
tissue patterning and scaling which allows for accurate vertebrae patterning regardless the size of the axolotl.

Poster 21 – Christiano Ramos (MedUni Wien)

Metastatic colorectal carcinoma-associated fibroblasts display an IGFBP2-dependent
immunosuppressive effect on the tumour microenvironment
Fibroblasts are the major cellular component of tumour microenvironment (TME). In addition to their supportive effect on tumour cells, there is growing
evidence that fibroblasts also modulate the immune microenvironment in tumours. We investigated the differences in fibroblast-mediated immune
modulation between primary CRC and peritoneal metastasis. Cancer associated fibroblasts were isolated from primary cancer (CAFs) and from peritoneal
metastases (MAFs) from a total of 57 patients. Gene expression analysis was performed on CAFs and MAFs to identify differential gene expression. To
test their possible immunomulatory effects, fibroblasts were co-cultured with monocyte-derived macrophages (Mφs) or triple co-cultured with Mφs and
T cells. Triple co-culture assays revealed that this differential secretome induced a decreased activation of macrophages and T-cells. Silencing of IGFBP2
abolished these immunosuppressive effects of MAFs. Taken together, these results show that MAFs contribute to an immunosuppressive TME in CRC
metastasis.

Poster 22 – Julian Holzinger (Max Perutz)

NMR and the Order of the PROTAC
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are heterobifunctional molecules which aim to degrade a protein of interest (POI) by hijacking the ubiqui-
tin-proteasome system. They are designed to simultaneously bind to both an E3 ligase and the POI in order to form a ternary complex and finally to
ubiquitinate the POI by the E3 ligase, thereby marking it for proteasomal degradation. The linker of these two ligands is rather flexible and can exhibit
different levels of complexity. Its characteristics turned out to be important for the desired potency and suitable pharmacokinetic properties. Further-
more, the linker composition affects the conformational behaviour of the PROTAC in solution, which is important for the understanding of its free energy
of binding to its targets. NMR spectroscopy helps us with the structural elucidation of the PROTAC molecule in solution. The determined distance and
geometrical constraints are used in DFT/MD calculations/simulations in order to determine the conformational ensemble of the PROTAC molecule.

Poster 23 - David Moersdorf (Uni Wien)

Investigating the mechanisms of BMP signaling-mediated secondary body axis patterning in
Nematostella vectensis
The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway has conserved functions in animal development. In Bilateria, an interplay of BMPs and their
inhibitor Chordin is responsible for the formation and patterning of the secondary (dorsoventral) body axis. The so-called shuttling mechanism is an
accepted model explaining this interplay in several bilaterian models, including fruit flies and frogs. Intriguingly, BMP shuttling has also been suggested
to underlie secondary (directive) axis patterning in a non-bilaterian, the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis (a sea anemone). However, mechanistic proof
for this hypothesis is lacking, as the BMP-Chordin interaction remains uncharacterized at the molecular level in Nematostella.
To reveal how Nematostella BMPs and Chordin interact to pattern the secondary axis, I examine how BMP function is regulated by Chordin. As Cnidaria
are the sister group to all Bilateria, understanding BMP-mediated patterning in Nematostella will help us understand how secondary axes were possibly
patterned in the cnidarian-bilaterian ancestor.

17 | PoND
 Poster 24 – Ursula Schöberl (IMP)
Somatic hypermutation spectra are independent of the local transcriptional and epigenetic landscape
Somatic hypermutation (SHM) of Immunoglobulin (IG) variable regions is the molecular basis for the diversification of antibodies in response to patho-
gens and vaccines and is hence indispensable for robust long-term immunity. Mutations are introduced by Activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID)
in a co-transcriptional manner resulting in discrete mutation spectra. AID acts co-transcriptionally on single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) at preferred motifs.
However, AID target motifs show a substantial range of mutation frequencies and this differential mutability leads to characteristically discrete mutation
spectra at different variable regions. There a plethora of studies correlating SHM with the transcription and epigenetic landscapes but with no direct
evidence for the role in SHM. AID interacts with transcription elongation complexes and current models posit that Aid acts at sites of RNA Polymerase (Pol
II) pausing, initiation or convergent transcription because these sites are associated with transiently exposed ssDNA. However, here too, the evidence is
correlative in nature. As a result, the precise relationship between SHM and the transcriptional landscape, particularly the generation of discrete spectra,
remains a major open question in the field. To delineate the relationship between SHM and the transcriptional landscape, we directly compared mutation
and nascent transcription at single nucleotide resolution across multiple human and mouse Ig variable regions as well as at a collection of 275 non-IG
SHM target genes. Surprisingly, with this precision, SHM spectra do not correlate with any transcriptional feature at human and mouse variable regions
and non-Immunoglobulin AID targets. Moreover, SHM is resistant to up to 4-fold reduction of both activating epigenetic marks and transcription. We
propose that, following AID recruitment to its target genes, the DNA sequence flanking an AID target motif is the key determinant of mutability rather
than the local transcriptional and chromatin landscape.

Poster 25 – Dimitrii Kamenev (Uni Wien)

Exploring promoter-driven neuronal to muscle cell fate transformations in N. vectensis
In recent years, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis has emerged as a novel model organism among cnidarians. Being a sister group to bilaterians,
it holds the key to addressing numerous fundamental questions in evolutionary developmental biology. N. vectensis muscles can be categorized into
two types based on contraction speed: slow and fast. Intriguingly, while most muscles of both types originate from the endo(meso)derm, a unique
population of ectodermal tentacle retractor muscles has been discovered (Cole et al., 2023). These ectodermal muscle cells co-express muscle-specific
genes alongside Elav and other neuronal markers, and their anatomy intriguingly mirrors neurons to some extent. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)
transcription factor Nem64 is specifically linked to these tentacle retractor muscles, as the knockout of the nem64 gene yields no apparent phenotype
besides the loss of tentacle mobility due to muscle ablation (Cole et al., 2023).
In our study, we aim to express nem64 under the SoxB2 promoter, a known pro-neuronal marker, to potentially alter neuronal development and steer cell
fate towards muscle by activating the downstream nem64 program. Preliminary results have shown an unexpected phenotype of endodermal cell loss
and aberrant muscle formation. Ongoing experiments include inducible lineage cell tracing to better decipher developmental time windows and achieve
more precise control over ectopic expression. Our research promises to shed light on the complex interplay between muscle and neuronal development
and cell fate decisions.

Poster 26 – Jorge Enrique Hernandez Gonzalez (Uni Wien)

Computational discovery of inhibitors against staphylococcal exfoliative toxins.
Staphylococcus aureus strains can produce exfoliative toxinsm, which are glutamyl endopeptidases that cause extensive damage to the skin of humans,
especially newborn babies by cleaving the skin protein desmoglein 1. In this work, we are screening comercial libraries of compounds to find the first hits
to be reported against this kind of enzymes. Methods like virtual screening, MD simulations and free energy calculations are combined to help us find the
new molecules.

PoND | 18
List of attendees, affiliation, keyword Dario Rizzotto
CeMM
p53, cell cycle, cell death, caspases,
cell division

Abhishek Mishra Anne Le Maitre Chaitanya Chintaluri Darrin Schultz

Uni Wien
Uni Wien Uni Wien ISTA
Nematostella, Nervous system, Evolvability, ear, mammal, bird, mitochondria, ion channels, neuro- genomics, evolution, bioinformatics,
Evodevo geometric morphometrics science, neurotheory, parkinsons’ non-model organism
disease
Agnieszka Razim Ann-Katrin Hopp David Cocovi
MedUni Wien CeMM Charlotte Goursot BOKU
bacteria, probiotics, allergy, birch metabolism, solute carrier, VetMedUni microfluidics, portable chromatog-
pollen bicarbonate behaviour, animal welfare, raphy, foodomics
neurosciences
Alazne Dominguez-Monedero Atiye S. Moghaddam David Mörsdorf
MedUni Wien MedUni Wien Charlotte Zajc Uni Wien
Isoform-specific functions of the HREM, 3D imaging, Atherosclerosis, BOKU Development; BMP signaling;
transcription factor MAZR Carotid body, Glomus body Immunology, Protein engineering, patterning; dorsoventral;
Drug screening, CAR T cells,
Alexander Hanzl Audrey Mat Biochemistry
Davis Alexander Beltran
CeMM Max Perutz Henriquez
Chemical Biology, TPD, Proximity Biological rhythms - marine biology Cheryl van de Wetering Max Perutz
inducing pharmacology - deep-sea - mussels - worms CeMM cloning, Luciferase, protein network,
Immunity, RNA biology, metabolism MAPK, Mass spectrometry
Aliyeh Salehi Barbara Bachmann
BOKU Ludwig Boltzmann Ge- Chong Li Denis Tatone
Organic farming, Biodiversity, Soil, sellschaft IMBA Central European University
Skin tissue engineering and wound
plant quality Brain organoids, neurodevelopment, social cognition, cognitive devel-
models
ASD, CRISPR, Single cell RNA-seq opment, infants, social relations,
Ana Paunkov Benjamin-Layla Hamid prosociality
MedUni Wien VetMedUni Christian Umkehrer
Microbiology, Molecular biology,
Immunology, Pigs
Boehringer Ingelheim Diego Rodriguez Terrones
Antimicrobial resistance, Anaerobic Cancer, drug resistance, cancer evo- IMBA
organisms
Bethany Dearlove lution, lineage tracing, barcoding transposons, regeneration,
evolution
MedUni Wien
Anastasia Polikarpova genomic epidemiology; phylody-
Christine Syrowatka
IMP namics; viruses; infectious disease
ISTA Dmitrii Kamenev
Bone, fracture, regeneration
dynamics; viral evolution
Genomics, Machine Learning, Uni Wien
Epistasis Nematostella, developmental
Andreas Lackner Birgit Ritschka biology, neurons
MedUni Wien IMP Cosmin Ciotu
stem cells, placenta, epigenetics,
RPE, regeneration, aging, AMD
MedUni Wien Ekaterina Krasnopeeva
differentiation, development Pain, Nociceptors, Ion channels, ISTA
Andreas Teuschl-Woller Carolina Barata Calcium imaging bacteria, biophysics, single-mole-
cule tracking, microscopy, diffusion
ISTA
TU Sexual dimorphism, gene expres-
Cristiano Ramos
biomaterials, bioreactors, tissue
sion, single-cell RNAseq
MedUni Wien Elad Bassat
engineering, stem cell, structural Colorectal cancer, Metastasis, IMP
proteins
Carolina Camelo Cancer-associated fibroblasts, Tumor
immunology, Tumor-associated
Awesomeness, Axolotl, Heart,
Regeneration
Andreu Bonet Navarro ISTA
macrophages
embryogenesis, cytoskeleton,
ISTA Eleni Petsouki
Laboratory automation, Robotics,
cell-cell adhesion, embryo topology
Cristina Quesada Candela Uni Wien
Thermoelectric materials, Thin films
Caterina Vizzardelli Max Perutz AMP(K)lifying Nrf2 target gene
manufacture, Spraying. Meiotic entry in C. elegans expression
MedUni Wien
Anna Igolkina Allergy, anaphylaxis, humanized
NSG mice, allergen-specific T cell
Daniel Grabarczyk Elizabeth Hollwey
GMI IMP ISTA
lines, mast cells
trasposons, mobilome, genome ubiquitin, protein quality control, Epigenetics Arabidopsis Methylation
dynamics, arabidopsis
Celine Sin E3 ligases, innate immune system,
structural biology
gbM
Max Perutz
Anna Kusienicka Eva-Sophie Wallner
MedUni Wien gene regulatory networks, embryo
development, cell differentiation,
Daria Riabov GMI
colorectal cancer, tumor-associated IMP meristem, Marchantia, spore, cell
single cell, networks
macrophages, immune checkpoints, spliceosome, splicing, RNA, cryo-em division, fate
CRISPR screens, functional systems
biology

19 | PoND
Everton Dias D’Andrea Georg MLynek Jan Korbel Kateryna Starynets
ISTA Uni Wien MedUni Wien MedUni Wien
Membrane proteins; Mitochon- drug design, filamin, structural Statistical physics, opinion dynam- Gardia lamblia
drial Import Protein; Alpha-helical biology ics, sociophysics, group formation,
insertase; Cryo-EM; ssNMR. self-assembly Katie Emelianova
Gil Yardeni Uni Wien
Fabian Offensperger BOKU Jasmine Loveland Adaptation, genome evolution,
CeMM crop species, genomics, evolu- Uni Wien transposable elements
Targeted Protein Degradation, tionary biology, bioinformatics, Chromosome inversion, Neurobi-
reproductive systems ology, Transcriptomics, Aggression, Katya Stansfield
Fana Alem Kidane Courtship, Alternative mating Uni Wien
MedUni Wien Gil Yardeni tactics, Ruffs Motion analysis, biomechanics,
Chronic rhinosinusitis, Asthma, BOKU obstetrical dilemma
united airways, immunology, evolutionary biology, crop plant, Javier Orihuel
microbiome. reproductive systems, genomics LBI Kyojiro Ikeda
Senescence Aging Alcohol Max Perutz
Farhad Chariyev-Prinz Giulia Cimarelli Wound-healing Cell Biology, actin cytoskeleton,
BOKU VetMedUni bristle worm, 3D-printing
Hydrogel, tissue engineering, Dogs, social learning, domestication, Johanna Schaffenrath
bioreactors behaviour, cognition MedUni Wien Laura Bella Naumann
Cancer cancer-associated-cachexia ISTA
Federico Teloni Heidar Heidari Khoei neuronal networks, cortical
IMBA IMBA Johannes Schmoellerl interneuron circuits, inhibition,
chromosome architecture, sister Human blastocyst implantation IMP modulation
chromatids, cohesin, DNA damage, Cancer, Drug Synergy, CRISPR
double strand breaks repair Heiko Schmidt Screens, In vivo models Laura Kracht
Max Perutz IMBA
Flavia Corsi Phylogenetics, Phylogenomics, Jorge Hernandez Brain organoids, microglia,
IMBA Evolution, Model selection Uni Wien development, autism, CRISPR/Cas9
sister chromatid cohesion, loop exfoliative toxins, virtual screening, screen
extrusion, cohesin, genome Helena Okulski MD simulations, drug discovery,
organization, polymer modeling IMP docking Laura Sanchez Burgos
Epigenetic gene regulation, limb IMP
Francesco Piras regeneration, axolotl Julia Arand Cancer, drug resistance, single-cell,
CeMM MedUni Wien KRAS
CAR T cell, immunotherapy, tumor Henrique Colaco Epigenetics, DNA Methylation, Germ
microenvironment CeMM Cells, Embryology, Stem Cells Lena Müller
Ammonia, immunometabolism, MedUni Wien
Fränze Müller sickness behavior, viral infection, Julia Bubis Julia Bubis Mass Cytometry
Max Perutz / IMP gut-brain axis IMP
crosslinking mass spectrometry, proteomics, single-cell proteomics Lena Münzker
proteomics, method development, Henry Obeng Darko Boehringer Ingelheim
in-cell crosslinking Boehringer Ingelheim Julia Leodolter PROTAC, E3 Ligase, Structural
Pharmacokinetic evaluation of IMP Biology
Franziska Lorbeer pro-drugs bacPROTAC, Arginine phosphoryla-
IMP tion, Protein Arginine Kinase Leo Otsuki
Transcription, Bursting, Gene Ilse Krätschmer IMP
regulation, Noise, Drosophila ISTA Julian Holzinger Regeneration; Axolotl; Limb;
multi-trait, Bayesian method, quanti- Max Perutz Positional identity; Spinal cord
Gabor Tajti tative genetics, statistical modeling PROTAC NMR conformations
MedUni Wien ensemble Lesly Calderon
SARS-CoV-2, innate sensing, mono- Jacqueline Bitai IMP
cytes, TLR, alternative receptors Boehringer Ingelheim Juraj Konc Immunology, B cells, antibodies,
cancer research, medicinal CCRI plasmablasts, Crispr/Cas9 screen
Gary Tin chemistry, pro drugs, pediatric cancer, neuroblastoma,
CeMM targeted therapy, immunotherapy Lia Heinemann Yerushalmi
Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Jaime Felipe Guerrero Garzón ISTA
Proteomics, Drug Discovery, Drug Uni Wien Kalina Duszka early embryogenesis; development;
Design Drug discovery, Pharmaceutical bio- Uni Wien metabolism; ascidians; zebrafish
technology, secondary metabolites, GI tract, bile acids, taurine,
Gayathri Singaraju lasso peptides microbiota, nutrition Maayan (Maya) Levy
ISTA ISTA
Mitotic spindle, Zebrafish embryo, Jakub Bajzik Kamil Mieczkowski spiking neural networks, plasticity,
Cell-division, Mitochondria, ISTA MedUni Wien dynamics
Cytoplasmic compartmentalisation medical genomics, time-to-event, Atherosclerosis, psoriasis, chronic
large-scale modelling systemic inflammation, genetically Madhusudhan Bobbili
modified mouse models BOKU
Extracellular vesicles, Molecular
biology, cellular senescence, aging

PoND | 20
Magdalena Picher Miguel Vallebueno Olha Schneider Romina Gisonno
ISTA GMI Uni Wien ISTA
hippocampus, CA3, memory recall, Population-Genetics Maize Actinobacteria, drug discovery, Autism, brain development,
in-vivo, subthreshold activity Evolution Local-Adaptation secondary metabolites, synthetic secretome, proteomics, protein
biology library
Mahdi Mahmoudi Milica Vulin
ISTA IMP Pablo Rischbeck Roxane Licandro
Causal Inference, Graphical Models, Metastasis, immune evasion, lung BOKU MedUni Wien
cancer phenotyping, drought stress, fetal image analysis, automated
Manuel Matzinger imaging, cereals, agriculture microscopy, conditional machine
IMP Minerva Trejo learning, ex-vivo imaging, atlas
single-cell-proteomics, mass-spec- ISTA Pallavi Deolal learning
trometry, liquid chromatography, Epigenetics, Evolution, DNA Max Perutz
method development methylation Endoplasmic reticulum, autoph- Rupert Mayer
agy, nuclear homeostasis, CLEM, IMP
Maral Rahimzadeh Mirta Resetar organelle contact Single Cell Proteomics - Liquid
BOKU Uni Wien Chromatography
Gene Therapy natural products, nuclear receptors, Petra van der Lelij
metabolism IMP Sabryna Junker
Maria Depaoli sister chromatid cohesion, synthetic IMP
CeMM Monika Hunjadi lethality, cancer, drug discovery targeted protein degradation, pro-
Chromatin biology, protein ho- BOKU teomics, microbiology, BacPROTAC,
meostasis, ER Stress, BAF complex, IgM antibody, bioprocessing, Philipp Schatzlmaier mass spectrometry
fluorescence microscopy complement activation, stable MedUni Wien
recombinant protein expression, spectral flow immune cell pheno- Samuel Pastva
Marta Palomo Irigoyen protein quality atributes typing cholesterol autoimmunity ISTA
MedUni Wien computational biology, systems
Skin inflammation, Atopic Moritz Schaefer Pierre Bourguet biology, formal verification, Boolean
dermatitis, host-pathogen CeMM GMI networks, symbolic algorithms
interactions, antimicrobial peptide, Antibody design deep learning transposons, silencing, DNA
Staphylococcus aureus methylation, histone variants, Sandip Kamath
Nara Marella zinc-finger MedUni Wien
Martin Altvater CeMM food allergy, allergic sensitization,
BOKU Mass Spectrometry, Proteomics, Pietro Saggese maillard reaction, tropomyosin
Microbiology, Biotechnology, Drug Screening, Metabolomics, Complexity Science Hub
antibiotics, chemicals, sustainability Lipidomics Vienna
DeFi, Cryptoasset, distributed
Santiago Alonso Gil
Max Perutz
Martin Frauenlob Narakorn Khunweeraphong ledger, cryptocurrency exchange
Molecular dynamics, computational
TU Max Perutz
Microfabrication, cell migration, ABCG2, mechanisms, multidrug
Rafael de Freitas e Silva chemistry, structural biology,
enzymology, computer science
MedUni Wien
biomedical engineering, hydrogel transport, binding pockets, drug
synthesis translocation
Immunology; Gut immunity; CD4 T
cells; Transcription repressors.
Sara Lado
MedUni Wien
Matus Vojtek Natalie Scholes Rajesh Jethwa Microbiome, virology, immunology,
IMP CeMM zoonotic diseases
ISTA
Transcription regulation, embryonic Chemical biology; targeted protein
stem cells degradation; kinases;
Organic, Batteries, Redox, Non-aque-
ous, Energy
Sara Ricci
VetMedUni
Maya Voichek Naza González Ranjith Papareddy host-microbiome interactions, small
IMBA IMBA RNAs, animal nutrition, dysbiosis
GMI
Endogenous retroviruses, trans- autoimmune neuroinflammation,
posons, Drosophila, infectivity, cell connectivity, neuronal activation,
Translation control under ER stress
in plants
Saurabh Pradhan
fusion EAE IMBA
Megan Lambert Nikolaus Virgolini Riccardo Rao gene regulation in embryonic axis
specification
MedUni Wien
VetMedUni BOKU
animal, behavior, cognition, kea, HEK293, rAAV vector, gene therapy,
Microbial ecosystems; Population
dynamics; Collective behavior;
Sebastian Antreich
curiosity omics BOKU
Metabolism; Energetics
serial block face SEM, CT, sclerifica-
Melina Kerou Olga Sekurova Robert West tion, interlocking, nutshell
Uni Wien Uni Wien TU
environmental microbiology, secondary metabolites, molecular
separation science, spectro-tem-
Sergio Lembo
archaea, nitrification, sustainable biology, bacteria, biosynthetic gene ISTA
poral analysis, chemical species
science cluster, biosensor cellular memory; trained immunity;
identification, nanomechanical
alveolar macrophages; epigenetics;
Michel Fasnacht resonators, Temperature-pro-
grammed desorption
cell therapy
Max Perutz
Microbiology, Ribosomes, Transla-
tion

21 | PoND
Shamsi Emtenani Tamires Bitencourt Tomas Pachano Waltraud Schrottmaier
IMBA Max Perutz IMP MedUni Wien
TSC, loss of heterozygosity, tumour Bacteria, Fungi, Biofilm, Biomarkers, Virus ORFeome Innate Immunity Platelets, infection, outer membrane
formation, brain organoids transcriptomic vesicles, immunothrombosis,
Tushna Kapoor vascular biology
Shiyu Shen Tanja Kalic ISTA
ISTA MedUni Wien tissue spreading; tissue mechanics; William Schueller
Higgs bundles and mirror symmetry Food allergy, Allergic sensitization actomyosin; epiboly; zebrafish Complexity Science Hub /
mechanisms, Epithelial cells, VetMedUni
Simon Licht-Mayer Molecular allergy diagnosis Ulises Rey open-source software ecosystems,
network propagation, system
IMBA Uni Wien
mitochondria, neurodegeneration, Terezia Vcelkova Neurobiology, behaviour, ethology,
resilience
MedUni Wien
demyelination
trophoblast stem cells (TSCs),
calcium imaging, neuronal acitivity
Wouter Masselink
Sonya Widen Ursula Schoeberl IMP
human pluripotent stem cells
Regeneration, stem cells, tissue
IMBA (hPSCs), epigenetics, IMP
patterning, axolotl
genetic incompatibility, selfish antibody maturation, chromatin
genes, evolution Thea Rogers looping, transcription
Ya Chen
Uni Wien
Sophia Derdak Vasileios Gerakopoulos Uni Wien
genomics, evolution, novel traits,
Xenobiotic Metabolism, Site of
MedUni Wien gene regulation, genome topology MedUni Wien
Metabolism, Machine Learning,
bioinformatics, transcriptomics, colorectal cancer, spheroids, RNAseq
spatial transcriptomics, RNA-Seq, Thomas Minchington Natural Products, Computational
experimental design ISTA Verena Pichler Drug Discovery
Uni Wien
Stefan Mereiter
growth, morphogens, neural tube
Radiochemistry, Biomedical
Yoav Voichek
IMBA Thomas Steinacker Imaging, Drug design
GMI
Transcription, plants
Glycosylation, Metabolic labelling, IMBA
Breast Cancer, Immunotherapy Microscopy, chromatin, FISH Verena Supper Zengxiang Ge
Boehringer Ingelheim
Stephan Raiders Tigran Keryan CRISPR/Cas9, Transcription factors
ISTA
auxin, plant biology, receptor-like
IMP BOKU
Regeneration, neurobiology, cell Ecosystem Services, Transdiscipli- Vicky Spencer kinase
GMI
biology narity, Citizen Science, Armenia,
Participatory approach, Freshwater Plant development, meristems,
Zohar Mehir
Susana Ferreira Marchantia polymorpha
GMI
resources.
plant development; single-cell
Uni Wien
Host microbiome; Parasites; Tom Williams Victoria Deneke sequencing; bioinformatics;
epigenetics; Meristem biology
Evolutionary ecology; House mouse IMP IMP
Fertilization, cell fusion, protein-pro-
hybrid zone; Eimeria Ubiquitin, cryoEM, Protein engineer-
ing, bio-orthogonal chemistry tein interactions, membrane
Zsuzsanna Takacs
Tal Dahan biology, reproduction
IMBA
GMI Tomas Masson chromatin, cohesin, chromosome
Local adaptation, Natural variation, ISTA Virginia Busetto conformaation capture, cell biology,
cohesion
Arabidopsis Drosophila, Proteomics, Neuron Max Perutz
Wiring, Visual System, Molecular sRNA, c. elegans, mutator complex,
Tamara Tomin Evolution, structural biology
TU
Redox proteomics, heart, glutathi-
one, oxidative stress

PoND | 22
23 | PoND