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Offering a thesis opportunity?
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Form for offering a thesis opportunity
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
MALDI Biotyper is often used for identifying microorganisms at the species level in microbiology. However, its application for the subspecies level can be challenging.
The application of MALDI Biotyper can be investigated for the characterization of the strains of the Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) family, if the extended range of the mass spectroscopy is applied and a custom library of the MS spectra for the Bacillus family is implemented.
This thesis aims to measure the spectral profiles for the B. cereus family, including the biocidal bacillus, by MALDI Biotyper to make a custom database for the characterization of the subtypes of the B. cereus family.
The following works are expected during this thesis:
- MALDI measurement protocol modification aligned for the identification purpose of Bacillus family members,
- lab measurement of MALDI data for different subtypes of the B. cereus family,
- data curation and analysis of MALDI data, including the biomarker identification and classification model
Required Skills and Knowledge:
- Familiar with MALDI Biotyper for diagnostics
- Experience or interest in data analysis
Additional Information:
The duration of the work is approximately 6 months. The starting date is as soon as possible.
Prior bioinformatics experience is not essential—all tools and methods will be learned during the project.
Planned duration of the thesis project:
03.01.2026 to 03.07.2026
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Microbiology Institute/Center of Pathobiology
Contact Person for the Thesis:
Masoumeh Alinaghi, PhD, Masoumeh.alinaghihossein@vetmeduni.ac.at
Interested candidates may reply until:
01.2026
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
This thesis investigates how protein/lipid databases represent the Bacillus cereus family of bacteria—critical pathogens responsible for foodborne illnesses worldwide. For constructing a comprehensive protein network, different types of data, such as protein–protein interaction, functional similarity (ontology/pathway), and genetic interaction data, can be utilized, but little is known about their coverage, consistency, and annotation completeness for B. cereus strains. This project systematically queries each database to assess protein coverage, functional annotations (GO terms, pathways, protein interactions), and data quality across multiple B. cereus strains.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
- Understanding of protein databases and biological networks
- Basic knowledge or interest in Python
Additional Information:
- The duration of the work is approximately 6 months. The starting date is as soon as possible.
- No prior bioinformatics experience required—all tools and methods will be learned during the project.
- The student can also work off campus (flexibility on working location)
Planned duration of the thesis project:
03.01.2026 to 03.07.2026
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Microbiology Institute/Center of Pathobiology
Contact Person for the Thesis:
Masoumeh Alinaghi, PhD, Masoumeh.alinaghihossein@vetmeduni.ac.at
Interested candidates may reply until:
01.2026
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
We are seeking a motivated Bachelor or Master student to participate in the functional characterization of UCP1 mutants. The student will be trained in: Mitochondrial protein expression in E. coli and refolding protocols, thermal denaturation assays to assess protein stability, electrophysiological measurements (patch-clamp) to analyze proton transport, supporting techniques including SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis
This project offers a unique opportunity to combine biochemical, biophysical, and electrophysiological methods to investigate the structure, function relationship of a key mitochondrial protein.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
Some familiarity with biophysics and laboratory practices would be an advantage, though not essential.
Planned duration of the thesis project:
November/December to May/June
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Institute of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna
Contact Person for the Thesis:
Giorgia Roticiani: Giorgia.Roticiani@vetmeduni.ac.at
Interested candidates may reply until:
asap
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
This thesis investigates how protein/lipid databases represent the Bacillus cereus family of bacteria—critical pathogens responsible for foodborne illnesses worldwide. For constructing a comprehensive protein network, different types of data, such as protein–protein interaction, functional similarity (ontology/pathway), and genetic interaction data, can be utilized, but little is known about their coverage, consistency, and annotation completeness for B. cereus strains. This project systematically queries each database to assess protein coverage, functional annotations (GO terms, pathways, protein interactions), and data quality across multiple B. cereus strains.
Additional Information:
- The duration of the work is approximately 6 months. The starting date is as soon as possible.
- No prior bioinformatics experience required—all tools and methods will be learned during the project.
- The student can also work off campus (flexibility on working location).
Required Skills and Knowledge:
- Understanding of protein databases and biological networks is advantageous
- Basic knowledge or interest in Python
Duration of the thesis:
03.01.2026 - 03.07.2026
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Microbiology Institute/Center of Pathobiology
Contact Person:
Masoumeh Alinaghi, PhD, Masoumeh.alinaghihossein@vetmeduni.ac.at
Feedback from students requested by:
As soon as possible
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
This project will examine the level of trust veterinarians place in AI-generated diagnostic imaging reports and the factors that influence this trust. As AI systems gain a growing role in supporting clinical decision-making, it is essential to understand how practitioners perceive the reliability, transparency, and limitations of AI outputs.
Additional Information:
This diploma thesis will be jointly co-supervised by Prof. Sonja Hartnack, Prof. Svenja Springer and Yasamin Vala, PhD. A second thesis on an AI-related topic is being conducted in parallel. An exchange between the two students is desirable.
Please submit a brief motivation letter (why you are interested in this topic and which relevant skills/exerience you bring) when applying for this thesis project.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
Willingness to perform literature research, preparing an online questionnaire, analysing quantitative and qualitative data. Ability to integrate input from radiology, epidemiology and ethics.
Duration of the thesis:
02.02.2026 to 29.01.2027
Language of the Thesis:
Englisch
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Klinisches Department für Nutztiere und Sicherheit von Lebensmittelsystemen
Zentrum für Systemtransformation und Nachhaltigkeit in der Veterinärmedizin
Contact Person:
Univ.Prof., Dr. med. vet. Sonja Hartnack
sonja.hartnack@vetmeduni.ac.at
+43 1 25077 3107
Feedback from students requested by:
20.01.2026
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Oxytocin is a hormone that influences social relationships between animals. In this new study we will test how oxytocin influences the ability of dogs to learn from their owners. We are looking for 2-4 highly motivated students or interns to join our team. Students will be guided on how to carry out behavioral tests with dogs and evaluate dog behavior. This project can serve as a master or diploma thesis. It will require between 10 to 15 weekly hours of data collection, starting between January or March and until data collection is completed.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
high motivation and willingness to learn about dog behavior
Additional Information:
This project is supeervised by Prof. Ludwig Juber and Dr. Shany Dror.
The time frame is flexible and students are welcome to join the entire project or help in only part of it.
Duration of the thesis:
01.01.2026 to 01.06.2025
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
The Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute
Contact Person for the Thesis/Topic:
Shany Dror,
Shany.Dror@vetmeduni.ac.at
Feedback from students requested by:
asap
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Regulated cell death plays a vital role in immune responses and tissue homeostasis. This project examines how porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) activates apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis at the maternal-fetal interface. While apoptosis is typically anti-inflammatory, necroptosis and pyroptosis are pro-inflammatory and contribute to tissue damage. PRRSV-induced activation of these pathways disrupts the epithelial barrier and compromises fetal viability. Using archived tissue samples, we aim to uncover the mechanisms behind PRRSV-induced cell death and inflammation to develop strategies that protect pregnant sows and improve reproductive outcomes in pigs.
Additional Information:
We offer:
- Access to state-of-the-art facilities, including fluorescence microscopy at the Vetcore facility of Vetmeduni Vienna.
- Hands-on experience with cutting-edge techniques in molecular biology and immunology.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
- A highly motivated master student with a background in biology, biomedical sciences, or a related field.
- Strong interest in virology, immunology, and molecular mechanisms of cell death.
- Willingness to learn and work independently while contributing to a collaborative research environment.
As a Master’s student, you will:
- Perform cell culture work and prepare frozen tissue sections using a cryotome.
- Conduct tissue staining, immunofluorescence microscopy, and TUNEL assays to detect and quantify cell death markers.
- Image Analyis using FIJI data-analysis
- Investigate the link between viral load, cell death activation, and fetal preservation
Planned duration of the thesis project:
02.02.2026 bis 01.02.2027
Language of the Thesis:
English preferred
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Swine Medicine
Contact Person for the Thesis:
Melissa Stas, PhD
Melissa.stas@vetmeduni.ac.at
Interested candidates may reply until:
as soon as possible, please send your CV and a brief motivation letter. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so apply early to secure your spot!
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Oxytocin is a hormone that influences social relationships between animals. In this new study we will test how oxytocin influences the ability of dogs to learn from their owners. We are looking for 2-4 highly motivated students or interns to join our team. Students will be guided on how to carry out behavioral tests with dogs and evaluate dog behavior. This project can serve as a master or diploma thesis. It will require between 10 to 15 weekly hours of data collection, starting between January or March and until data collection is completed.
Additional Information:
This project is supeervised by Prof. Ludwig Juber and Dr. Shany Dror.
The time frame is flexible and students are welcome to join the entire project or help in only part of it
Required Skills and Knowledge:
high motivation and willingness to learn about dog behavior
Planned duration of the thesis project:
01.01.2026 to 01.06.2025
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
The Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute
Contact Person for the Thesis:
Shany Dror,
Shany.Dror@vetmeduni.ac.at
Interested candidates may reply until:
asap
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
For constructing a comprehensive protein network, different types of data such as protein–protein interaction, functional similarity (ontology/pathway), and genetic interaction data can be utilized. Comparing these different types of data across closely related strains of the Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) family can shed light on the level of correlation and completeness of each type of data, as well as differences in the data coverage of different Bacillus sub-strains across the databases. For this purpose, data from different complementary databases can be compared statistically and visually.
This thesis aims to perform a comparative network analysis of the following strains of the B. cereus family (by using unique UniProt identifier, i.e., UniProt accession numbers, or NCBI Gene IDs, or Ensembl IDs):
- B. cereus ATCC 14579
- B. anthracis Ames
- B. subtilis 168
- B. cereus AH187
The following databases and datatypes should be checked to evaluate the availability of the data for each mentioned strains:
Databases to be checked: NCBI, UniProt, IntAct, Reactome, BioGRID, STRING, GOA (QuickGO/UniProt-GOA), KEGG.
Data types to be evaluated: GO annotations, gene annotations, KEGG pathway assignments, and STRING protein–protein interactions.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
- Understanding of protein databases and biological networks
- Advanced Python proficiency
- Experience with data cleaning
Additional Information:
The duration of the work is approximately 6 months. The starting date is as soon as possible.
Duration of the thesis:
03.01.2026 to 03.07.2026
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Microbiology Institute/Center of Pathobiology
Contact Person for the Thesis/Topic:
Masoumeh Alinaghi, PhD, Masoumeh.alinaghihossein@vetmeduni.ac.at
Feedback from students requested by:
01/2025
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
We are seeking a motivated Bachelor or Master student to participate in the functional characterization of UCP1 mutants. The student will be trained in: Mitochondrial protein expression in E. coli and refolding protocols, thermal denaturation assays to assess protein stability, electrophysiological measurements (patch-clamp) to analyze proton transport, supporting techniques including SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis
This project offers a unique opportunity to combine biochemical, biophysical, and electrophysiological methods to investigate the structure, function relationship of a key mitochondrial protein.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
Some familiarity with biophysics and laboratory practices would be an advantage, though not essential.
Duration of the Thesis:
November/December to May/June
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Institute of Physiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna
Contact Person for the Thesis/Topic:
Giorgia Roticiani: Giorgia.Roticiani@vetmeduni.ac.at
Feedback from students requested by:
As soon as possible
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
With this behavioral study, we are investigating dogs’ sensitivity to human iconic gestures—actions that resemble the movement or manipulation of an object (e.g., moving hands up and down to mimic the flapping of bird wings). Successful applicants will have the opportunity to test dogs in a two-choice task, where the dog should choose between two moving apparatuses based on the experimenter's gesture. The main responsibilities and required knowledge during the internship will include: recruiting dogs’ caregivers, for example through our database and social media, testing dogs in behavioral experiments, coding behavioral videos, reading scientific literature and placing your findings into context and writing experimental protocols and documenting progress. If you are interested in dogs’ behavior and cognition, this internship could be a great opportunity for you.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
Interest in, and ideally experience with, dogs
Good interpersonal skills (to recruit and interact with dogs' caregivers)
Flexible time management and the ability to plan and work independently in the lab.
Additional Information:
What we offer: International, friendly, and supportive team
A well-equipped environment for behavioral research
Training and experience in animal cognition research, dog handling, and behavioral data collection.
Interested candidates may reply until: As soon as possible
Duration: At least 4 months
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Messerli Research Institute, Clever Dog Lab
Contact Person for the Thesis/Topic:
Contact: Ana Tomasic, PhD candidate (ana.tomasic@vetmeduni.ac.at)
Supervisor: Dr. Christoph Völter (Christoph.Voelter@vetmeduni.ac.at)
Feedback from students requested by:
As soon as possible
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Colitis is a frequent and serious problem in horses as well as humans. The pathophysiological mechanisms are supposed to involve a complex crosstalk between immune cells and epithelial cells that results in destruction of the epithelial barrier and further progression of disease. This project aims to establish a co-culture model of equine colon epithelium and immune cells to characterize the signalling pathways involved and to test new therapeutic approaches.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
High motivation, experience in cell culture work and/or molecular biology;
BSc degree in Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedicine or a related subject
Further Information:
We offer a highly supportive team, established methods and guidance by supervisor and colleagues.
Language of the Thesis:
German or English
Duration of the thesis:
6 months
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences & Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
Contact Person for the Thesis:
Franziska Dengler - Franziska.dengler@vetmdeuni.ac.at
Jessika Cavalleri - Jessika.cavalleri@vetmeduni.ac.at
Feedback from students requested by:
as soon as possible, flexible starting date
Please send a short CV and motivation letter.
Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Topics include:
• The role of deleterious mutations for adaptation and maintenance of variation.
• Long-term adaptation of local Drosophila populations.
• The evolution of ageing.
• Inference of selection signatures from time-series data.
• Studying the genotype-phenotype map.
• Stabilising selection during polygenic adaptation.
• Evolution of regulatory networks.
Required Skills and Knowledge:
Over the past years, Vienna has developed into one of the leading centres of population genetics. The Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics has been founded to provide a training opportunity for PhD students to build on this excellent on-site expertise.
We invite applications from highly motivated and outstanding students with a love for evolutionary research and a background in one of the following disciplines: evolutionary genetics, functional genetics, theoretical or experimental population genetics, bioinformatics, mathematics, statistics.
Additional Information:
Only complete applications (application form, CV, motivation letter, university certificates, indication of the two preferred topics in a single pdf) received by 14 May 2025 will be considered. Two letters of recommendation need to be sent directly by the referees.
PhD students will receive a monthly salary based on currently € 2.464,80 before tax according to the regulations of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).
All information about the about available topics, the training program and the application procedure can be found at www.popgen-vienna.at
Planned duration of the thesis project:
01.07.2025 to 01.09.2028
Language of the Thesis:
English
Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Inst. für Populationsgenetik
Contact Person for the Thesis:
Mag. Elisabeth Wagner-Weigerstorfer PhD
elisabeth.wagner-weigerstorfer@vetmeduni.ac.at
Coordinator, Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics
Institut für Populationsgenetik, Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien
T +43 1 25077 4302
Interested candidates may reply until:
14.05.2025