Abschlussarbeiten

(Abschlussarbeit online seit: 06.08.2021)

Kurzbeschreibung der Abschlussarbeit/des Themas:

The thesis project will address the involvement of mitochondrial uncoupling proteins in metabolic flexibility in mouse and human cancer cell lines. We will focus on the UCPs expression alterations and its possible cross-talk with changes in malignant cell metabolism.

Anforderungen/Erforderliche Kenntnisse:

Ongoing bachelor/master studies (University / University of Applied Science) in a related field (molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, biotechnology, biochemistry or equivalent).

• Interest in cancer biology, strong motivation to engage in the project.
• High reliability, great team-working skills.
• Fluency in spoken and written English.
• Experience in molecular/cell biology techniques would be advantageous.

Zusätzliche Bemerkungen zur Abschlussarbeit:

• You will be part of our young international team with a collaborative and inspiring working atmosphere.
• A stimulating and dynamic scientific environment with individual supervision. We are familiar with the supervision and execution of bachelor /master theses and we look forward to supporting you accordingly.
• A financial support according to the guidelines of Vetmed Uni Vienna is possible.

Eckdaten der Abschlussarbeit:

• Beginn: as soon as possible
• Dauer der Abschlussarbeit: k.A.
• Sprache: Englisch
• Rückmeldung von InteressentInnen erbeten bis: the announcement is valid until the vacancy gets occupied.

Name der Organisationseinheit:

• Organisationseinheit: Unit of Physiology and Biophysics
• AnsprechpartnerIn/BetreuerIn für die Abschlussarbeit:
  Taraneh Beikbaghban, MSc.
  T +43 1 25077-4503
  Send E-Mail to Taraneh Beikbaghban

Kurzbeschreibung der Arbeit/des Themas:
Kälbermüsli oder die totale Mischration (TMR) für Kälber enthalten verschiedene Getreidesorten und andere Zutaten. Außerdem werden in der Literatur verschiedene Partikelgrößen des Futters vorgeschlagen, um die physikalischen und verdauungsfördernden Funktionen des Pansens und des Magen-Darm-Trakts zu stimulieren. Grobe Partikelgrößen werden empfohlen, um die Fermentation und die Entwicklung von Papillen im Pansen zu fördern. Das Futter sollte die Butyratbildung im Pansen anregen und so die Entwicklung der Papillen fördern.
Mit Hilfe der Pansensimulationssystem (Rumen Simulation Technique – RUSITEC) wollen wir die Nährstoffverdaulichkeit, die Fermentationskinetik und das Mikrobiom von totalen Mischrationen bewerten, die verschiedene Mengen und Partikelgrößen (gemahlen und gequetsch) von Roggen enthalten. Ziel ist es, die optimale Ration zur Förderung der Pansenentwicklung auf der Grundlage der maximalen Butyratproduktion zu finden.

Anforderungen/Erforderliche Kenntnisse:
Für die Erstellung einer Diplomarbeit suchen wir einen engagierten Studenten mit Interesse an Tierernährung, Forschung und Labortechniken. Der/die Student/in wird als Co-Autor/in an den abgeleiteten wissenschaftlichen Produkten des Experiments beteiligt sein.

Zusätzliche Bemerkungen:
Die Experimente werden voraussichtlich in ein bis zwei Monaten durchgeführt werden.

Sprache, in der die Abschlussarbeit verfasst werden soll:
Deutsch/Englisch

Voraussichtliche Dauer der Abschlussarbeit:
01.11.2022 bis 30.04.2023

Name der Organisationseinheit:
Abteilung für Ernährungsphysiologie

Ansprechpartner:in/Betreuer:in:

• Prof. Dr. Barbara Metzler-Zebeli
  E-Mail: barbara.metzler@vetmeduni.ac.at
   
• Mag. med. vet. Felipe Penagos-Tabares
  E-Mail: Felipe.penagostabares@vetmeduni.ac.at

Rückmeldung von Studierenden erbeten bis:
asap

Kurzbeschreibung der Arbeit/des Themas:
Der Bestand der josephinischen und der Neuburger Bibliothek soll auf das Vorhandensein von veterinärmedizinischen Arbeiten untersucht werden. Die bibliographischen Daten sollen erfasst und der Inhalt der Arbeiten kurzgefasst diskutiert werden.

Anforderungen/Erforderliche Kenntnisse:
Interesse für die Geschichte der Veterinärmedizin, Bereitschaft zur Arbeit in Bibliotheken 

Sprache, in der die Abschlussarbeit verfasst werden soll:
Deutsch

Voraussichtliche Dauer der Abschlussarbeit:
01.12.2022 bis 31.05.2023

Name der Organisationseinheit:
Institut für Morphologie

Ansprechpartner:in/Betreuer:in:
Ao. Univ. Prof. Univ. Doz. Dr. Gerald Weissengruber
E-Mail: gerald.weissengruber@Vetmeduni.ac.at

Rückmeldung von Studierenden erbeten bis:
31.12.202

Kurzbeschreibung der Abschlussarbeit/des Themas: 
Ammengebunden aufgezogene Kälber in der Versuchsgruppe sehen die Amme regelmäßig mit einem Menschen positiv interagieren; die Kontrollgruppe sieht nur, dass ein Mensch anwesend ist. Es werden verschiedene Verhaltenstests an den Kälbern durchgeführt, um die Qualität der Tier-Mensch-Beziehung einzuschätzen. Der/die Master-Kandidat/in wird bei der Datenerhebung und -analyse mithelfen.

Anforderungen/Erforderliche Kenntnisse:
Bereitschaft für mehrtägige Dienstreisen bzw. mehrwöchigen Aufenthalt an einem Milchvieh-Betrieb; Teamfähigkeit; wünschenswert: Erfahrung im Umgang mit Rindern; Erfahrung in der Nutztierethologie, Tierschutzwissenschaften und/oder Mensch-Tier-Beziehung; Erfahrung mit dem Statistikprogramm R

Zusätzliche Bemerkungen zur Abschlussarbeit:
Datenerhebung: ca. März bis Mai 2023 auf einem Ammenbetrieb bei Graz

Voraussichtliche Dauer der Abschlussarbeit:
01.02.2023 bis 31.07.2023

Sprache, in der die Abschlussarbeit verfasst werden soll:
Deutsch oder Englisch

Eckdaten der Organisationseinheit (OE), die die Abschlussarbeit vergibt:
 

Name der Organisationseinheit:
Institut für Tierschutzwissenschaften und Tierhaltung | Institute of Animal Welfare Science

AnsprechpartnerIn in der Organisationeinheit/BetreuerIn für die Abschlussarbeit: 

Dr. Stephanie Lürzel 
E-Mail:stephanie.luerzel@Vetmeduni.ac.at
Tel.: 01 25077 4911

Prof. Susanne Waiblinger
E-Mail: susanne.waiblinger@Vetmeduni.ac.at
Tel.: 01 25077 4905

Rückmeldung von Interessenten erbeten bis: 30.11.2022

Short description of the thesis:

Intense research in the last few decades has shown that dogs are extremely good at reading human social and communicative behavior. However, as compared to social cognition, the cognitive abilities of dogs in the physical domain have been relatively sparsely studied. As a result, it still remains unclear what dogs know about physical relations, for instance about the fact that an object can have an impact on the movements of another one (i.e., means-end understanding).

A usual way of studying means-end understanding in animals is Piaget’s “support problem”- which involves a goal object (e.g., food) that is out of a subject’s reach, but is resting on a support (e.g., a wooden board) that is within the subject’s reach. The task is based on the assumption that if an animal understands the physical properties of the wooden board it uses it as a means to an end, i.e., pulls the support to get the reward into reach. Animals without means-end understanding will only be able to succeed through repeated exposure allowing for associative learning.

In this study, dogs will be tested in a variation of the support problem – known as the “on/off task”. Dogs will need to retrieve an out-of-reach food reward placed behind a physical barrier (fence). While the reward itself is out of reach, it is physically connected to a wooden board within the dog’s reach. Dogs will be presented with two wooden boards - one board with a food reward on top of it (ON board), and another board with a reward placed next to it (OFF board). Successful retrieval of the treat requires the dogs to pull the appropriate board by pawing the wooden until the treat emerges from under the barrier.

Two groups of dogs will be tested repeatedly in two experimental conditions: 1) in the natural condition, dogs will be able to retrieve the reward by pulling the ON board. The reward placed next to the OFF board will not move if dogs pull on this board; 2) in the magic condition, dogs will be able to retrieve the reward by pulling the OFF board. The reward placed on the ON board will not move if dogs pull on this board. The main hypothesis is that, if solving the task is based on associative learning, dogs will learn the causally correct (i.e., natural) and causally incorrect (i.e., magic version) versions of the task similarly fast. However, if dogs have a certain level of means-end understanding, they will learn faster in the causally correct version than in the magic one.

Testing will take place in the Clever Dog Lab (link) and will be carried out by two master students who will collaborate to 1) conduct the behavioral testing, 2) conduct qualitative/quantitative behaviour coding (live and from videos), and 3) statistically analyse the data.

Requirements:

• Experience with animal/dog handling
• Basic knowledge in statistics using R
• Excellent teamwork skills

Further information:

The students will learn how to design behavioral studies, conduct behavioral testing, conduct qualitative/quantitative behaviour coding (live and from videos), and statistically analyse data using the appropriate statistical methods.

Key data of the thesis:

• Duration of the thesis: 6 months
• Start: as soon as possible
• Language of the thesis: English

Key data of the organisational unit:

• Organisational Unit: Messerli Research Institute, Comparative Cognition Unit/ Clever Dog Lab

• Contact persons: Christiana Tsiourti (christiana.tsiourti@vetmeduni.ac.at)  /Zsófia Virányi (Zsofia.Viranyi@vetmeduni.ac.at) /

Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Calves of the experimental group regularly witness their foster dam interacting gently with a person, whereas calves of the control group witness only the presence of the person. We will conduct behavioural tests and collect saliva samples to assess the quality of the calves' relationship with humans. The candidate will be involved during data collection and analysis.

Required Skills and Knowledge:
Willingness to travel and to stay on a farm for several weeks at a time; ability to work in a team; desirable: experience with handling of cattle; knowledge of applied ethology, animal welfare science and/or the human-animal relationship; experience with the statistical environment R

Additional Information:
Data collection: approx. between March and May 2023 at a farm near Graz

Language of the Thesis:
English or German

Duration of the thesis:
01/02/2023 to 31/07/2023

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Institute of Animal Welfare Science

Contact Person for the Thesis/Topic:

Dr. Stephanie Lürzel
E-Mail: stephanie.luerzel@Vetmeduni.ac.at
Phone: 01 25077 4911

Prof. Susanne Waiblinger
E-Mail: susanne.waiblinger@Vetmeduni.ac.at
Phone:  01 25077 4905

Feedback from students requested by:
30/11/2023

Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:

The project involves observational and non-invasive experimental work with free-ranging dogs in Morocco (Agadir area). We will investigate the social structure and ecology of packs and physical, cognitive and social skills in both puppies and adult dogs.

Required Skills and Knowledge:

Candidates will be required to:
Carry out behavioural observations of dogs for at least 6 hours a day (in hot weather conditions)
Carry out field experiments
Collect saliva and hair samples
Code behaviours from videos
Take care of data entry/management.

Further Information:

Students will learn:
Complex behavioural observation methods using different kinds of protocols
Census techniques
Field tests of cognitive skills
Non-invasive hormone, isotope and DNA sample collection
Video analysis

Language of the Thesis:
English

Duration of the thesis:
6 months

Start of the thesis:
October 2022 (or following months)

Contact Person for the Thesis/Topic (Name, E-Mail,Phone):

Giulia Cimarelli, PhD giulia.cimarelli@vetmeduni.ac.at
 

Feedback from students requested by:
30.09.2022

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Domestication Lab, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology

Kurzbeschreibung der Abschlussarbeit/des Themas:
Membrane pacemaker hypothesis in an heterotherm

Anforderungen/Erforderliche Kenntnisse:

• Evolutionary Ecophysiology

Zusätzliche Bemerkungen zur Abschlussarbeit:

• Good background in animal biology/physiology
• Experiences with (biochemistry) lab practice and statistics using R-software are required

Eckdaten der Abschlussarbeit:

• Beginn: Flexible but not later as January 2023
• Dauer der Abschlussarbeit: 10-12 months
• Sprache: English
• Rückmeldung von InteressentInnen erbeten bis: 15.12.2022
• Further Information

Name der Organisationseinheit:

• Organisationseinheit: Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI)
• AnsprechpartnerIn/BetreuerIn für die Abschlussarbeit:
  Priv Doz Dr. Sylvain GIROUD
  +43 1 25077-7135
  Send E-Mail to Sylvain Giroud

Kurzbeschreibung der Abschlussarbeit/des Themas:
Effect of age on telomeres in the garden dormouse

Anforderungen/Erforderliche Kenntnisse:

• Evolutionary Ecophysiology

Zusätzliche Bemerkungen zur Abschlussarbeit:

• Good background in animal biology/physiology
• Experiences with (genetic) lab practice and statistics using R-software are required

Eckdaten der Abschlussarbeit:

• Beginn: Flexible but not later as January 2023
• Dauer der Abschlussarbeit: 6-8 months
• Sprache: English
• Rückmeldung von InteressentInnen erbeten bis: 15.12.2022
• Further Information

Name der Organisationseinheit:

• Organisationseinheit: Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI)
• AnsprechpartnerIn/BetreuerIn für die Abschlussarbeit:
  Priv Doz Dr. Sylvain GIROUD
  +43 1 25077-7135
  Send E-Mail to Sylvain Giroud

Short description of the thesis:

Intense research in the last few decades has shown that dogs are extremely good at reading human social and communicative behavior. However, as compared to social cognition, the cognitive abilities of dogs in the physical domain have been relatively sparsely studied. As a result, it still remains unclear what dogs know about physical relations, for instance about the fact that an object can have an impact on the movements of another one (i.e., means-end understanding).

A usual way of studying means-end understanding in animals is Piaget’s “support problem”- which involves a goal object (e.g., food) that is out of a subject’s reach, but is resting on a support (e.g., a wooden board) that is within the subject’s reach. The task is based on the assumption that if an animal understands the physical properties of the wooden board it uses it as a means to an end, i.e., pulls the support to get the reward into reach. Animals without means-end understanding will only be able to succeed through repeated exposure allowing for associative learning.

In this study, dogs will be tested in a variation of the support problem – known as the “on/off task”. Dogs will need to retrieve an out-of-reach food reward placed behind a physical barrier (fence). While the reward itself is out of reach, it is physically connected to a wooden board within the dog’s reach. Dogs will be presented with two wooden boards - one board with a food reward on top of it (ON board), and another board with a reward placed next to it (OFF board). Successful retrieval of the treat requires the dogs to pull the appropriate board by pawing the wooden until the treat emerges from under the barrier.

Two groups of dogs will be tested repeatedly in two experimental conditions: 1) in the natural condition, dogs will be able to retrieve the reward by pulling the ON board. The reward placed next to the OFF board will not move if dogs pull on this board; 2) in the magic condition, dogs will be able to retrieve the reward by pulling the OFF board. The reward placed on the ON board will not move if dogs pull on this board. The main hypothesis is that, if solving the task is based on associative learning, dogs will learn the causally correct (i.e., natural) and causally incorrect (i.e., magic version) versions of the task similarly fast. However, if dogs have a certain level of means-end understanding, they will learn faster in the causally correct version than in the magic one.

Testing will take place in the Clever Dog Lab (link) and will be carried out by two master students who will collaborate to 1) conduct the behavioral testing, 2) conduct qualitative/quantitative behaviour coding (live and from videos), and 3) statistically analyse the data.

Requirements:

• Experience with animal/dog handling
• Basic knowledge in statistics using R
• Excellent teamwork skills

Further information:

The students will learn how to design behavioral studies, conduct behavioral testing, conduct qualitative/quantitative behaviour coding (live and from videos), and statistically analyse data using the appropriate statistical methods.

Key data of the thesis:

• Duration of the thesis: 6 months
• Start: as soon as possible
• Language of the thesis: English

Key data of the organisational unit:

• Organisational Unit: Messerli Research Institute, Comparative Cognition Unit/ Clever Dog Lab

• Contact persons: Christiana Tsiourti (christiana.tsiourti@vetmeduni.ac.at)  /Zsófia Virányi (Zsofia.Viranyi@vetmeduni.ac.at) /

Kurzbeschreibung der Abschlussarbeit/des Themas:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women and affects over 7 million people worldwide. Metastasis to distant organs is the main cause of death of these patients, which underlines the need for novel therapeutic means.

NK cells are effector lymphocytes of the innate immune system and the first line of defense in anti-tumor responses. They are also crucial to limit metastasis but their function is often strongly suppressed by the cancer environment.

Immune checkpoints are crucial regulators of immune cells guaranteeing controlled actions and preventing autoimmunity. Cancer growth and progression are associated with immune suppression and immune evasion. One of the evasion mechanisms of cancer cells is the ability to activate such immune checkpoints thereby preventing the cytotoxic ability of immune cells.

In this project, we plan to study changes of NK cells in the course of metastatic breast cancer to identify new checkpoints on NK cells, the inhibition of which, unleashes the NK cell response against metastasizing cells.

The successful applicant will join a collaborative research project with the Karl Landsteiner University. The project will be carried out at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna under the supervision of an experienced post- doctoral researcher and involves work with primary cell culture, biochemical assays, flow cytometry an in vivo mouse models

Anforderungen/Erforderliche Kenntnisse:

• BSc Degree in Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedicine or a related subject
• Basic knowledge in immunology and tumor biology
• Experience with sterile cell culture work
• Fluent in English
• Previous experience with flow cytometry or mouse work is beneficial

Zusätzliche Bemerkungen zur Abschlussarbeit:

• Financial support will be provided
• If you are interested and would like to be part of the immunology research team, please send a cover letter and a curriculum vitae to dagmar.gotthardt@vetmeduni.ac.at

Eckdaten der Abschlussarbeit:

• Beginn: January/February 2023
• Dauer der Abschlussarbeit: 12 months
• Sprache: English
• Rückmeldung von InteressentInnen erbeten bis: as soon as possible
• Further Information

Name der Organisationseinheit:

• Organisationseinheit: Insitute of Pharmacology and Toxicology
• AnsprechpartnerIn/BetreuerIn für die Abschlussarbeit:
  Dagmar Gotthardt, PhD
  +43 1 25077-2900
  Send E-Mail to Dagmar Gotthardt

Level of employment: full time (30 hours/week)
Length of employment: 3-4 years
Deadline for applications: 1.12.2021 (position will remain vacant until filled)
Start: January 2022 or any time thereafter (negotiable)
Project Description
Several Doctoral/PhD positions are open at the Christian-Doppler Christian-Doppler-Laboratory for Innovative Gut Health Concepts in Livestock (CDL-LiveGUT) located at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna/Austria. In a nutshell, the aim of the research is to understand the molecular basis of rumen/gut microbiome × host interactions both driven from the animal individual characteristics and the diet. Upon this knowledge, feeding strategies will be tested to better exploit the such benefical interactions and enhance gastrointestinal health. The CDL-LiveGUT is joint research cluster that brings together various disciplines of animal nutrition, microbial ecology, gut physiology, and biomarker discovery, with a main goal to enhance gut health in farm animals by developing early biomarkers of gut health disorders and feeding approaches to prevent them.

www.cdg.ac.at/forschungseinheiten/labor/innovative-darmgesundheitskonzepte-bei-nutztieren

Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
The Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation (FFoQSI GmbH) and the Unit for Food Microbiology at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna seek a PhD candidate for the EU-funded project “FoodSafeR”. Microbial contamination of food is a worldwide public health concern, resulting in food waste and foodborne illness. The central goal of FoodSafeR is to identify worsening and emerging hazards and risks in food networks, to better foster resilience of our food systems in the future.  This PhD project will apply whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics to assess key genetic elements underlying the Listeria monocytogenes persistence phenotype in food processing environments. Additionally, the project aims to investigate the importance of the broader microbial community, and multispecies biofilms in supporting L. monocytogenes persistence and survival. The candidate will be part of a dynamic, international research network. The main research will be conducted at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. Through a collaboration with network partners, the candidate will be hosted at Nestlé Research in Lausanne, Switzerland (6-8 months) to conduct additional research toward the PhD. 
The position is for three years starting 1st February 2023.

Qualifications: 

• A Master’s degree in Microbiology, Biology, Bioinformatics, or a completed Diploma in Veterinary Medicine
• Relevant research experience in microbiology and/or microbial genomics
• Some knowledge of sequencing data analysis (amplicon, metagenome and/or whole genome sequence) is preferred 
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Highly motivated and organized
• Excellent team-working ability

Position Responsibilities and additional information: 

• Involvement in a research project investigating the genetic basis of Listeria monocytogenes persistence in food processing, and the role of microbial communities and biofilms in supporting its persistence
• Publication of research in international peer-reviewed journals
• Presentations of scientific work at local and international meetings
• Participation in FoodSafeR consortium meetings 

FFoQSI and the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna support a diverse and inclusive work environment. We particularly encourage applications from women. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101060698

Language of the thesis:
English

Duration of the thesis:
01.02.2023 to 01.02.2026

Name of Institute:
The Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation (FFoQSI GmbH)
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Unit for Food Microbiology

Contact Person for the Thesis:
Dr. Lauren Alteio
E-Mail: lauren.alteio@ffoqsi.at

Feedback from students requested by:
31.12.2022