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Electrical stimulation of the spinal cord using adhesive electrodes on the skin is becoming increasingly important in the neurorehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury. The method can be used both to increase the mobility and to treat spasticity, which affects around 80 per cent of patients.

An artificial intelligence (AI)-based system called "FastGlioma" makes it possible to analyze the tissue removed from a brain tumor during a difficult operation. The US-Austrian team presents its latest development in the journal "Nature". In just a few seconds, it allows precise estimates to be made as to whether the tissue that has just been removed is tumor cells from a glioma or already healthy tissue.

Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna and the Medical University of Innsbruck discovered that SARS-CoV-2 hijacks three important host proteins that dampen the activity of the complement system, a key component of early antiviral immunity. This significantly impairs viral clearance which may affect the course of both acute COVID-19 infections and post-COVID-19 sequelae.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. Despite medical advances in recent years, this type of tumour is still responsible for one in eight male cancer deaths in Austria alone. An international research team led by MedUni Vienna has now investigated a new strategy for the development of treatment options that not only slow tumour growth, but also stimulate the immune system to combat tumour cells.

In a study led by MedUni Vienna, data from more than 100,000 patients with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who were registered with the Vienna City Health Service around two years ago was analysed. Of these, more than 20,000 patients were treated with antiviral drugs due to their risk of a severe course.

A research team led by MedUni Vienna has investigated AC102, a new active substance that offers hope of an effective treatment for acute sudden hearing loss. The latest results have been published in the scientific journal "Cell Death & Disease". Initial findings from preclinical trials could represent a significant advancement in the treatment of acute hearing disorders.

In a recent study, an international research team with significant involvement from MedUni Vienna has investigated how nanoplastic particles deposited in the body affect the effectiveness of antibiotics. The study showed that the plastic particles not only impair the effect of the drugs, but could also promote the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

An international study led by MedUni Vienna has identified the transcription factor ONECUT3 as a regulator of the development of neurons in the hypothalamus. Transcription factors such as ONECUT3 are proteins that control the activity of genes. The hypothalamus is a region of the brain that acts as an interface between the brain and body through hormone production, to control metabolism, growth, parenting and others.

Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne infectious disease in Europe. Up to 70,000 new cases are estimated each year in Austria alone. The bacterial infection can cause lasting health problems for patients. A MedUni Vienna research team has made significant progress in understanding the mechanism of infection and identified a potential way forward for the development of targeted therapies that do not rely on antibiotics.

A study on an essential mineral abundant in brazil nuts could unlock the key to preventing the spread of triple negative breast cancer, according to new research funded by Cancer Research UK. Limiting the antioxidant effects of selenium, a popular ingredient of multivitamin supplements found in everyday foods such as meat, mushrooms and cereals, could be the secret to controlling this form of the disease.

A new surgical method for treating obstructive defecation disorder has been introduced at the Department of General Surgery at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna. The procedure does not require the insertion of a foreign body and, for the first time, is minimally invasive. The new method was used for the first time worldwide at University Hospital Vienna and MedUni Vienna and offers those affected by this defecation disorder an advantageous alternative to existing therapies.

An international team of researchers with significant involvement from the Department of Neurosurgery at Vienna General Hospital and MedUni Vienna has made significant progress in the visualisation of difficult-to-detect brain tumours during surgery. The recently published study is the first to investigate the combined use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and digital stimulated Raman histology (SRH), a new type of microscopic fluorescence analysis tool.

In a recent study published in the scientific journal "Blood", researchers from MedUni Vienna show that haemorrhages are more common in cancer patients than previously thought and are associated with a poor prognosis and an increased risk of death. The results emphasise the need to devote more attention to this serious complication in clinical practice and research in the future.

Surgical removal of the prostate to treat prostate cancer is currently determined on the basis of tissue sample analysis (Gleason grading). As this method is invasive and often unreliable, scientists around the world are looking for alternatives. A research team at MedUni Vienna has now developed a new method that can be used to identify those patients for whom surgical treatment is the best option.

The results of a multicentre study on multiple sclerosis recently published in the journal "Neurology" could significantly improve the treatment of this chronic inflammatory disease. Researchers from the Medical Universities of Innsbruck and Vienna and the Inselspital, University Hospital Bern have shown that two or more lesions in the brain visible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within one year are an indication in favour of intensifying treatment.

A study currently published in the top journal The Lancet Public Health looks at suicide prevention from the point of view of transmission, the transferability of suicidal thoughts and actions, but also of hope and coping strategies. Schools are an important setting for this transmission in children and young people.

Previous studies have shown that patients immediately following and up to one year after discharge from in-patient psychiatric treatment have an increased risk of suicide. A MedUni Vienna research team has now analyzed the data of 18,425 patients treated at MedUni Vienna's Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and Vienna General Hospital over 15 years.

In a study led by MedUni Vienna, previously unknown cellular processes in the occluded coronary artery that can lead to a heart attack have been revealed. At the same time, natural antibodies have been identified that can limit the damage caused by a heart attack. Despite medical advances, acute myocardial infarctions are still one of the most common causes of death in the western world.

Suicide rates among doctors have fallen over time, but the risk for women in the medical profession is still significantly higher compared to the general population, according to an analysis of data from 20 countries recently published in the British Medical Journal by a MedUni Vienna research group.

Theranostics integrates molecular imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy - a concept that is already in clinical use for the treatment of various types of cancer. A position paper from the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), written under the leadership of Matthias Preusser from MedUni Vienna, summarises the potential of this concept for the treatment of brain tumours.