Research

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-associated allergy remains to be the most prevalent immunologically-mediated disease affecting almost 30% of the population world-wide. Accordingly it is one of the most important non-communicable diseases affecting mankind. Allergic and chronic airway diseases are currently a major public health problem causing high morbidity, costs and mortality. Allergic patients suffer not only from relatively mild manifestations such as allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis but also other organs such as the lung, skin and gastrointestinal tract can be heavily affected. The most severe form of allergy, anaphylactic shock caused by food allergens and venom allergens may lead to life-threating conditions and death also in very young persons. Likewise, asthma is a severely disabling and life-threatening manifestation of allergy from early childhood up to elderly life. Several pharmacological and biological treatements are available but their effect is modest, lasts only as long as the medication is administered and does not provide sustained effects. Molecular allergy diagnosis enables to transform healthcare towards the principles of “P4 Medicine” for predictive, preventive, personalized (precision) and participatory medicine.

There have been reports of global decline in managed honey bees and wild bees around the world. The rapid dying of honey bee colonies was named “colony collapse disorder” (CCD) and has been linked to different factors. One of the factors are novel insecticides named neonicotinoids. The acute toxity and adverse effects on bees is not only limited to the parent compound, but their (intermediate) metabolites have been shown to be toxic as well. So far, partial metabolic pathways in honey bees were described for only three out of seven neonicotinoids in use. For the remaining four neonicotinoids the metabolism by honey bees is still unclear. The overall objective of this study is to elucidate the metabolism of orally administered neonicotinoids in honey bees. The specific objectives are to determine known and unknown neonicotinoid biotransformation products and their kinetics. The study will be divided into four phases. In phase I, neonicotinoids will be administered at two locations to groups of caged honey bees with a feeding solution containing a mixture of unlabeled and 13C-labeled neonicotinoids with doses up to LD50 and sampling at 8 time points. Next, the targeted compounds will be extracted with organic solvents. For untargeted analysis, an isotope assisted approach will be used with direct analysis of the extracts as to avoid loss of putative biotransformation products (Phase II). Data will be evaluated with the aid of comprehensive databases. Unknown neonicotinoid

In aquatic systems, essential biomolecules such as fatty acids are produced by phytoplankton and then transferred through the food web to zooplankton, fish, and finally humans. Environmental factors have been shown to influence the fatty acid metabolism of microalgae. Thus, temperature rise due to climate change as well as the introduction of xenobiotics such as pesticides can have severe consequences for aquatic organisms. This topic is highly relevant for the Lower Austrian region Waldviertel with its many carp ponds. Therefore, the main aim of this research project, which will be conducted by BEST GmbH, WasserCluster Lunz GmbH, and BOKU, is to investigate the consequences of temperature increase and exposure to pesticides for the dietary value of organisms in carp ponds in Waldviertel. Therefore, samples from such ponds will be analyzed to find xenobiotics, microalgae and zooplankton species present in these ecosystems. In subsequent lab trials, microalgae will be exposed to increased temperature and/or pesticides. Zooplankton will be fed with microalgae that have were grown under these conditions. The fatty acid content and profile of microalgae and zooplankton biomass will then be analyzed. Thus, the effect of temperature increase and pesticide pollution and the combined effect of both on organisms in carp ponds in Waldviertel will be investigated. The project will help understand the interactions between different organisms in the food web and how the organisms’ dietary values are influenced by pesticides and increased temperature. The results will be presented to stakeholders and to a scientific audience at workshops, conferences, and via publications. During this project, young researchers will be supported and networks and cooperations between three independent research institutions in Lower Austria will be strengthened. Overall, the results gained in this project will help sustain the high ecological and economical value of carp ponds in Lower Austria.