Animal production

Nutritional physiology

Nutrition Physiology focuses on the interaction between dietary constituents (e.g. nutrients, additives, undesired substances) and the organism (animal, human) at various physiological conditions (e.g. growth, lactation) along digestion and metabolism. The methodological spectrum of nutrition physiology is largely based on physiological experiments with intact (model) animals applying methodologies of life sciences. Contact: Dr. Christiane Schwarz Further information: www.ifa-tulln.boku.ac.at/en/tte/arbeitsbereiche/ernaehrungsphysiologie/

Mitochondrial Genetics

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was found to influence performance traits in animals. Moreover, mutations in mtDNA cause numerous hereditary diseases in humans. As cells contain several hundreds to thousands of mtDNAs, the mtDNAs of a cell/ an organism have to be treated as “populations” and models for analysis have to be selected accordingly. Our main research interests include: (i) transmission and segregation of mtDNA; (ii) improvement of methods to detect minimal amounts of mutated DNA by qPCR; (iii) application of DNA mutations as patient-specific tumour-markers. Contavt: Dr. Jörg Burgstaller Further information: http://www.ifa-tulln.boku.ac.at/en/institut-fuer-biotechnologie-in-der-tierproduktion/

Proteomics and reproductive biology

In the focus of our group’s research interest is the analysis of cellular processes in the female reproductive tract and their regulation prior to fertilization. Along with that another research area is the optimization of proteomic techniques for the targeted analysis of post-translational modified proteins and subcellular proteomes, as well as its application in the field of reproductive biology.

Contact: Dr. Corina Mayrhofer

Further information: www.ifa-tulln.boku.ac.at/en/institut-fuer-biotechnologie-in-der-tierproduktion/

Use of reproduction biotechnology in farm animals

Our research activities on reproduction biology focus on oocyte and early embryo development in farm animals. Comparative in vivo and in vitro studies are used to increase knowledge in the field of reproduction physiology, genetics and epigenetics in the context of fertility. Infertility in farm animals is one of the major problems in animal production and it is expected that more detailed information will help to reveal and therapy this disorder. In addition, activities in this research area provide possibility to preventively and sustainably improve animal production. Contact: Univ.Prof. Urban Besenfelder Further information: www.ifa-tulln.boku.ac.at/en/institut-fuer-biotechnologie-in-der-tierproduktion/forschungsgebiete/reproduktionstechniken-in-landwirtschaftlichen-nutztieren/

Transgenic Animal Models – Biomodels Austria (BiAT)

Genetically modified lab animals are able to express symptoms of complex diseases like different cancers, immunological or neurodegenerative diseases comparable to human patients. For this reason they are indispensable resources for the deeper understanding of such diseases and for the testing of new pharmaceuticals and treatments. In basic science animal models enable us to learn about gene  function and gene interaction. In addition to the standard methods of pronuclear injection and ES cell injection other innovative methods like transposons and CRISPR/Cas are used, as well as a broad range of cre transgenic strains and mice with fluorescent reporter genes are offered.

Contact: Univ.Prof. Matthias Müller, Ass.Prof. Dr. Thomas Kolbe

Further information: www.ifa-tulln.boku.ac.at/en/institut-fuer-biotechnologie-in-der-tierproduktion/