Environment
„Super exciting projects from excellent scientists. How we deal systemically with urbanity issues strongly depends on scientific findings.“
Recent WWTF Projects
Invasive Mosquitos
Despite their role as disease vectors, mosquitoes in urban areas have been little studied scientifically, which has proven problematic in recent disease outbreaks in Europe. Complex urban landscapes provide diverse habitats for around 25 mosquito species, but which species prefer which urban habitats is largely unknown. The project, led by Carina Zittra, is investigating the distribution and habitat preferences of mosquitoes in Vienna's three climate zones and developing molecular methods to better monitor and identify species.
HPV prevention: from the lab to society and back
Austria introduced HPV vaccination for all genders in 2023, but without a surveillance system, important data on vaccine efficacy and virus evolution in urban areas is missing. A novel transdisciplinary approach combines genomic analyses, social research and computer modeling to map HPV transmission networks in Vienna, including particularly underserved populations. Innovative methods such as wastewater analysis and participatory health research guided by the Bergthaler Lab aim to create a comprehensive surveillance system that can serve as a model for the prevention of infectious diseases in cities.
Biopatinas as carbon sink
Urban air pollution and climate change require innovative solutions for greener and healthier city centers. Biopatinas - natural layers of microorganisms on building facades - could serve as a low-maintenance alternative to urban greening by absorbing pollutants, acting as carbon reservoirs and cooling the microclimate. This interdisciplinary project, led by Katja Sterflinger, investigates the environmental potential of biopatinas in Vienna through scientific measurements and art-based methods to promote public acceptance.
How fungi and plants are coping with climate change together
Fungi are crucial regulators of the carbon cycle and live in complex relationships with plants - from helpful partners to neutral co-inhabitants to harmful pathogens. Climate change is altering these delicate fungal-plant networks, but how these changes affect ecosystems is still largely unknown. Marc Anthony's Vienna Research Group is combining experimental studies with climate modeling to predict how different fungal species will respond to drought and warming and what consequences this will have for plant development and ecosystem functions.