Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Within the project, fecal samples from Austrian laying hen farms are examined for parasitic infestation.

Required Skills and Knowledge:
Students completing the 6th semester

Additional Information:
A 2-week internship at the Institute of Parasitology is offered for enrollment (can be credited as an institute internship).Duration of the thesis is flexible but preferred till 2026.

Planned duration of the thesis project:
01.08.2024 - 30.04.2026

Language of the Thesis:
English preferred (German also possible)

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Centre for Animal Nutrition and Welfare

Contact Person for the Thesis:

• Viktoria Weissenböck (viktoria.weissenboeck@vetmeduni.ac.at; 06764623288)
• Janja Sirovnik Koscica (janja.sirovnik-koscica@vetmeduni.ac.at)

Interested candidates may reply until: 
01.07.2024

Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has led to extensive research in both humans and animals, to understand its origins, evolution, impact, and host range. The proposed thesis aims to quantitatively assess the total number of papers that have been published addressing SARS-CoV-2 infection in animals. We aim to assess the research effort by species (the number of published papers will be used as a proxy for research effort), evaluate publication trends over time, and identify research gaps. By analyzing the amount of existing literature, this project will provide valuable insights for an ongoing PhD project aiming to study the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in animals.

Required Skills and Knowledge:
The ideal candidate should have good written and spoken English skills, be able to conduct systematic search in PubMed and data transfer to Excel. Familiarity with R programming is not mandatory but would be appreciated.

Additional Information:
The student has the option to conduct the research at the group's office and/or remotely (an Internet connection is required). Regular meetings will be scheduled for training, discussions and progress reports. Ideally, the project would start in July 2024, but specific dates can be adjusted as needed. The duration of the project is six months.

Planned duration of the thesis project:
01.07.2024 - 01.12.2024

Language of the Thesis:
English

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Science, Centre for Food Science and Veterinary Public Health, Group Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Contact Person for the Thesis:

• Assoc.-Prof. Amélie Desvars-Larrive,
• Mail: amelie.desvars@vetmeduni.ac.at
• Phone: 0125077-3538 

Interested candidates may reply until: 
20.06.2024

Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated the ability to infect not only humans but also domestic and wild animals. While a wide range of species are susceptible to infection, companion animals, mink and white-tailed deer have been disproportionately investigated. Previous and current research being conducted in the Infections Epidemiology Group have focused on the positive cases reported through official channels, such as the WAHIS-WOAH, Promed-mail, as well as in the scientific literature (see: vis.csh.ac.at/sars-ani/).
The proposed thesis aims to explore events and associated variables reported in the scientific literature where investigated animals tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 , emphasizing the need for continued surveillance and One Health approaches, to monitor and manage potential zoonotic disease outbreaks. Understanding negative results is equally as important as understanding the positive ones, as it provides insights into viral transmission dynamics and zoonotic risk assessment, which can inform public health measures and surveillance.

Required Skills and Knowledge:
The ideal candidate should have strong written and spoken English skills, be able to conduct systematic literature review and data transfer to Excel. Familiarity with R programming is not mandatory but would be appreciated.

Additional Information:
The student has the option to conduct the research at the group's office and/or remotely (an Internet connection is required). Regular meetings will be scheduled for training, discussions and progress reports. Ideally, the project would start in July 2024, but specific dates can be adjusted as needed. The duration of the project is six months.

Planned duration of the thesis project:
01.07.2024 - 01.12.2024

Language of the Thesis:
English

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Science, Centre for Food Science and Veterinary Public Health, Group Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Contact Person for the Thesis:

• Assoc.-Prof. Amélie Desvars-Larrive,
• Mail: amelie.desvars@vetmeduni.ac.at
• Phone: 0125077-3538 

Interested candidates may reply until: 
20.06.2024

Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Colitis is a frequent and serious problem in horses as well as humans. The pathophysiological mechanisms are supposed to involve a complex crosstalk between immune cells and epithelial cells that results in destruction of the epithelial barrier and further progression of disease. This project aims to establish a co-culture model of equine colon epithelium and immune cells to characterize the signalling pathways involved and to test new therapeutic approaches.

Required Skills and Knowledge:
High motivation, experience in cell culture work and/or molecular biology;  
BSc degree in Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedicine or a related subject 

Further Information:
We offer a highly supportive team, established methods and guidance by supervisor and colleagues.

Language of the Thesis:
German or English

Duration of the thesis:
6 months

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences & Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

Contact Person for the Thesis:
Franziska Dengler - Franziska.dengler@vetmdeuni.ac.at
Jessika Cavalleri - Jessika.cavalleri@vetmeduni.ac.at

Feedback from students requested by:
as soon as possible, flexible starting date

Please send a short CV and motivation letter.