Research Infrastructure

Students carry out their research projects in state-of-the-art research labs and have access to a unique research infrastructure. The molecular and chemical laboratories of the faculty provide access to all standard equipment. In addition, students have the possibility to obtain knowledge and hands-on expertise of almost every advanced technology applied in molecular microbial research, including a confocal Raman micro-spectroscopy laboratory, as well as an integrated metabolomics and proteomics platform.

The research infrastructure comprises:

• The Mass Spectrometry Centre (MSC) at the Faculty of Chemistry offers analytical services and support using a broad spectrum of cutting-edge mass spectrometers.
• The Facility for Advanced Isotope Research in the Life Sciences runs an analytical nano-secondary ion mass spectrometer (NanoSIMS) and five isotope-ratio mass spectrometers in the stable isotope laboratory SILVER.
• The Core Facility for Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research provides expertise and access to various microscopic techniques including transmission and scanning electron microscopy, the latter in combination with X-ray microanalysis.
• Computer-based genome-research, bioinformatics and mathematical modelling approaches can be performed on an in-house high-performance computer-cluster LiSC.
• Animal housing, histology and flow cytometry/cell sorting are available at the Max F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL).
• Access to the Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF), established to provide additional cutting edge research infrastructure and sophisticated technology to Vienna-based research institutes, including a next generation sequencing facility.
• The Joint Microbiome Facility (JMF), which provides advanced facilities and specialized expertise to researchers working in clinical, environmental, and other basic research fields to characterize and understand complex microbial communities.