Successful "Lange Nacht der Forschung" 2026 at KL: Science to participate in and marvel at
On 24 April 2026, Karl Landsteiner University opened its doors as part of the "Lange Nacht der Forschung" and offered visitors a varied and interactive programme from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Austria's largest science and research event once again attracted numerous interested visitors to over 300 exhibition venues throughout the country - and KL was a central attraction on the Krems campus.
Under the motto "Join in - Marvel - Discover", KL presented the impressive range of its research and teaching activities in Wing Y and Wing UD. Visitors were given exciting insights into current medical research, were able to get hands-on and experience science up close.
A special highlight was the live moderated heart surgery in the KL Lecture Hall. The operation, which was carried out and recorded at the University Hospital, was presented by the head of the clinical department, associate professor PD Dr Dominik Wiedemann and gave the audience interested fascinating insights into modern heart surgery. The KL Skills Lab, where interested visitors could try out medical skills such as taking blood or suturing wounds on realistic models under the guidance of KL students, was equally popular (station lead: David Amweg, BSc).
There was great interest in the cancer research wards. The Department of Oncology and Haematology demonstrated how closely research and clinical practice are interlinked - in line with the "bench-to-bedside" approach. Visitors were given an insight into modern diagnostics, individualised forms of therapy and current developments in cancer treatment (station lead: Prof. DDr. Klaus Podar). Short presentations and personal discussions showed how innovative research approaches are helping to continuously improve the treatment of tumour diseases.
The oncological thoracic and breast surgery ward at Krems University Hospital (ward manager: Dr Brigitte Kundu) focused on everyday clinical practice and the surgical treatment of lung and breast cancer. This was made particularly clear by an fascinating demonstration model: a real pig's lung, which is very similar to the human organ in terms of structure and function, was actively ventilated on site. This allowed visitors to experience at first hand how the lungs work and the challenges involved in surgical procedures. The station was complemented by insights into current research activities and the close interdisciplinary collaboration in modern cancer medicine.
The interactive workshop "Nutrition and the microbiome" (led by University Professor Dr Victor Zevallos) showed just how strongly lifestyle and nutrition influence our health. Participants learnt about the key role the microbiome plays in digestion, the immune system and even mental well-being, and were able to actively engage with current research approaches.
Another important topic for the future was dealt with at the allergy research ward (ward manager: OÄ PD Dr Christine Hafner). Here it was shown how modern molecular diagnostics can help to recognise allergies more precisely and enable individually tailored treatment decisions. Visitors were given insights into innovative test procedures and the importance of personalised medicine in allergology.
There was also plenty on offer for young researchers: At the "Anatomy Puzzle" hands-on station (station lead: Dr Sophie Förster-Streffleur), children were able to playfully explore the structure of the human body with the help of anatomy models and skeletons.
The Department of Psychodynamics offered insights into current social issues and showed how psychodynamic theories can be applied beyond the clinical field (station lead: Prof Dr Patrizia Giampieri-Deutsch). Topics such as religion, education and areas of social conflict were examined from a scientific perspective. Poster presentations and ongoing research work provided a direct insight into scientific practice, while interactive activities and specially developed comics also appealed to younger visitors.
The station of the Department of Water Quality and Health (station head: Dr Mats Leifels) demonstrated how closely environmental factors and health are linked. Visitors were given exciting insights into current research projects on the importance of clean water - both in a regional and global context. In entertaining presentations, the researchers shed light on various aspects of this complex topic - from the role of drinking water hygiene to the effects of pollutants entering bodies of water.
The station of the Department of Biomechanics (station manager: Assoc. Prof. DI Dr Andreas Reisinger) was both technical and historical. Here, visitors were able to observe how bones behave under mechanical stress and what insights can be gained from this for medicine and therapy. This was complemented by insights into anthropological research into an Upper Palaeolithic double burial from the Wachtberg in Krems. Modern technologies such as 3D analyses were used to show how conclusions can be drawn about life over 30,000 years ago.
Political visitors also emphasised the importance of the event: State Councillor Anton Kasser, representing Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, and the Mayor of Krems, Peter Molnar, visited the campus and learnt about selected stations on a tour of the campus. At KL, their visit focused in particular on the areas of oncology & haematology, water quality and health as well as biomechanics.
The “Lange Nacht der Forschung” 2026 demonstrated how lively, diverse and socially relevant science is. The great response from visitors - 2,500 interested people took advantage of the diverse programme on offer at Campus Krems - and the consistently positive feedback confirm the event's importance as a platform for exchange, information and enthusiasm for research.
