Decision by the General Assembly of Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences GmbH: Andrea Olschewski, a specialist in anaesthesia and interdisciplinary pain therapy, is to take over the management functions of KL Founding Rector and Managing Director Rudolf Mallinger in February 2026.

Elaborate 3D analysis of the inner ear now, for the first time, provide insights into volume changes of special structures in sufferers of the so-called Ménière's disease. The cause of this rare disease remains unclear to this day, although it leads to severe balance disorders, among other things. A successful collaboration between the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences (Krems, Austria) and Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins University (both USA) has now provided new insights into the disease process. Using 3D-reconstructions of inner ears (based on anatomical slices) the international team was able to measure for the first time altered volumes of structures known as endolymphatic compartments in patients with the disease. A connection with the thickness of special membranes in the inner ear was also identified. In addition, further evidence was found concerning the functioning of a poorly understood structure in the inner ear (Bast's valve).

During COVID-19-related lockdowns, face-to-face communication was of much greater importance for mental health than digital communication alternatives. This is the result of a study conducted by the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences in Krems, Austria (KL Krems). Among the digital alternatives, in turn, text communication (mail, SMS, WhatsApp) surprisingly had stronger positive effects on mental well-being than the popular video conferencing. The results of the study were recently published in Scientific Reports, a journal of the Nature portfolio.

Gene alterations in biliary tract cancer offer potential targets for current or future precision therapies. This is demonstrated by a highly acclaimed study conducted by Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences in collaboration with the Medical University of Vienna. In this study, cells from biliary tract cancer were examined for genetic alterations. The results demonstrate the potential of genetic profiling of tumors as a basis for promising and targeted therapies.