Researcher at UAS Technikum Wien Receives Prestigious ÖGAI Dissertation Award for Outstanding Immunology Research

The Austrian Society for Allergology and Immunology (ÖGAI) awarded the “ÖGAI – Fritz and Ursula Melchers Dissertation Prize” for outstanding scientific achievements in the field of allergology and immunology this year to Jana Block, lecturer and researcher at the Department of Life Science Engineering.

Block was honored for her doctoral thesis, which she completed in the research group of Univ.-Prof. Kaan Boztug at the St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute (CCRI). As part of her dissertation, she identified germline mutations with loss of function in the DOCK11 gene that cause a previously unknown form of immune dysregulation.

Her research showed that DOCK11 mutations affect both blood formation (hematopoiesis) and regulation of the immune system. The results provide important new insights into the molecular causes of rare congenital immune disorders and open up long-term prospects for new therapeutic approaches.

The award ceremony took place during the ÖGAI Symposium on August 17.

“I am very pleased that my work has been recognized in this way. The award is also a recognition of the excellent research environment at the CCRI and the close interdisciplinary collaboration,” said Jana Block.

Research interests in the field of molecular immunology and cellular signaling pathways

Jana Block is a lecturer and researcher in the ell Technologies & Biomaterials competence field at the Department of Life Science Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien. Her research interests lie in the field of molecular immunology and cellular signaling pathways.

Further information:

Doctoral thesis by Jana Block

Publication on which the thesis is based

Department of Life Science Engineering

Cell Technologies & Biomaterials