Immunity in Cancer and Allergy

The mammalian immune system acts as a complex surveillance system ensuring to distinguish between self and non-self, and between harmless and dangerous events approaching from outside or inside of the organism. Moreover, it interacts with growth, differentiation and death of cells and tissues, and thus maintains the homeostasis and the integrity of our body. The proposed doctoral college will focus on two pathologies of the immune system, i.e. the overwhelming allergic immune response and the inefficient immune response against certain tumors. Both diseases are a growing concern and there is an urgent medical need to elucidate the underlying mechanisms for the development of new therapies. Unraveling the cellular and molecular immunological mechanisms and pathways will enable us to develop rational and molecule-based strategies for the treatment of these diseases. Therefore, the goal of the proposed doctoral college is (1) to establish an international PhD program with the topic "Immunity in Cancer and Allergy" at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Salzburg, (2) to attract and select excellent graduate students from all over the world, (3) to provide an intellectually stimulating environment, an excellent instrumental and methodological infrastructure and ambitious scientific projects, and (4) to prepare for a successful career in basic as well as translational and applied science. The present application comprises ten research groups. Their track records, experience with national and international programs, and their excellent infrastructure will guarantee high quality research and training. Furthermore, the college structure will ensure that students benefit from the collective experience of the researchers. Immunological aspects of allergy and cancer are major topics of the University of Salzburg and the University Hospital of Salzburg. Both institutions already invested heavily and are commited to support the involved research groups with infrastructure and personnel. The latest activities have been the "BioScience and Health" priority program of the University, including the purchasing of a new building and the appointment of two new professorships. The success of the research groups also led to external funding by the federal state government of Salzburg, which established the Laboratory for Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research (LIMCR) and funded one "endowment" professorship, and by the Christian Doppler (CD) Research Foundation which funded the CD Laboratory for Allergy Diagnosis and Therapy. The proposed doctoral college will build on this research cluster and play a central role in shaping an excellent research future for immunology in Salzburg.