The Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) is a renowned research center located in Klosterneuburg, close to Vienna. Founded in 2009, ISTA promotes interdisciplinary research, tackles complex scientific questions and encourages collaboration and innovation. ISTA has a global focus, bringing in top scientists, postdocs, and students from around the world, creating a multicultural atmosphere for research.
ISTA offers a range of internships for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in gaining hands-on experience in scientific research. The ISTernship summer programme is implemented by OeAD. Therefore, we invited OeAD scholars who spent the summer at ISTA to share their experiences of working closely with leading researchers and gave a wonderful insight into how they contribute to innovative projects across different scientific disciplines.
For example, Carmen Tabuenca Gómez, a master’s student in biochemistry from the University of Navarra, Spain, worked with the Schanda group at ISTA. Her project focused on studying two proteins, Lam6 and Tom70, which interact at the membrane contact site between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria in cells. By using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, she was able to analyze their structures and identify the key regions involved in the protein-protein interaction. Carmen mentioned that she particularly enjoyed exchanging ideas with people from different scientific backgrounds and countries. She also appreciated having access to advanced labs and research facilities. Outside of work, she took part in various activities like volleyball and hiking, which made her ISTernship even more enjoyable.
Another student, Filotea Crasovan Neacsu, a 4th-year medical student from the University of Barcelona, worked in the Neuroscience Department. Her project focused on studying the migration behavior and dynamics of microglia in early developmental stages using deep learning techniques. Filotea loved ISTA’s emphasis on collaboration between different disciplines and felt that everyone contributed something valuable to the bigger picture in this unique research environment.
Kanako Aono then introduced some of ISTA's fully-funded research opportunities, like the Interdisciplinary PhD Program. This program offers students mentoring from top researchers and access to state-of-the-art labs and equipment. The program is designed to be flexible so that students can tailor their studies to match their own research interests and goals. Please see the presentation for details: Introducing ISTA
The presentations were followed by a guided tour of the campus, where we visited the various buildings and also learned about the history of ISTA. We then enjoyed a lovely 20-minute walk to Redlinger Hütte, where we had lunch. Our scholarship holders really liked the peaceful hike through the forest and loved the quiet atmosphere and tasty food.
In the afternoon, we visited Klosterneuburg Abbey, a historic monastery with over 900 years of history. Over the centuries, the Abbey has been expanded and renovated, featuring impressive Gothic and Baroque architecture. We explored the breathtaking Gothic choir and the Baroque church, which houses the renowned Verdun Altar. Afterward, we enjoyed a guided tour of the museum and wrapped up our visit with a relaxing walk through the beautiful garden.
As one of our scholars concluded: “The event was truly remarkable, combining educational and recreational experiences. The presentations were particularly captivating, and it was inspiring to see bachelor’s students engaged in cutting-edge research. I also enjoyed the hike, the meal in a traditional restaurant and the architecture and art in the afternoon. Additionally, it was a great opportunity to meet and connect with other scholars.”
