Cardiovascular diseases and cancer are the leading causes of death in Austria. In many cases, they are triggered by metabolic disorders. In order to better understand them, the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) has founded the Cori Institute – in close collaboration with the University of Graz, Graz University of Technology and the Medical University Graz.
An existing building in the immediate vicinity of the three universities at 21 Leechgasse in Graz is now being converted into a location for cutting-edge research. The renovation has now been greenlit by the following partners: Martin Polaschek, Federal Minister of Science, Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, State Councillor for Science, Wolfgang Baumjohann, President for the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW), Dieter Johs, WEGRAZ Managing Director, and the three rectors Andrea Kurz, Horst Bischof and Peter Riedler.
4,000 square metres for cutting-edge research
The building, designed in the 1970s by Roland Rainer, the architect of the Wiener Stadthalle, has a net floor area of around 4,000 square metres. The five-storey building is owned by TPS Vermögensverwaltung, a sister company of WEGRAZ, and is being redesigned for the needs of the Cori Institute based on a design by the renowned architects Ernst Giselbrecht and Partners and in consultation with the Old Town Expert Commission. In the future, around half of the space will be used for laboratories, while the other part will be used for offices, social and meeting rooms, as well as seminar rooms. The renovation will be completed in November 2027. The exterior of the building, designed by Roland Rainer, will remain.
The Cori Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences is funded by the Province of Styria with six million euros, while the three participating universities provide know-how and infrastructure – such as libraries, seminar rooms, special laboratories and IT. The costs for the spatial infrastructure are equally borne by the three universities.
Close collaboration between computer science, biology and technology
The BioTechMed-Graz research network, in which the three universities have been successfully collaborating for eleven years, was the ideal starting point for the new facility. The eponymous metabolic researchers Gerti and Carl Cori worked in Graz for a short time before emigrating to the USA in 1922.
How can cancer be stopped in its tracks? How does our metabolism react to pathogenic microorganisms and how can they be rendered harmless? What happens in the body's cells when environmental and age-related diseases develop? The Cori Institute is dedicated to answering questions like these. To do so, metabolic processes in the cells are to be systematically investigated and modelled using mathematical methods. To achieve this, scientists from the fields of mathematics, computer science, biology and engineering will work closely together. This is the first time that an entire institute has been dedicated to metabolic research, bringing together a range ofdifferent disciplines.
Reactions from the worlds of politics and science
Politics and science agree: the Cori Institute is creating another beacon of science in Austria, with basic research into metabolic diseases with high application potential. The goal is to discover innovative therapeutic approaches for the benefit of patients.
Science Minister Martin Polaschek:
‘The Cori Institute in Graz is a unique centre for research into metabolic processes – an area that is of central importance for understanding and treating serious illnesses such as cancer. The close cooperation between the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the three BioTechMed Graz universities lays the foundation for research at the highest level. This not only strengthens cutting-edge research in the life sciences, but also Styria and Austria as a centre for science and innovation.’
Science Councillor Barbara Eibinger-Miedl:
‘With the Cori Institute for Metabolic Research, we have succeeded in bringing another OeAW institute, and thus a beacon in the field of health research, to Styria. Human technology is already one of our country's scientific and economic strengths, and the institute will expand it further. In addition, it will enable us to improve our international visibility as a research location.’
Wolfgang Baumjohann, President for the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW):
‘With Cori, OeAW is establishing an excellent research institute in Graz. The transdisciplinary collaboration with the BioTechMed universities is a key factor. With the Cori Institute, we are also building a bridge between basic research and application, so that research results are available to people as quickly as possible.’
Med Uni Rector Andrea Kurz:
‘The Cori Institute shows that scientific excellence is the result of interdisciplinary collaboration and strong partnerships. By combining our knowledge and resources, we are creating a basis for research in Graz that will have a far-reaching impact and make an important long-term contribution to health research.’
BioTechMed-Graz Director Rudolf Zechner:
‘Metabolic disorders play a central, often causal role in the development of prevalent ‘widespread diseases’ such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer or infectious diseases. The Cori Institute is tackling this enormous medical and social challenge through close interdisciplinary and interinstitutional cooperation. This should lead to new, innovative approaches to the education, prevention and therapy of these diseases.’
University of Graz rector Peter Riedler:
‘We can only hold our own in international competition if we focus on networking and joint action, for which the Cori Institute is an example. Researchers from different disciplines are working on key health issues, for the benefit of the scientific community and society as a whole.’
TU Graz Rector Horst Bischof:
‘Graz is the ideal location for this top OeAW research institute. In close cooperation with the three BioTechMed-Graz universities, we are achieving scientific strength that is widely visible and will also attract young, international research talent to Graz.’
WEGRAZ managing director Dieter Johs:
‘With the renovation of the existing building and the construction of a new building in Leechgasse, we are creating the infrastructure for a centre of cutting-edge research that will make a lasting contribution to solving key health issues. I am delighted that this project allows us to combine science and building culture in such an impressive way.’
Architect Ernst Giselbrecht:
‘The Cori Institute is a great opportunity for Graz to appear on the international research radar. This should be emphasised by contemporary architecture. The new institute will be integrated into the existing natural environment with particular care, creating not only ideal working conditions for researchers but also a pleasant atmosphere.’
