Dr Sabine Kienesberger-Feist
With the medal scholarship awarded by Univ. Prof. Dr phil. Rudolf Zechner after receiving the Jung Gold Medal for Medicine in 2024, we supported Dr. Sabine Kienesberger-Feist at the Institute of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Graz, Austria.
The scholarship associated with the medal, currently endowed with 30,000 euros, may be awarded by the medal laureate to a junior researcher of their choice.
Gut health in premature infants
Sabine Kienesberger-Feist investigates the role of the gut microbiome in the severe inflammatory bowel disease known as necrotizing enterocolitis. This intestinal disease mainly affects premature infants and can be life-threatening.
When bacteria compete for space
Her research focuses on Klebsiella bacteria, which can colonize the infant gut within the first days of life. Certain species can produce toxic substances (toxins) that displace other bacteria and, at the same time, damage the cells of the intestinal mucosa. This means that the crucial question is not only which bacteria are present in the gut, but also how they respond to their environment and to each other.
Understanding probiotics and antibiotics more precisely
Of particular importance is the interaction between Klebsiella and probiotic bacteria. Probiotics can inhibit the growth of Klebsiella. Under certain conditions, however, this pressure can cause Klebsiella to produce more toxins. Antibiotics, too, can trigger comparable stress responses in Klebsiella.
A basis for safer treatment strategies
The findings show how carefully treatment strategies for premature infants need to be balanced. Interventions in the microbiome can offer protection, but they must be understood in detail in order to avoid unintended effects. In the long term, the research aims to help make the use of probiotics and antibiotics in neonatology safer and more targeted – especially for infants whose gut is colonized by toxin-producing Klebsiella species.
The medal scholarship enabled Sabine Kienesberger-Feist to establish important experimental methods and supported work that also contributed to a scientific publication. At the same time, the scholarship sustainably strengthened and supported her further scientific career at the University of Graz.