IT:U part of pioneering research initiative “Personalized Technical Medicine”

Interdisciplinary Transformation University Austria (IT:U) is pleased to be part of the newly launched “Personalized Technical Medicine” initiative. For the first time, Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria (FH OÖ), the Interdisciplinary Transformation University Austria (IT:U), and Kepler University Hospital (KUK) are working together as equal partners within the framework of a long‑term research agenda. With the support of the Upper Austria Economic Chamber (WKOÖ), next‑generation medical‑technological innovations are to be developed that will directly benefit patients and be transferred to the economy.

In addition, the “Personalized Technical Medicine” research initiative strengthens Upper Austria as:

a hotspot for high‑tech medicine,
an attractive place to work and conduct research for talent from around the world,
a driver of new spin‑offs, patents, and industry collaborations,
and a central hub for digitalization in healthcare.

Four renowned experts from medicine, engineering, and interdisciplinary research have been appointed to the scientific leadership:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Gruber, MBA – JKU, Faculty of Medicine
FH‑Prof. PD DI Dr. Michael Affenzeller – FH OÖ
Prof. Christopher Frauenberger – IT:U
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Alois Ferscha – JKU, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Gustav Pomberger supports the networking of the partners as scientific coordinator and accompanies the evaluation of the projects.

With annual base funding of €3 million provided by JKU, FH OÖ, IT:U, KUK, the State of Upper Austria, and WKOÖ, the initiative has a long‑term and solid foundation. These funds are to be further multiplied through third‑party funding—such as CD Laboratories, Ressel Centers, and projects funded by FFG, FWF, or the EU.

Upper Austria boasts an excellently positioned research environment: state‑of‑the‑art laboratories, complementary technical infrastructure among academic partners, and strong clinical partners such as Kepler University Hospital. With the “Personalized Technical Medicine” initiative, these strengths are now being strategically brought together:

JKU contributes internationally recognized expertise in medicine, life sciences (e.g., bioinformatics, biophysics), engineering, AI, and mechatronics.
IT:U contributes its particular strength in interdisciplinary research, medical data science, and digitalization.
FH Upper Austria adds proven competence in applied research in the fields of medical engineering, life sciences, medical and bioinformatics, as well as AI and digital health.
Kepler University Hospital, Austria’s second‑largest hospital, ensures immediate clinical relevance, patient‑oriented research, and excellent infrastructure.

“Personalized Technical Medicine succeeds when technological innovation is tightly integrated with clinical practice—and when people and society stay front and center. The fusion of medicine and computing now sits at the core of the digital transformation, bringing diverse scientific cultures together. That demands true interdisciplinarity: deep mutual understanding and the integration of methods, theories, and ethics. Alongside outstanding technical strength, IT:U contributes exactly this capability—from medical data science and computational neuroscience to clinically deployed AI used responsibly,”
said Stefanie Lindstaedt, founding president of the Interdisciplinary Transformation University Austria.