SFU | Fostering interdisciplinary collaboration: SFU hosts first cross-faculty Research Day
On Friday, 12 June 2026, Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna hosted its first cross-faculty Research Day, dedicated to the topic Longevity and Healthy Aging: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.
The event brought together researchers from all four SFU faculties to explore one of the most pressing societal challenges of our time: how people can live longer, healthier, and more self-determined lives. Held at Freudplatz 3 with the option to participate online, the Research Day created a platform for interdisciplinary exchange, new research ideas, and future cross-faculty collaboration.
It was organised and hosted by Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Marion Garaus, PhD, Vice Rector for Research, with great support from the Vice Deans for Research of all four faculties: Ass.-Prof. Dr. Nora Ruck, PhD for the Faculty of Psychology, Ass.-Prof. Dr. Martin Kuška, PhD for the Faculty of Psychotherapy Science, Univ.-Prof.in Dr.in med. univ. Sylvia Hartl for the Faculty of Medicine, and Univ.-Prof. Dr. Konrad Lachmayer for the Faculty of Law.
Across three panels, participants discussed a wide range of perspectives on longevity and healthy aging, including dementia care, legal questions around autonomy in later life, psychosocial aspects of aging, nutrition and micronutrients, the microbiome and brain health, and cellular mechanisms of age-related processes.
The first panel opened with a spotlight presentation by Univ.-Doz. Dr. Gerald Gatterer on “MAVIDA: A New Approach to Dementia Care in Austria. This was followed by contributions from Assoz.-Prof. Mag. Mag. Dr. Florian Heindler on adult protection law in old age and interdisciplinary perspectives, and Dr. Barbara Götsch on “Ageing and Subjectivity in a Time of ‘Multiple Crises‘.
The second panel focused on medical and biological perspectives on aging. Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. univ. Klaus Geissler presented on CHIP as a factor predisposing individuals to age-related disorders and as a potential target for preventive or therapeutic intervention. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Barbara Prüller-Strasser, ScDD, MPH, discussed microbiota-targeted interventions for healthy brain aging, while Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. univ. Tadeusz Peter Panhofer, MSc, MBA, explored the impact of nutrition and micronutrients on longevity.
The third panel broadened the discussion further, highlighting psychosocial, legal, and biomedical dimensions of healthy aging. MMag. Dr. Lisa Winter, Mag. Stella Becher-Urbaniak, and Ass.-Prof. Dr. Jan Philipp Amadeus Aden, MSc, presented research on psychosocial characteristics among older clients in outpatient care. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Konrad Lachmayer addressed the question “Is there a Right to Healthy Ageing?” Additional spotlight presentations by Emily Heaman-Dunn, MSc, and Ass.-Prof. Dr. Jan Philipp Amadeus Aden, MSc, together with David Seistock, PhD, focused on cell senescence, self-regulation, and digital competence in later life.
A contribution by Dr. Enikő Darabos from Research Support Center provided practical insights into how initial research ideas can be developed into inter- and transdisciplinary research projects, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary funding schemes.
The event concluded with an informal exchange on possible research collaborations, offering participants the opportunity to further develop project ideas and identify new connections across disciplinary boundaries.
SFU’s first cross-faculty Research Day demonstrated the strong potential of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing the complex challenges of longevity and healthy aging. The event not only showcased the diversity and depth of expertise across the university, but also laid the groundwork for future research projects that connect medical, psychological, psychotherapeutic, legal, and social perspectives.
A warm thank you goes to all presenters, participants, and organisers who contributed to the success of this first cross-faculty Research Day and helped make it a lively forum for exchange, inspiration, and future collaboration.
