MUI Start Funding Awarded to Lifeng Liu

Postdoctoral researcher Lifeng Liu has been awarded funding through the MUI Start programme of the Medical University of Innsbruck. The project was officially approved on 4 December 2025.

The project, titled “Characterization of a novel transmission route of respiratory syncytial virus and its contribution to pathogenesis”, addresses a previously underexplored aspect of RSV biology. Preliminary data from cell culture studies indicate that RSV-induced syncytium formation not only contributes to viral cytopathogenesis but also promotes viral spread through previously unrecognized mechanisms. Using a unique experimental system developed for this purpose, the project aims to elucidate the underlying processes and assess their physiological relevance.

The project will be conducted in collaboration with Assoc.-Prof. PD Mag. Dr. Wilfried Posch (Department of Hygiene, Microbiology, and Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck) and Mag. Pharm. Stefanie Dichtl-Zweimüller, PhD (Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck). Master’s student Susanna Edith Fend from the University of Innsbruck will contribute to the project.

Congratulations to Lifeng Liu on this achievement!

About MUI Start

The MUI Start programme of the Medical University of Innsbruck is a start-up fund for young researchers at the postdoctoral level. Its aim is to support qualified early-career scientists in generating preliminary research data that can serve as the basis for subsequent applications for third-party funding — such as FWF, FFG, LBG, or EU Horizon grants.

Funded projects may run for up to 24 months, with a maximum funding level of € 60,000 per project. Applications are evaluated in a two-step process: an internal jury first selects proposals, which then undergo international peer review before final decisions are made.

For more information about the programme, visit the official MUI website.