DE

Uwe E. Berger

Vitae

Uwe E. Berger MBA

My aims:

  • change of the perception on pollen allergy from a trivia to a disease
  • recognition of pollen as an important component of the air
  • facilitation of handling a pollen allergy
  • free access to pollen information as accurate as possible
  • networking of pollen information services and pooling of pollen data
  • innovation and constant advancement of the services of pollen information systems

Excerpt from my curriculum vitae:

  • 1991-2006: Reasearch assistent in Allergy research
  • 2005: European Course on Basic Aerobiology
  • 2006: Advanced Course on Aerobiology
  • 2007: certified project manager
  • 2007: Master of Business administration for Health Care Management
  • since 2007: Business administration at the ENT department at the Medical University of Vienna
  • since 2007: Lead of various national and international scientific projects
  • 2008: certified quality manager and auditor (ISO 9001)
  • 2009: certified risk manager
  • since 2009: Lead of the research group “Aerobiology and pollen information” at the Medical University of Vienna
Photo from Uwe E. Berger

Excerpt from my publication list with the most recent merit and a book for interested persons:

  • Individual pollen exposure measurements – are they feasible?
    Berger U., Kmenta M. and K. Bastl (2014). Invited Review Article, Current Opinion in Allergy & Clinical Immunology 14 (3):200-205.
  • The medical and scientific responsibility of pollen information services.
    K. Bastl, M. Berger, K.-C. Bergmann, M. Kmenta, U. Berger. (accepted) Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift. DOI: 10.1007/s00508-016-1097-3
  • The grass pollen season 2014 in Vienna: A pilot study combining phenology, aerobiology and symptom data.
    Kmenta M., Bastl K., Kramer M. F., Hewings S. J., Mwange J., Zetter R and Berger U. (2016). Science of the Total Environment 566-567:1614-1620.
  • First comparison of symptom data with allergen content (Bet v 1 and Phl p 5 measurements) and pollen data from four European regions.
    Bastl K., Kmenta M., Pessi A.-M., Prank M., Saarto A., Sofiev M., Bergmann K.-C., Buters J. T. M., Thibaudon M., Jäger S., U. Berger. (2016). Science of the Total Environment 548-549:229-235. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.01.014
  • Pollen und Allergie. Pollenallergie erkennen und lindern.
    Bastl K., Berger U., Berger M., M. Kmenta. (2015). MANZ Verlag, Wien, pp. 176; ISBN 978-3-214-00983-0
  • Visit my ResearchGate profile or the Austrian pollen information Homepage for a complete list of publications.

Profession

My calling oscillates between two poles: Science and application in practice. The use for pollen allergy sufferers is paramount. The following mosaic pieces are my starting points to move issues for pollen allergy sufferers forward since I am a pollen allergy sufferer myself.

Improving pollen information

“Pollen information is a mission, not a business“ – I dedicated myself with this guiding principle to allergen avoidance in the service of pollen allergy sufferers. Pollen forecasts and the best possible information must be free accessible for the population and thus be free of charge. The services of the Austrian pollen information service (https://www.pollenwarndienst.at/en.html) are expanded due to constant research and our scientific contributions. A driver for improvements are the close cooperation with national and international partners as well as the feedback from users and pollen allergy sufferers.

My position:
Leader of the Austrian pollen information service at the Medical University of Vienna

Networking pollen information services

„Pollen crosses borders“ – a sound pollen forecast requires to take a broader view outside the home country as well as a reliable team within the home country. Polleninfo.org (www.polleninfo.org) is the successful networking of pollen information services in Europe and provides a platform for all relevant information.

My position:
Developer and administrator of polleninfo.org

Pooling pollen data

Every good and sound pollen forecast must be built on a solid database. Pollen data are one of the essential sources. Continuous and high quality pollen data are of inestimable value for science, clinical trials and pollen information. I myself was involved in the development of the European pollen database in Vienna and this database is my particular concern as core of international cooperation in this field of science.

My position:
Coordinator and leader of EAN (European Aeroallergen Network; https://www.ean-net.org/en.html), the network for the European pollen database at the Medical University of Vienna

Supporting pollen allergy sufferers

Many questions concerning pollen allergy remain still unanswered. I encountered ideas for new developments again and again during my search for answers in international projects, clinical trials or routine work. These include the Patient´s Hayfever Diary, risk questionnaires and the mobile application “Pollen”. The awareness of directly assisting people and supporting pollen allergy sufferers boosts my creativity.

My position:
Leader of the research group “Aerobiology and pollen information” at the Medical University of Vienna

Personal life

Thirst for adventure and a certain ruthlessness concerning my own, physical integrity is said about my private interests. Those are comprised of nearly everything that happens outside and possesses at least one horsepower: riding, fishing, hunting, driving (and exhausting) cars and enjoying the idyll of North America in the community of native Americans.

Contact

Uwe E. Berger
uwe.berger[at]meduniwien.ac.at
ENT department
Medical University of Vienna
Währinger Gürtel 18-20
1010 Wien
Tel: +43 1 40400 33430