People

Date of birth: December 4st, 1972

HIGHER EDUCATION
06/2016 Habilitation MUV “Experimental Dermatology”
2011 – 2013 PhD, Leiden, The Nederlands; „A human organotypic knock-down skin model to study molecules involved in epidermal keratinocyte differentiation”

APPOINTMENTS / POSITIONS
Since 2017 Associate Professor and group leader in the Research Division for Biology and Pathobiology of the skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna
Since 2016 CSO, Aposcience AG, Vienna
2014 – 2017 Assistant Professor and project leader in the Research Division for Biology and Pathobiology of the skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna
2013 – 2014 Postdoc and project leader in the Research Division for Biology and Pathobiology of the skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna
1992 – 2013 Chemical-technical assistant in the Research Division for Biology and Pathobiology of the skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna

GRANTS & PROJECT MANAGEMENT
2019 – 2024 Aposcience AG, „Secretome-based tissue regeneration“, 1225843€
2017 – 2019 Sparkling Science Program of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research „The genetic landscape of the human skin“, 157.600€
2022 FFG Talents “Hypertrophic scars”, 4800€
2021 FFG FEMtech, “Aposec Mode of Action”, 8480€
2021 FFG Talents, “Climate change and skin”, 2400€
2020 FFG Talents, “Netosis”, 1200€
2019 FFG Talents, “Scars”, 2400€
2018 FFG Talents, “Skin barrier”, 2400€
2011 – 2012 Research Grant of the Austrian Society for Dermatology
„Barrier function of filaggrin-deficient skin models“, 20.000€

PEDAGOGICAL SKILLS
2021 FEMtech, internship for female students“ FFG
2018 – 2022 FFG talents, internship for pupils
2017 – 2019 Sparkling Science Program; „ The genetic landscape of the human skin“
modeling human pathologic scar formation
2017 Certificate „Medical Education Vienna”
2013 – 2022 Continuous teaching at the Medical University of Vienna
2013 – 2021 Supervisor of more than 50 bachelor, master and PhD students 
ongoing Design and participation of scientifically oriented laboratory courses for dermatologists

SELECTED MEMBERSHIPS
COST Action “Netskinmodels”
Austrian Society for Dermatology (ÖGDV)
European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR)
Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS)

SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS
*) Author of 155 publications including 48 first and last authorships
*) Citations: 5418; total Impact Factor: 1051; h-index: 42 (Web of Science 21/08/2023)
*) 30 years of experience in basic dermatological research
*) Several years of experience with GMP-compliant work, planning and implementation of studies
*) Development of alternative methods to reduce animal testing
*) Development of various skin models, including knock-out skin models
*) Review activities for a large number of top journals
*) Expert activities for various international funding organizations
*) Associate Editor at: “Journal of Investigated Dermatology”
*) Guest Editor Pharmaceutics: Special Issue "Emerging and Innovative Approaches for Wound Healing and Skin Regeneration: Current Status and Advances"
*) Guest Editor Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology: Special Issue “Extracellular Matrix Modifications in Development and Disease”
*) Editorial board member at: "Experimental Dermatology" and "Scientific Reports"
AWARDS
*) Travel award of the ESDR, 2022, to Dr. med Martin Direder (PhD student in my lab)
*) Theodor-Billroth-Preis of the ÖGC, 2022, to Dr. med Vera Vorstandlechner (PhD student in my lab)
*) Travel award of the ESDR, 2018, to Dr. med Polina Kalinina (PhD student in my lab)
*) Mobility Award of the ÖGDV, 2018, to Dr. med Polina Kalinina (PhD student in my lab)
*) Theodor-Billroth-Preis of the ÖGC, 2016, to Dr. med PD Stefan Hacker (PhD student in my lab)
*) Research Grant of the Austrian Society for Dermatology, 2012, to Dr. Michael Mildner
*) Best presentation, European Society of Dermatological Research, 2006
SHORT STATEMENT OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH RESULTS
Michael Mildner has a strong background in the area of cell biology, skin biology and scRNAseq. For over 20 years, his research has been dedicated to the establishment and advancement of skin models. The "knock-out skin models" method developed by him enabled, for the first time, the investigation of the function of individual genes in a complex human skin model. By integrating various cell types he has made significant contributions to the development of skin models. In addition, he is author of several publications, investigating hypertrophic and keloidal scar formation. Recently, he discovered the contribution of Schwann cells to skin scarring.
modeling human pathologic scar formation
 

10 MOST IMPORTANT PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
1) Therapeutic application of cell secretomes in cutaneous wound healing. Bormann D,
The Effect of Paracrine Factors Released by Irradiated Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells on Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation. Klas K, Ondracek AS, Hofbauer TM, Mangold A, Pfisterer K, Laggner M, Copic D, Direder M, Bormann D, Ankersmit HJ, Mildner M. Antioxidants. 2022 Aug 11;11(8):1559. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11081559
2) The secretome of irradiated peripheral blood mononuclear cells attenuates activation of mast cells and basophils. Laggner M, Acosta GS, Kitzmüller C, Copic D, Gruber F, Altenburger LM, Vorstandlechner V, Gugerell A, Direder M, Klas K, Bormann D, Peterbauer A, Shibuya A, Bohle B, Ankersmit HJ, Mildner M. EBioMedicine. 2022 Jul;81:104093 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104093
3) Schwann cells contribute to keloid formation.
Direder M, Weiss T, Copic D, Vorstandlechner V, Laggner M, Pfisterer K, Mildner CS, Klas K, Bormann D, Haslik W, Radtke C, Farlik M, Shaw L, Golabi B, Tschachler E, Hoetzenecker K, Ankersmit HJ, Mildner M. Matrix Biol. 2022 Apr;108:55-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matbio.2022.03.001
4) The serine proteases dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 and urokinase are key molecules in human and mouse scar formation. Vorstandlechner V, Laggner M, Copic D, Klas K, Direder M, Chen Y, Golabi B, Haslik W, Radtke C, Tschachler E, Hötzenecker K, Ankersmit HJ, Mildner M. Nat Commun. 2021 Oct 29;12(1):6242. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26495-2
5) Therapeutic potential of lipids obtained from γ-irradiated PBMCs in dendritic cell-mediated skin inflammation. Laggner M, Copic D, Nemec L, Vorstandlechner V, Gugerell A, Gruber F, Peterbauer A, Ankersmit HJ, Mildner M. EBioMedicine. 2020 May;55:102774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102774
6) Deciphering the functional heterogeneity of skin fibroblasts using single-cell RNA sequencing. Vorstandlechner V, Laggner M, Kalinina P, Haslik W, Radtke C, Shaw L, Lichtenberger BM, Tschachler E, Ankersmit HJ, Mildner M. FASEB J. 2020 Mar;34(3):3677-3692. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.201902001RRP
7) soriasin (S100A7) is a major Escherichia coli-cidal factor of the female genital tract. Mildner M, Stichenwirth M, Abtin A, Eckhart L, Sam C, Gläser R, Schröder JM, Gmeiner R, Mlitz V, Pammer J, Geusau A, Tschachler E. Psoriasin (S100A7) is a major Escherichia coli-cidal factor of the female genital tract. Mucosal Immunol. 2010 Nov;3(6):602-9. https://doi.org/10.1038/mi.2010.37
8) Knockdown of filaggrin impairs diffusion barrier function and increases UV sensitivity in a human skin model. Mildner M, Jin J, Eckhart L, Kezic S, Gruber F, Barresi C, Stremnitzer C, Buchberger M, Mlitz V, Ballaun C, Sterniczky B, Födinger D, Tschachler E. Knockdown of filaggrin impairs diffusion barrier function and increases UV sensitivity in a human skin model. J Invest Dermatol. 2010 Sep;130(9):2286-94. https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.2010.115
9) Primary sources and immunological prerequisites for sST2 secretion in humans. Mildner M, Storka A, Lichtenauer M, Mlitz V, Ghannadan M, Hoetzenecker K, Nickl S, Dome B, Tschachler E, Ankersmit HJ. Primary sources and immunological prerequisites for sST2 secretion in humans. Cardiovasc Res. 2010 Sep 1;87(4):769-77. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvq104
10) Gene silencing in a human organotypic skin model. Mildner M, Ballaun C, Stichenwirth M, Bauer R, Gmeiner R, Buchberger M, Mlitz V, Tschachler E. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006 Sep 15;348(1):76-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.07.035