In January 2025, Nicole Amberg was also awarded a prize by the Rectorate of MedUni Vienna for her achievements in science communication.
About the WissKomm program:
With the WissKomm program, the FWF supports researchers in new and innovative projects in the field of science communication. In general, this funding opportunity is aimed at scientists at Austrian research institutions who are leading or have led an FWF-funded project. A central objective is to promote outstanding science communication measures in order to convey scientific content from FWF-funded projects to society.
An overview of all 2024 successful FWF WissKomm projects can be found here.
Nicole Amberg's research focus:
As one of the first organs to develop in an embryo, the brain is also the most complex. There are 3,300 different types of cells that form during embryonic development and distribute themselves to their designated locations in the brain. In her Elise Richter project, Nicole Amberg is investigating the contribution made by the epigenetic regulator “Polycomb Repressive Complex 2” or “PRC2” for short in different regions of the brain and whether there is a correlation between fetal malformations of the brain and altered PRC2 activity.
Nicole Amberg wants to pass on her fascination with the brain and her curiosity to explore and research it to children between the ages of eight and ten in her WissKomm project “BraiNFC – a multisensory, digital journey through the brain.”
With the help of a youth advisory board and a brain figure designed by an artist, NFC technology can be used to access a narrative audio story from a smart device. This brings science directly into users' homes by using devices that are available in almost every household, namely smartphones or tablets.
The heroine of the audio story is a brain stem cell that fell asleep during the strenuous development process and, after waking up, has to find out where it belongs and where it can still contribute new nerve cells to the brain. Children are put in the role of this stem cell and experience first-hand how brain development works. In addition to the digital platform, there will be a book with illustrations to round off the edutainment experience.
For Nicole Amberg, it is important that scientists report on their research and explain the connections between different factors. After all, her research ultimately aims to shed light on why abnormalities in brain development can occur and discuss whether countermeasures can be taken. “Knowing the causes gives you a sense of reassurance and control, especially when you are struggling with difficult diagnoses.”
Image: Graphic summary of the WissKomm project “BraiNFC”