Once again this year, the LBI Trauma opened its doors on 25 April 2024 for the Vienna Daughters’ Day. Twelve girls aged between 10 and 15 accepted the invitation from the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft (LBG) and embarked on a journey behind the scenes of accident research, slipping into the role of scientists for a day.

“There is a researcher and explorer in every one of us. We are particularly pleased that the girls accepted our invitation and immersed themselves in the world of science with us for a day,” says Elvira Welzig, Managing Director of the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft. “The Vienna Daughters’ Day is a great opportunity to get young women interested in science. We would be delighted to welcome one or the other girl to one of our institutes in a few years’ time.”

Behind the scenes of accident research

The aim of research at the LBI Trauma is to continuously improve the diagnosis and treatment of accident injuries and their consequences. A varied programme with exciting insights into the world of traumatology awaited the young female scientists at the Vienna Daughters’ Day.

Real skin cells were harvested directly in the cell culture laboratory and “repotted” into larger vessels. The experiments gave the girls an insight into laboratory work and the importance of cell research for medical practice. Furthermore, the participants were able to explore the world of microscopy under the guidance of experienced scientists and histological samples were assigned to the correct tissue. In the Micro-CT, one of the highest-resolution devices in the country, the secret of Kinder Suprise eggs was revealed even before they were opened. The opportunity to observe the smallest structures and organisms fascinated the young researchers and awakened their interest in researching the invisible.

A special highlight of the day was the encounter with the fibrin glue, which was co-developed at the LBI Trauma. The girls were allowed to prepare the glue themselves and learnt more about its importance for wound healing. They were able to use the mixing process to treat a (sketched) tissue defect and experience this at first hand. Heinz Redl, Director of the LBI Trauma from 1998 to 2018 and still a scientist in heart and soul, provided an atmospheric finale. He gave the girls a tour of the institute and shared exciting, interesting and entertaining stories from 40 years of research.