©Andreas Buchberger

Campus Life

Life at the Vienna BioCenter campus is warm, welcoming, and very lively. The Vienna BioCenter is one of the most dynamic and stimulating life science hubs in Europe. 

People on campus

2,685 staff members (out of which, 1,850 scientists) and 5,400 Bachelor's and Master's students. The scientists include: 141 group leaders, 280 postdocs, 386 PhD students, and numerous additional scientists who provide services and support to the research groups. 

40% of the people at Vienna BioCenter come from abroad, representing 78 nationalities. English is our working language.

 

Campus Location

The Vienna BioCenter is conveniently located between Vienna’s city center and airport. It has its own suburban train station and access to bus, trams, and subway. The campus is spread across 110,000 m², in 15 different buildings. They are located very close to one another (walking distance). This provides a lot of expertise in a very concentrated space as well as opportunities to meet, to cooperate, and to network.

Scientific events

  • VBC Seminars: They take place on a weekly basis and typically feature established scientists affiliated with universities and research institutes from around the world.
  • Monday seminars: From 12 to 1 pm every Monday, three speakers from within the Vienna BioCenter present their research in one of the lecture halls. This provides a unique learning opportunity, inspires new ideas, and fosters collaboration.
  • Max Birnstiel Lectures: Seminars on hot topics in molecular biology organized by the IMP. They feature exceptional speakers, among them many Nobel laureates.
  • Symposia and Conferences: The Vienna BioCenter hosts international events such as the annual Vienna RNA Meeting, the SY-Stem stem cell symposium, and the Microsymposium on Small RNA Biology. In addition, Keystone Symposia, in partnership with the Vienna BioCenter research institutes, has announced a series of scientific research conferences to be held at the Vienna BioCenter.
  • Other seminars: Impromptu seminars, VBC postdoc seminars…
  • See calendar of Events.

Cafeteria

The cafeteria is the social meeting point of staff and students at the Vienna BioCenter. It is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm, and it offers breakfast and lunch, with a wide choice of warm meals, salads, sandwiches, etc.

The Weekly Menu is available in the footer of this website.

Social Hours

The Vienna BioCenter offers networking opportunities for all staff members at the quarterly social hours. They bring people on campus together around drinks and snacks. 

In addition, every Friday night there are themed beer hours hosted by the different labs at the research institutes.

Culture at VBC Campus

VBC Amateur Dramatic Club

The VBC Amateur Dramatic Club performs 3–4 productions a year. The highlight is the annual Christmas play. It offers students and postdocs the possibility to turn the tables on their supervisors for one night. The scripts feature a mix of song, dance, satire, and slapstick humor and are written by the cast.

No previous experience is necessary to join the VBC Amateur Dramatic Club, and the emphasis is very much on having fun. In addition to rehearsing for shows, the club regularly meets for social activities and workshops.

Musicians @VBC Campus

This initiative aims at building a sustainable network of singers, instrumentalists and music enthusiasts on VBC Campus. A centralized database will act as point of contact for musicians to find like-minded people and to create/shape/enjoy music in all its forms and from all genres. This supports musical diversity and provides opportunities for all sorts of music performances on Campus.

Sports at VBC Campus

There are numerous sports activities on Campus:

  • The VBC Running Club organizes pre- or after-work runs and also joins eventually running competitions as a team.
  • The VBC Hiking Club enjoys the myriad of hiking opportunities that Austria has to offer - from a relaxed Stadtwanderweg in the Viennese hills to a more challenging trail in the nearby Alps.
  • The VBC Cycling Club explores the local landscape by hitting the road on two wheels.
  • The Campus offers it's own outdoor Basketball court.
  • VBC Sports offers sports activities such as dragon boat, badminton, crossfit, padel, beach volleyball, yoga and dancing.