Marlies Wallner

Exploring sensory perception in children and related developemnt of health orientated products. Focussing on taste development, preferences and obesity prevention.

Exploring nutritional status and food behavior in children and adults in the context of obesity including measurements of body compositon.

Exploring antioxidative/antigenotoxic mechanisms in vivo, arranging and managing human studies associated with certain chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular diseases with focus on unconjugated bilirubin.



Academic position

From 2015 employed at the Institute of Dietetics and Nutrition at the University of Applied Sciences FH JOANNEUM in Graz

Teaching and research (R&D and basic research; main foci: Sensory Science, Anthropometry, Human nutrition)

Lessons: Basics of Food sensory (Dietology and Nutrition)

Excercise in food Sensory ((Dietology and Nutrition)

Basics of Food sensory (Sustainable Food Management)

Food and Food Sensory (Sustainable Food Management)

Supervision of Bachelor- and Mastertheses

Academic Career

From 2014-2015 Post-doc position at the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Lecturer at the Department of Nutritional Sciences

From 2013-2014 employed at University of Vienna, Department of Nutritional Sciences (prae-doc)

2009-2012 employed at University of Vienna, Department of Nutritional Sciences (prae-doc)

2011 Visiting scientist at Griffith University (AU), Heart Foundation Research Centre (3 month)

Memberships (academic)

Managing board member of Sensory Network Austria (SNÖ)

Member of Austrian Nutrition Society (ÖGE)

Awards & Honors

2008 - 2009 Mobilitätsstipendium “Erasmus”, ÖAD, Vienna, Austria

2009 Award for diploma thesis, Dr. Maria Schaumayer-Stiftung, Vienna, Austria

2012 Förderstipendium, University of Vienna, Austria

2014 Award for dissertation, Dr. Maria Schaumayer-Stiftung, Vienna, Austria



Additional Qualification

2010 Flow cytometry training at medical University of Vienna

2010 Statistical methods (basic training), University of Vienna

2011 Statistical methods (advanced training), University of Vienna

2011 Scientific writing, University of Vienna

2014 Coaching at the science fund Austria (for women)

2015 Training on sensory science and sensory methods

2017 Training on the use of herbs and flavouring

2017 Training on hedonic methods and statistics



Publications and conference contributions (Excerpt)

Peer reviewed



Wallner M, Blassnigg SM, Marisch K, Pappenheim MT, Müllner E, Mölzer C, Nersesyan A, Marculescu R, Doberer D, Knasmüller S, Bulmer AC, Wagner KH. Effects of unconjugated bilirubin on chromosomal damage in individuals with Gilbert's syndrome measured with the micronucleus cytome assay. Mutagenesis 2012 Nov; 27(6): 731-5.



Wallner M, Marculescu R, Doberer D, Wolzt M, Wagner O, Vitek L, Bulmer A C. and Wagner K-H. Protection from age related increase in lipid biomarkers and inflammation contributes to cardiovascular protection in Gilbert's syndrome. Clin. Sci. 2013 Apr; 125:257-64.



Müllner E, Brath H, Nersesyan A, Nitz M, Petschnig A, Wallner M, Knasmüller S, Wagner K-H. 2013. Nuclear anomalies in exfoliated buccal cells in healthy and diabetic individuals and the impact of a dietary intervention. Mutagenesis. 2014;29(1):1-6. DOI: 10.1093/mutage/get056



Tosevska A, Wallner M, Mölzer C, Kern C, Janosec M, Schwarz U, Marculescu R, Doberer D, Weckwerth W, Wagner KH. 2016. Telomere attrition in Gilbert's Syndrome: a novel link to longevity and cardiovascular health. Scientific reports. 2016;6:22300.



Mölzer C*, Wallner M* (contributed equally), Kern C, Tosevska A, Zadnikar R., Doberer D, Marculescu R, Wagner KH. Characteristics of the heme catabolic pathway in mild unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia (Gilbert’s Syndrome) and their association with anti-inflammation and disease prevention, Scientific Reports 2017, DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-00933-y



Wang D., Tosevska A., Heiß E., Ladurner A., Moelzer C., Wallner M., Bulmer A., Wagner KH., Dirsch V., Atanasov A. Bilirubin Decreases Cholesterol Efflux and ABCA1 Protein Expression, 2017 DOI:10.1161/JAHA.117.005520



Non-peer reviewed publications and conference contributions



Wallner, M., Peterseil, M., Gunzer, W., Konrad, M., Berner, S., Schantl, S., Martin, J., Kronberger, A., Maunz, S., Neuhold, B. (2015). Entwicklung von gesundheitsorientierten Produkten und Konzepten für 7-10jährige Schulkinder zur Unterstützung bei der Lebensmittelauswahl. ÖGE (Hrsg.): Ernährung aktuell, 04/2015, S. 18-19.



Schantl S, Berner S, Wallner M. (2016). Sternebrot als Jausenlebensmittel: Entwicklung eines Lebensmittels für Kinder unter Berücksichtigung ernährungsphysiologischer und sensorischer Anforderungen. Forum Ernährung Heute, 01/2016



Grach D, Schlinter C, Wallner M, Zöhrer N. (Juli 2016). Schwarzbuch Super Foods: Heiße Luft und wahre Helden (Buchkapitel: Wirkstoffe und Funktionen), Stocker Verlag, Graz.



Wallner M, Gunzer W, Neuhold B, Peterseil M, Pail E. (2016). Geschmack und Ernährungsmuster. Chancen für ernährungstherapeutische Ansätze (bei Adipositas). In: Universum Innere Medizin. Sonderheft Ernährung. MedMedia-Verlag, 3/2016



Wallner M, Neuhold B. (2016). Einfluss des Geschmackssinns auf das Körpergewicht. AKE, DGEM,GESKES (Hrsg.): Nutrition News. Jahrgang 13, 3/2016



Development of health orientated products and concepts-early obesity prevention in childhood. Marlies Wallner, Marie Peterseil, Wolfgang Gunzer, Manuela Konrad, Simon Berner, Simon Schantl, Jochen Martin, Anika Kronberger, Daniel Fabry, Susanne Maunz, Bianca Neuhold. 11th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium, (Gothenburg, Sweden) August 23 – 27 2015 (poster presentation)



Entwicklung von gesundheitsorientierten Produkten und Konzepten für 7-10jährige Schulkinder zur Unterstützung bei der Lebensmittelauswahl. Marlies Wallner, Marie Peterseil, Wolfgang Gunzer, Manuela Konrad, Simon Berner, Simon Schantl, Jochen Martin, Anika Kronberger, Susanne Maunz, Bianca Neuhold

ÖGE Jahrestagung 2015, (Vienna, Austria) November 27 – 28 (poster presentation)


Geschmackspräferenzen und der Einfluss des Body Mass Index. M Wallner. Jahrestagung der österreichischen Adipositasgesellschaft (Innsbruck, Austria) 21-22.10.2016 (oral presentation)



Effecting children`s preference using sensory aspects to increase food choice for healthy snacks. Wallner, M., Berner, S., Gunzer, W., Peterseil, M., Kronberger, A., Martin, J., Schantl, S., Konrad, M., Maunz, S., Stiegler, P., Wrank, B., Derler, M., Pail, E., Fuchs-Neuhold, B., Nutrition&Growth Conference (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 2-4.3.2017 (poster presentation)



Development and evaluation of a health related product for schoolchildren using hedonic testing and eye tracking. Wallner, M., Berner, S., Gunzer, W., Peterseil, M., Kronberger, A., Martin, J., Schantl, S., Konrad, M., Maunz, S., Stiegler, P., Wrank, B., Derler, M., Pail, E., Fuchs-Neuhold, B., 12th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium (Rhode Island, USA) 20-24.8.2017



An integrated food innovation approach for university and SMEs enabling cooperative and work integrate d higher education Simon H. Berner, René Rehorska, Marlies Wallner, Jochen Martin, Johannes Haas, , 31st EFFoST International Conference, Food Science and Technology Challenges for the 21st Century - Research to Progress Society, 13-16 November 2017 (Sitges, Spain)