Research project Investigating molecular mechanisms to enchance adipose tissue metabolism
Obesity is caused by an imbalance of energy intake and energy expenditure. This project investigates mechanisms of metabolic activation of adipose tissue as potential targets for obesity therapy.
Three types of adipocytes exist in mammals. White adipose tissue (WAT) is the main tissue for energy storage, whereas brown and beige adipose tissues dissipate energy as heat in the process of thermogenesis. Therefore, brown and beige adipocytes are in the focus of obesity research, as shifting fat storing cells (WAT) to a more metabolically active beige/brown-like phenotype could assist to counteract metabolic disease. Using loss- and gain-of-function models, we investigate the impact of beige adipocytes on energy metabolism. We focus on the molecular mechanisms responsible for heat release, such as mitochondrial uncoupling or lipid futile cycling. Understanding the molecular remodeling of adipocytes to increase energy turnover will open new therapeutic windows to treat metabolic diseases.