Research of the Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group
The primary focus of the Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics group is on the key organs relevant for metabolism represented by the intestine, liver, and adipose tissue, and the interplay between these organs and other relevant systems such as the immune system and the microbiome.
A multi-pronged approach is used that ranges from dietary intervention studies in human subjects to physiological experiments in transgenic animals and detailed mechanistic studies in vitro, supported by advanced nutrigenomics technology platforms. The research activities of the chair group are closely aligned with the activities of the other chair groups within the Division of Human Nutrition and Health. The key distinguishing feature of the chair group Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics is the strong emphasis on the application of molecular approaches in research and teaching on human nutrition and metabolism.
Studies are geared towards expanding our knowledge of the molecular physiology of nutrient metabolism in health and metabolic diseases and elucidating what key regulatory pathways go awry during disease development and aging. Research in the group covers the following main research lines.
Our research lines
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Precision nutrition in cardiometabolic health
We are dealing with a worldwide increase in the development of overweight-related chronic metabolic diseases. An effective way to prevent diseases such as type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2D) and cardiovascular diseases is via dietary and lifestyle interventions. Although nutritionists have long been aware that what works for one person may not work for another, nutritional advice is still given at a population level via general nutritional guidelines reliant on the group mean (one-size-fits-all).
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Nutritional systems biology of the intestine as gatekeeper
As port d’entree of nutrients, the intestine plays a pivotal role in maintenance of nutrient homeostasis. In turn, dietary composition has a major influence on the overall health and functioning of the gastro-intestinal tract.
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Can chronic disease development be counteracted by nutrition-induced effects on gut health?
The impact of intestinal health (also called gut health) on the development of a wide range of chronic disorders is commonly acknowledged. Gut health research is often focussed on the gut microbiota composition. Changes in a presence/absence of microbes inhabiting the colon under healthy conditions have been found to correlate with chronic diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s’ disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer and many others. However, the causality between microbiota composition changes and chronic disease development remains to be resolved. Mechanistic insight into microbiota-induced health effects, though, is of crucial importance to find new treatments and ways to prevent chronic disease development strongly affecting the quality of life of the afflicted patient.
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Molecular regulation of lipid metabolism
Throughout human history, one of the greatest threats to the survival of our ancestors were the long periods with little to no food. As a consequence, starvation has been a key evolutionary pressure shaping human energy metabolism. The intricate architecture of human energy metabolism undoubtedly served our ancestors well, allowing them to survive long periods of starvation. In the modern world of caloric excess, however, the mechanisms that once helped humans to survive starvation now contribute to the unprecedented growth in obesity and related metabolic diseases. Better understanding of the underlying principles and mechanisms driving the adaptive response to fasting will be valuable in the design of new therapeutic strategies for metabolic diseases.
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Mechanisms and functional relevance of immune metabolism
It is well established that the presence of obesity greatly increases the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. An important contributing factor to the development of insulin resistance is a chronically elevated state of inflammation originating from the expanding adipose tissue.
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Systems approaches to understand the mechanisms of malnutrition
Severe malnutrition, especially in children, remains a public health burden that requires urgent scientific consideration. More than 35% of all deaths among children under 5 years old worldwide are directly or indirectly attributed to malnutrition. Despite careful monitoring, undernourished children often are at high risk of death, and for those who survive, suffer long-term consequences such as growth faltering and increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases. Understanding the main mechanisms regulating metabolic dysregulation during malnutrition would enable us to address these issues more effectively.