About Us

The main interest of our research group is the understanding of molecular mechanisms regulating adipocyte formation and activity.

Deranged adipose tissue proliferation and differentiation are important hallmarks of obesity associated metabolic complications. However, very little is known, how these processes influence the development of metabolic disease. The aim of our group is to identify adipocyte precursor populations for both white and brown adipose tissue in vivo and furthermore, to elucidate molecular mechanisms driving preadipocytes proliferation, commitment and differentiation as well as activity of mature white and brown adipocytes.

In our laboratory we use a translational approach from mice to men to elucidate these molecular mechanisms, which are the underlying cause of altered adipocyte formation and activity in different models of obesity associated metabolic disorders. Special emphasis is given to the analysis of gene expression, posttranslational modifications and lipid species in mice models and human patients.