The Diabetes and Metabolism Research Group spent some time outside of the research labs to fully align with the circadian rhythm in the form of a treasure hunt on and around the Sint Pietersberg and open-air winter barbecue.

Congratulations to our colleague Jan-Frieder Harmsen who secured a grant of the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (E FSD)! The project will focus on circadian rhythm and will build further on the previous day-night rhythm studies performed by our group. These studies revealed that pre-diabetes volunteers lack day-night rhythmicity in mitochondrial function and in 24h substrate m...

During the NVDO meeting, Maaike Bergman presented her work on the assessment of metabolic flexibility upon insulin stimulation and incremental submaximal exercise. Metabolic flexibility is defined as the adaptability of substrate oxidation to substrate availability, which is commonly measured as the change in respiratory exchange ratio. In obese, metabolically compromised subjects, metabolic fl...

Rodrigo Mancilla presented during the NVDO meeting about the slow activation of oxidative metabolism at the onset of exercise and how this is associated with low CRAT protein activity. Metabolically compromised subjects, such as obese and type 2 diabetic patients, exhibit a strong reliance on oxygen-independent pathways (for example PCr hydrolysis) to resynthesize ATP when exercise starts. This...

Carlijn Remie presented on behalf of Kay Roumans about how replacing sedentary time by standing and walking is as effective in improving peripheral insulin sensitivity compared to exercise training. Replacing sitting time with several hours of walking and standing does improve peripheral insulin sensitivity to the same extent as replacing sitting time by 1 hour of vigorous exercise.

During the NVDO meeting of 28 and 29 November 2019, Carlijn Remie presented her results on the effects of nicotinamide riboside on human metabolism. NR supplementation of 1000 mg/day for six weeks did not improve markers of metabolic health in overweight/obese men and women, except for minor changes in body composition and skeletal muscle acetylcarnitine concentrations.

Emmani Nascimento presented the finding that low concentrations of miRNA320a in skeletal muscle is associated with improved skeletal muscle function/skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity. Further research is necessary to unravel whether miRNA320a has similar functions in human skeletal muscle.

Froukje Vanweert presented during the NVDO with her research on compromised BCAA metabolism in humans with non-alcoholic fatty liver and/or type 2 diabetes. Although the association between systemic BCAA and IHL, exercise training-induced reduction in IHL seemed not to be related to changes in BCAA. To conclude, moderate to high physical activity and exercise training seem not to be effective stra...

Yvonne Bruls presented during the NVDO meeting with her research on skeletal muscle acetylcarnitine formation, which is compromised in impaired glucose tolerant subjects and type 2 diabetes patients.