Research projects

Project 1: Optimizing the beneficial health effects of exercise for diabetes: focus on the liver! One of the earliest hallmarks of type 2 diabetes is resistance of the peripheral tissues liver and muscle to the action of insulin, which is generally...

Project 1: Nutritional approaches to preserve and improve mitochondrial health and physical function in the elderly (Mitochondrial Health) Mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouses, are essential organelles in all cells relying on aerobic metabolism t...

Project 1: Targeting mitochondrial function in pre-diabetic subjects: a role for SIRT1 activation by resveratrol? It is well known that exercise and calorie restriction are the two most potent non-pharmacological therapies to improve metabolic...

Project 1: Day-night Rhythm in Human Skeletal Muscle Metabolism Many processes in the body are synchronized to a day-night rhythm, mastered centrally in de hypothalamus. However, in our 24/7 culture, we often do not obey to the daynight cycle imposed...

Ectopic fat Fat accumulation in liver and muscle is one of the major determinants of metabolic health. Very little is known about the dietary factors that determine fat content in these tissues in humans, which is mainly due to the inaccessibility...

Droplets preventing the overflow; PLIN5-coated lipid droplets in insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial function Skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients is characterized by high levels of intramyocellular lipid, which associates...

Preservation of metabolic flexibility by acetylcarnitine formation Insulin resistant subjects and type 2 diabetic patients are characterized by a decreased metabolic flexibility: a reduced capability to switch from fat oxidation in the basal state...

Projects Brown adipose tissue and cold acclimation BMP9 mediated effects on human brown adipose tissue adipogenesis and metabolism Brown adipose tissue and cold acclimation Upon mild cold exposure people can increase their energy expenditure....