Research

Our aim is to identify new key regulators and genetic networks which control metabolism and cell and organ physiology. In particular, we elucidate the metabolism – innate immunity – gut microbiome axis, we investigate cellular (sphingo)lipid metabolism and body fat regulation, we study peroxisome and lysosome biogenesis and metabolic disorders (e.g. lipid storage diseases or neurodegeneration), and we analyse new regulators of cell-to-cell communication and tissue physiology. In additions, we investigate the close relationship between (mal)nutrition, metabolic (dys)regulation and consequences for the body in health and disease.

Using genetic screens in the fruit fly Drosophila, we have identified in the last years new key regulators some of which have single orthologs in mice and humans. We have started to analyse these key factors in zebrafish and mouse models.