Research Goals
The aim of our work is to understand the changes in muscle stem cells in aging and during aging-associated diseases such as cachexia (cancer-related muscle wasting). The final goal of our work is to restore muscle stem cell homeostasis and improve muscle functionality in sarcopenia, the age-related muscle wasting, and cachexia, the cancer-related muscle wasting.
Research Focus
1. Alterations of muscle stem cells during aging
We are investigating intrinsic alterations of muscle stem cells and their immediate niche which occur during aging. Thereby we aim for a better understanding of alterations which occur during aging to help develop therapies to improve regeneration of skeletal muscle in the aged.
2. Investigation of causes for impaired differentiation of muscle stem cells in the aged
It is known that induction of myogenic differentiation is impaired during aging. We aim to understand the molecular causes for this reduced ability to differentiate with the goal to improve induction of differentiation in the aged.
3. Alterations in muscle stem cells due to cancer cachexia
With increasing age the likelihood of cancer also increases. A large proportion of cancer patients is suffering from cancer cachexia, the cancer related loss of muscle mass and function. Cancer cachexia is associated with a reduced ability to regenerate and impairments in differentiation of muscle stem cells. We are investigating the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms which cause this impaired differentiation. Thereby we aim to support the development of new therapies to improve regeneration of skeletal muscle in cancer cachexia.
4. Induction of myogenic differentiation in rhabdomyosarcoma
Rhabdomyosarcomas are soft tissue sarcomas which mostly manifest in children. They are thought to derive from muscle progenitor cells. Rhabdomyosarcomas can be divided in two major subgroups, the alveolar and the embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas. All rhabdomyosarcoma cells share an impairment in myogenic differentiation. We are investigating the molecular causes for this impaired myogenic differentiation in alveolar and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Through gaining a better understanding of the molecular causes for this impaired myogenic differentiation we want to support the development of therapies of rhabdomyosarcomas. Here, we focus on the induction of myogenic differentiation into postmitotic muscle cells.