Deciphering the molecular mechanisms of metabolism-disrupting chemicals on the interaction of adipocytes and macrophages
Over 50% of the EU population is overweight or obese, and the numbers are rising worldwide. Metabolism-disrupting chemicals (MDCs) are suspected to contribute to the development of obesity and related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unclear. This project uses modern systems biology omics methods to investigate how MDCs influence adipogenesis and the interplay between adipocytes and macrophages. The aim is to identify key molecular events, biomarkers and mechanistic models that will both improve the understanding of chemical-induced adipose tissue dysfunction and enable new, animal-free risk assessment methods.