Research Overview
Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes and Cancer
=> Our Mission
We aim to characterize common pathways in metabolism and cancer and to identify the molecular links between the Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes and cancer development.
The Metabolic Syndrome and its components obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes are associated with a substantial increase in the risk for certain forms of cancer in humans.
Our research is driven by the hypothesis that the increased cancer risk in patients with the Metabolic Syndrome and diabetes is conferred through a complex interaction between aberrant hormonal, inflammatory, and nutritional signaling, triggered by the de-regulation of specific molecular checkpoints in energy homeostasis.
In this respect, our previous studies have identified specific aberrations in normal transcription factor functions that are causally linked not only to the pathogenesis of obesity-related type 2 diabetes but also to metabolic dysfunction in the tumor-bearing state, thereby serving as molecular integration points for these major aging-associated diseases.
RECENT RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
In the future, we will investigate whether and how transcription factor complexes molecularly bridge metabolism, inflammation and tumor development through the integrated control of metabolic pathways, inflammatory responses, and cell fate decisions.
By using a translational research approach, we anticipate unravelling clinically significant molecular cues linking distinct metabolic risk factors, such as hypersinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, inflammation or obesity, to increased cancer risk, thereby serving as potential new therapeutic targets in this novel area of biomedical research.
