New thesis on implications for human obesity
Carolina Nylén will defend her thesis "Transcriptional, epigenetic and lipidomic responses to metabolic interventions : implications for human obesity" on October 27, 2017. Her main supervisor is Juleen Zierath.
What´s the main focus of your thesis?
My thesis focuses on how factors such as calorie restriction and gastric bypass surgery affect the lipid profile in skeletal muscle, as well as effects on epigenetic marks and transcription of metabolically important genes.
Which are the most important results?
My studies show that DNA methylation of metabolically important genes change after calorie restriction, gastric bypass surgery and also after a short insulin exposure. My studies also demonstrate that when obese subjects loose weight, specific lipid species are decreased in skeletal muscle. These changes in lipids are accompanied by changes in transcription of genes important for lipid oxidation, along with improvements of insulin sensitivity.
How can this new knowledge contribute to the improvement of people’s health?
Elucidating mechanisms in skeletal muscle, that contribute to the improvement of insulin sensitivity after weight loss in obese subjects, will lead to a better understanding of the pathology of insulin resistance. It may help to identify who is at risk, as well as providing new potential targets of therapy.
What are your future ambitions?
I will first complete my Surgical residency at the Karolinska Hospital which will happen in 2018. When I have chosen sub specialisation (endocrine surgery and breast surgery are top on my list), I want to combine clinical practise with translational research, and work to facilitate the translation of preclinical research results into real patient benefits in the clinic.