Project Details
Projekt
Gene x Lifestyle Interactions in Cardiometabolic Disease
Applicant
Dr. Maria Keller
Subject Area
Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism
Term
from 2016 to 2017
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 317785998
Obesity and related cardiometabolic diseases are a worldwide rising health problem. However, until now human genetic studies failed to fully explain the biological basis of such diseases. Epigenetic alterations due to lifestyle modifications may indicate potential gene x lifestyle interactions as key players in understanding human cardio-metabolic diseases. By using large scale epidemiological and bio-statistical approaches the here presented research project will significantly help to identify gene x lifestyle interactions in cardio-metabolic traits such as fasting plasma glucose, lipid profiles, and type 2 diabetes. In vitro studies using lifestyle mimetics, gene editing techniques as well as ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq analyses will be used to further define the dynamic epigenetic maps underlying these gene x lifestyle interactions. Finally, specific lifestyle interactions will be analyzed in low versus high genetic risk background. In conclusion, the research program to be carried out in the research group of Professor Paul Franks (Lund University, Sweden) will enable us to identify and functionally characterize novel gene x lifestyle interactions which may play a significant role in cardio-metabolic traits.
DFG Programme
Research Fellowships
International Connection
Sweden
