Dynamics of lipid metabolism in ferroptosis

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christoph Thiele
• Subject Area: Biochemistry
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 461705208

Ferroptosis is a type of cell death that is caused by excessive reaction of cellular compounds with oxygen. Lipids that build the cell membranes are strongly affected, in particular if they contain polyunsaturated fatty acids. We want to follow these events, called lipid peroxidation, with novel technology. Our group has developed a method, using labeled fatty acids, to measure lipid metabolism with very high sensitivity. We want to use this method to show the time and the place of lipid peroxidation and the identity of the lipids affected. These measurements would be the first to follow lipid metabolism in ferroptosis with time resolution. We expect to obtain information that would contribute to the development of cancer treatments based on ferroptotic cell death.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 2306: Ferroptosis: from Molecular Basics to Clinical Applications