PD Dr. Dr. John Heiker

John studied chemistry at Leipzig University and transitioned to Biochemistry during his Diploma and PhD research at the Institute of Biochemistry in the group of Prof. Annette G. Beck-Sickinger. During his PhD as a fellow of the Studienstiftung he worked within the Clinical Research Group (KFO152) “Atherobesity” focusing on molecular mechanisms of adipokines in obesity-associated insulin resistance using in vitro and in vivo models of the obesity disease.

From 2010-2012, he joined the group of Prof. Matthias Blüher in the Department of Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes at Leipzig University for his postdoctoral studies, before starting his independent junior research group “Molecular Medicine” back at the Institute of Biochemistry and funded by the European Regional and Development Fund in 2013. He joined the Clinical Research Center (SFB 1052) “Obesity Mechanisms” as a PI in 2014.

Since July 2019, John is head of the research group “Molecular Obesity Research” (MORe) at the Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (HI-MAG) of Helmholtz Munich at the Leipzig University and University of Leipzig Medical Center.

His research aims to understand how adipocytes maintain metabolic fitness and how this capacity is lost in obesity. We investigate molecular mechanisms that regulate thermogenic activity, energy expenditure, inflammation and cell-cell communication in adipose tissue. By integrating protein biochemistry, functional genomics and translational studies in human adipocytes and mouse models, we identify protein networks that preserve healthy adipose tissue function and explore strategies to restore metabolically competent adipocytes as a therapeutic approach against obesity and its associated diseases.

The MORe research group is associated to the Institute of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, and since 2020, John is a private lecturer (PD) at the Institute of Biochemistry, coordinating the Bachelor module “Biochemistry of Energy Homeostasis”.