IMG_2295_Gruppenbild AG Körner_nur HI-MAG_crop

Childhood Obesity and Metabolic Research

While the consequences of obesity are generally recognized in adulthood, the pathogenic processes that lead to obesity and its complications are effective considerably earlier in childhood. We have shown that early childhood is a vulnerable age for the development of obesity, which is sustained into adulthood. Moreover, our research demonstrated that even in children, obesity is already linked to emerging cardiometabolic dysfunction, which is closely associated with alterations in adipose tissue biology.

Our research group focuses on the origins, mechanisms, and consequences of childhood obesity and metabolic deterioration. We place particular emphasis on the early development of metabolic complications and the role of adipose tissue function, employing a holistic translational approach that integrates experimental research with epidemiological, clinical, and genetic studies. We develop novel and more precise risk detection and implement trials on novel treatment opportunities.

Our overarching goal is to address childhood obesity by advancing our understanding of its epidemiological and clinical correlations, underlying mechanisms - with a special focus on adipose tissue dysfunction - and the interplay of genetic and environmental risk factors. Through this deeper insight, we aim to identify novel targets for prevention and therapeutic intervention.

While the consequences of obesity are generally recognized in adulthood, the pathogenic processes that lead to obesity and its complications are effective considerably earlier in childhood. We have shown that early childhood is a vulnerable age for the development of obesity, which is sustained into adulthood. Moreover, our research demonstrated that even in children, obesity is already linked to emerging cardiometabolic dysfunction, which is closely associated with alterations in adipose tissue biology.

Our research group focuses on the origins, mechanisms, and consequences of childhood obesity and metabolic deterioration. We place particular emphasis on the early development of metabolic complications and the role of adipose tissue function, employing a holistic translational approach that integrates experimental research with epidemiological, clinical, and genetic studies. We develop novel and more precise risk detection and implement trials on novel treatment opportunities.

Our overarching goal is to address childhood obesity by advancing our understanding of its epidemiological and clinical correlations, underlying mechanisms - with a special focus on adipose tissue dysfunction - and the interplay of genetic and environmental risk factors. Through this deeper insight, we aim to identify novel targets for prevention and therapeutic intervention.

Projects

Metabolic syndrome cholesterol. Health blood sugar. Disease risk factors. Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome blood sugar image.

Mechanisms and risk prediction of childhood obesity and cardiometabolic dysfunction in children

Explore Project
Adipocytes, lipocytes and fat cells, are the cells that primarily compose adipose tissue, close-up view of cells

Drivers of adipose tissue dysfunction

Explore Project
Waves of epigenetic changes across generations

Genetic and epigenetic background of childhood obesity

Explore Project
Hypothalamic-like neurons developed from patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells

Learning from extreme patient phenotypes

Explore Project

Contact Körner Lab

Mitarbeiterin-/PI-Foto Antje Körner
Prof. Dr. Antje Körner

Head of Childhood Obesity & Metabolic Research Group

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MA-Foto Kathrin Landgraf - freigestellt
Dr. Kathrin Landgraf

Post-Doc, Körner Lab

MA-Foto Robert Stein - freigestellt
Dr. Robert Stein

Clinician Scientist, Körner Lab

IMG_2306_Eric Wenzel_edit crop_freigestellt
Dr. Eric Wenzel

Clinician Scientist, Körner Lab

IMG_2364_Gefion Liebau_edit crop_freigestellt
Dr. Gefion Liebau

Clinician Scientist, Körner Lab

MA-Foto Katja Piotrwski EH6A1778_freigestellt
Dr. Katja Piotrowski

Science Manager, Körner Lab, HI-MAG

Christin Mannewitz
Christin Mannewitz

Team Assistant, Körner Lab

MA-Foto Martha Hanschkow - freigestellt
Martha Hanschkow

PhD Candidate, Körner Lab

MA-Foto Kushan Ranakombu_freigstellt
Dr. Kushan Kumara De Silva Ranakombu

Postdoc, Körner Lab

Mariana Ponce de Leon Rodriguez
Dr. Mariana Ponce de Léon Rodríguez

Postdoc, Körner Lab

Omar Alhaji_edit_freigestellt
Omar Alhaji

PhD Candidate, Körner Lab

IMG_2474_Nicole Maier_edit crop_freigestellt
Nicole Maier

Study Assistant, Körner Lab

IMG_2373_Antje Berthold_edit crop_freigestellt
Antje Berthold

Lab Assistant, Körner Lab

Maria Müller

Study Assistant, Körner Lab

Selected Publications of the Körner Lab

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2024 Nature

Tomar A, Gomez-Velazquez M, Gerlini R, Comas-Armangué G, Makharadze L, Kolbe T, Boersma A, Dahlhoff M, Burgstaller JP, Lassi M, Darr J, Toppari J, Virtanen H, Kühnapfel A, Scholz M, Landgraf K, Kiess W, Vogel M, Gailus-Durner V, Fuchs H, Marschall S, Hrabě de Angelis M, Kotaja N, Körner A, Teperino R.

Epigenetic inheritance of diet-induced and sperm-borne mitochondrial RNAs Epidemiologic and functional evidence of paternal contribution to offspring obesity and metabolic risk
2023 Lancet Reg Health Eur

Hammel MC, Stein R, Kratzsch J, Vogel M, Eckert AJ, Triatin RD, Colombo M, Meigen C, Bager R, Stanik J, Spielau U, Stoltze A, Wirkner K, Tönjes A, Snieder H, Holl RW, Stumvoll M, Blüher M, Kiess W, Körner A

Fasting indices of glucose-insulin-metabolism across life span and prediction of glycemic deterioration in children from new references Evidence for superiority of age specific insulin-based cut-offs for prediction of metabolic failure
2022 Nat Metab

Kempf E, Landgraf K, Stein R, Hanschkow M, Hilbert A, Abou Jamra R, Boczki P, Herberth G, Kühnapfel A, Tseng YH, Stäubert C, Schöneberg T, Kühnen P, Rayner NW, Zeggini E, Kiess W, Blüher M, Körner A

Aberrant expression of agouti signaling protein (ASIP) as a cause of monogenic severe childhood obesity Identification and characterization of a new monogenic obesity trait
2022 Nat Metab

Yang CH, Fagnocchi L, Apostle S, Wegert V, Casaní-Galdón S, Landgraf K, Panzeri I, Dror E, Heyne S, Wörpel T, Chandler DP, Lu D, Yang T, Gibbons E, Guerreiro R, Bras J, Thomasen M, Grunnet LG, Vaag AA, Gillberg L, Grundberg E, Conesa A, Körner A, PERMUTE & Pospisilik A

Independent phenotypic plasticity axes define distinct obesity sub-types Translation of molecular determinants for obesity-overgrowth subtypes from mice to human
2021 EClinicalMedicine

Kempf E, Vogel M, Vogel T, Kratzsch J, Landgraf K, Kühnapfel A, Gausche R, Gräfe D, Sergeyev E, Pfäffle R, Kiess W, Stanik J, Körner A

Dynamic alterations in linear growth and endocrine parameters in children with obesity and height reference values. Translation of molecular determinants for obesity-overgrowth subtypes from mice to human
2020 Cell Rep

Landgraf K, Klöting N, Gericke M, Maixner N, Guiu-Jurado E, Scholz M, Witte AV, Beyer F, Schwartze JT, Lacher M, Villringer A, Kovacs P, Rudich A, Blüher M, Kiess W, Körner A

The Obesity-Susceptibility Gene TMEM18 Promotes Adipogenesis through Activation of PPARG Functional evidence on obesity gene TMEM18 driving healthy adipogenesis in humans
2018 N Engl J Med

Geserick M, Vogel M, Gausche R, Lipek T, Spielau U, Keller E, Pfäffle R, Kiess W, Körner A

Acceleration of BMI in early childhood and risk of sustained obesity Landmark study showing that obesity manifests in early childhood in >50,000 children
2016 Cell

Dalgaard K, Landgraf K, Heyne S, Lempradl A, Longinotto J, Gossens K, Ruf M, Orthofer M, Strogantsev R, Selvaraj M, Lu TT, Casas E, Teperino R, Surani MA, Zvetkova I, Rimmington D, Tung YC, Lam B, Larder R, Yeo GS, O'Rahilly S, Vavouri T, Whitelaw E, Penninger JM, Jenuwein T, Cheung CL, Ferguson-Smith AC, Coll AP, Körner A, Pospisilik JA

Trim28 Haploinsufficiency Triggers Bi-stable Epigenetic Obesity First evidence on obesity polyphenism in children triggered by epigenetic mechanisms. >125 citations
2015 Diabetes

Landgraf K, Rockstroh D, Wagner IV, Weise S, Tauscher R, Schwartze JT, Löffler D, Bühligen U, Wojan M, Till H, Kratzsch J, Kiess W, Blüher M, Körner A

Evidence of early alterations in adipose tissue biology and function and its association with obesity-related inflammation and insulin resistance in children First study providing evidence of adipose tissue dysfunction developing already in childhood. >125 citations
2007 Cell Metab.

Revollo JR, Körner A*, Mills KF, Satoh A, Wang T, Garten A, Dasgupta B, Sasaki Y, Wolberger C, Townsend RR, Milbrandt J, Kiess W, Imai S

Nampt/PBEF/Visfatin regulates insulin secretion in beta cells as a systemic NAD biosynthetic enzyme. Functional evidence for Nampt being important for insulin secretion. >700 citations
2007 Nat Genet.

Dina C, Meyre D, Gallina S, Durand E, Körner A, Jacobson P, Carlsson LM, Kiess W, Vatin V, Lecoeur C, Delplanque J, Vaillant E, Pattou F, Ruiz J, Weill J, Levy-Marchal C, Horber F, Potoczna N, Hercberg S, Le Stunff C, Bougnères P, Kovacs P, Marre M, Balkau B, Cauchi S, Chèvre JC, Froguel P

Variation in FTO contributes to childhood obesity and severe adult obesity. One of the two papers that initially found FTO as the strongest genetic candidate for obesity. >1,500 citations