Weigert Lab
Molecular Diabetology and Exercise
Our goal is to identify and characterize molecular determinants and regulators of a successful prevention of diabetes and related diseases by exercise. In the context of exercise, we are also interested in organ crosstalk and in the regulation and function of secreted proteins and metabolites.
Regularly physical activity can prevent type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome and is often superior to pharmaceutical treatment. Its numerous beneficial effects cannot only be attributed to an increase in energy expenditure and do not only take place in the working skeletal muscle, but affect the organism as a whole. We work on characterizing the molecular pathways underlying the exercise response in individual cells and organs and on identifying soluble mediators that orchestrate the beneficial effects of exercise.
Our goal is to identify and characterize molecular determinants and regulators of a successful prevention of diabetes and related diseases by exercise. In the context of exercise, we are also interested in organ crosstalk and in the regulation and function of secreted proteins and metabolites.
Regularly physical activity can prevent type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome and is often superior to pharmaceutical treatment. Its numerous beneficial effects cannot only be attributed to an increase in energy expenditure and do not only take place in the working skeletal muscle, but affect the organism as a whole. We work on characterizing the molecular pathways underlying the exercise response in individual cells and organs and on identifying soluble mediators that orchestrate the beneficial effects of exercise.
Molecular Determinants of Exercise Responses
We investigate whole-genome, microRNA and protein expression signatures in skeletal muscle to identify novel molecular mechanisms responsible for the prevention or remission of prediabetes and metabolic disorders.
Exercise-on-a-Chip
We use tissue engineering to generate functional 3D myobundles from primary human myoblasts isolated from skeletal muscle biopsies. The myobundles are the basis for our exercise-on-a-chip model that enables the investigation of the crosstalk between myofibers and other muscular cells. Via interconnection with other organ-on-a-chip models for, e.g., liver, pancreas, and adipose tissue, the crosstalk between myofibers and other organs can be studied.
Myometabokines
Myometabokines are metabolites released from skeletal muscle in response to acute exercise that regulate molecular processes underlying the adaptation to physical exercise in an auto-, para- or endocrine manner. In a translational approach, we combine human intervention studies and novel metabolomics techniques with cell culture and in vivo experiments to identify and characterize myometabokines and potential biomarkers of exercise adaptation.
Central Effects of Exercise
Central insulin action is tightly linked to and essential for the proper regulation of peripheral energy metabolism. Together with researcher in the Metabolic Neuroimaging Group , we investigate how exercise affects brain insulin responsiveness in humans and how these changes are connected to peripheral energy metabolism.
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