Energy & Redox Metabolism

Energy & Redox Metabolism

This subtheme aims to improve our understanding of the principles of (biochemical) adaptation to energy and redox stress, in order to better define 'healthy responses within the normal physiological range' and the 'pathophysiological thresholds' for diseases whereby mitochondrial function or energy transfer pathways are compromised. As such this subtheme strives to make a substantial contribution to the well-being and treatment of mitochondrial disease patients and other conditions in which energy metabolism is compromised. 

Research is focused on (a) 'imaging' of ATP/ADP/AMP and NAD(P)H concentration and fate with existing and novel biosensor reporters; (b) 'imaging' of metabolite fate with MRS and MRI; (c) the use of new strategies to follow mitochondrial shape and activity as well as cellular metabolic state and viability. The integration of "4-D" imaging and simultaneous recording of the behaviour of small molecules and macromolecular assemblies and cellular organelles is an important challenge. Another major topic is the design and use of cell and animal models for disease. Finally, the increasing availability of high quality genomics data, like exome sequencing and RNAseq, and newly developed techniques for the prediction of protein function and pathways is exploited for the identification of new disease genes and the understanding and prediction of their metabolic phenotype. The latter requires the integrated analysis and modeling of the metabolic fluxes in healthy and diseased cells. Such a systems biology approach depends on the standarization of measurements and the direct collaborations between the experimental and theoretical groups that have been established within this subtheme.

Theme leader: Martijn Huijnen