My research comprises 3 lines of investigation:
1. to identify with system biology approaches critical factors affecting the development of insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in obese individuals. A vast amount of data has recently become available from genomic and metabolomic studies, but the challenge is to integrate these data into a comprehensive model of obesity-induced changes. Our approaches include causal network analysis, modelling of whole body glucose metabolism and controlled manipulation of the expression of candidate genes in human cell lines. Particular attention is given to the importance of changes in glycosphingolipid metabolism (in collaboration with Prof. J.M. Aerts, Dept of Med Biochemistry, AMC). 
2. to study the differentiation process of adipocytes in order to understand the derangements caused by metabolic overloading. This research is carried out in ex vivo model systems and in samples obtained from human studies (in collaboration with the Metabolic Unit at the AMC, Dr. M.J. Serlie).
My research is supported by the AMC Innovation Impulse.

Medical Biochemistry