The metabolic syndrome is a condition that involves a vast number of genes and proteins. We focus on studying transcriptional regulation and the interaction of small molecules with gene regulation proteins. Selection of candidate proteins such as nuclear receptors for screening and biophysical characterisation of new active compounds are supported by meta-analyses. We use RNA expression analysis as a powerful tool to catalogue biological responses caused by bioactive compounds. This approach provides biologically relevant signature patterns in reference cell lines of the metabolic syndrome that allow for precise prediction of (side) effects in model organisms and in the human body. We furthermore study the potential ligand-specific modulation of transcriptional activity of nuclear receptors influenced by co-regulating proteins.

Novel massively-parallel sequencing technologies have a great potential to become standard tools in genetics in the near future. In two European consortia (READNA) we are involved in adapting and optimising these sequencing approaches for specific applications related to the analysis of gene regulation in cell differentiation. In addition, we use modern quantitative mass spectrometry (LTQ-Orbitrap) to detect modulation of proteomes to decipher complex metabolic networks and to monitor small molecule treatment. Moreover, we develop high-throughput mass spectrometry based screening and diagnostic methods with broad application range in the pharmaceutical, medical and food production sector.

Our group coordinates the European Sequencing and Genotyping Infrastructure (ESGI). Coordinator of this large-sale consortium is Dr. Sascha Sauer. ESGI pools the efforts of leading European genomics and bioinformatics facilities to provide the larger scientific community with access to emerging genomic technologies and the latest bioinformatics tools. More information on this European key infrastructure can be found here: ESGI