Skeletal Muscle

Physical exercise is great for our health. So much so that low exercise capacity is in itself a predictor of premature mortality. However, not everybody gets the same benefits from exercise, and some of us have to work much harder to get there. In this study, we try to understand why and identify genes associated with inherent exercise capacity and response to endurance training.

This study was developed in close collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Ana Teixeira(MBB, KI). We wanted to understand how changes that occur inside the muscle fibers (when we exercise or in situations of muscle disease) are communicated to the neurons that bring information from the brain and that allow us to move (motor neurons). We identified a molecule called Neurturin, that is released from muscle and encourages motor neurons to stay connected to muscle. This finding could have implications in diseases such as ALS

When exercising, our muscles take the brunt of the effort. In order to cope with increased demands, molecular pathways orchestrated by PGC-1 gene are activated. The changes however don't stop there, so we decided to have a closer look on how exercised muscle affects the rest of the body.

Processes activated in neuromuscular diseases have many of their molecular signatures similar to healthy muscle regeneration. However, there will usually be a faulty 'switch' that will plunge the muscle into degenerative state. I am interested in finding these switches and exploiting the knowledge of muscle repair to set them on the right track.