معرفی
The Mikael Rydén & Niklas Mejhert lab operates within Karolinska Institutet's Department of Medicine, Huddinge, as part of the Center for Reproduction, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine (CeRM). Mikael Rydén serves as Professor of Clinical and Experimental Fat Tissue Research and Senior Consultant in Endocrinology, bringing over 25 years of specialized expertise in white adipose tissue research. Niklas Mejhert returned to Karolinska Institutet in 2019 after completing a five-year Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University, supported by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global fellowship, and co-founded the joint research group with Rydén.
Their research program focuses on multiple features of human white adipocytes, with particular emphasis on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, energy storage capacity, and immunometabolism. The lab employs sophisticated cell and molecular biotechnologies in various cell culture systems alongside extensive clinical studies to investigate how adipose tissue functions as the most plastic organ in the human body and a major hormone producer. Their work has significant implications for understanding insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerosis in conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, familial combined hyperlipidemia, chronic renal failure, cancer, cachexia, and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Analysis of their extensive publication record reveals a strong emphasis on epigenetic mechanisms in adipose tissue, molecular signatures of metabolic diseases, and the role of specific proteins and pathways in adipocyte function. A key trend involves understanding how obesity leaves a persistent 'molecular memory' in adipose tissue that affects long-term metabolic health, even after weight loss. Their research demonstrates significant sex differences in adipose tissue function and explores the impact of circadian rhythms on adipose tissue biology, bridging basic science discoveries with clinical applications.
- Thais de Castro Barbosa serves as Coordinator and Research Specialist
- Katarina Hertel and Eva Steninger provide expertise in clinical research methods
- Lina Cordeddu manages laboratory infrastructure
- Lena Lindberg provides essential administrative support
The lab maintains strong connections with clinical practice, with expertise in advanced metabolic testing techniques including clamps, indirect calorimetry, tissue biopsies, and various metabolic challenges. They actively recruit talented researchers and contribute significantly to advancing our understanding of adipose tissue biology and its critical role in metabolic health and disease.
