Project description
A deeper look into glucose metabolism in brown adipose tissue during thermogenesis
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates chemical energy generated from glucose and lipids as heat in the course of the thermogenesis process, which is induced by exposure to cold. This process has attracted clinical interest as a strategy against obesity and diabetes, as a way to expend excess calories as heat. The EU-funded GLUCOBAT project aims to comprehensively define how BAT utilises key fuels such as glucose in vivo. The research will involve mass spectrometry combined with Cre–Lox and novel CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing strategies to identify how thermogenic tissue utilises glucose as well as the role the solute carrier transporters of the SCL family play in glucose utilisation and thermogenesis.
Objective
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has a high capacity to dissipate chemical energy generated from glucose and lipids as heat, a process typically induced by cold exposure, termed thermogenesis. This process has gained significant clinical interest as a strategy against obesity and diabetes because of its potential to expend excess calories as heat. However, our understanding of BAT metabolism on an organismal level is still rudimentary, thus, to advance BAT-targeted therapies, we must first comprehensively define how BAT utilizes its key fuels, such as glucose in vivo.
It is widely assumed that the major role of glucose during thermogenesis is to provide energy for the TCA cycle and subsequent uncoupling by the key thermogenic protein in BAT, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). However, recent literature reveal that this assumption is oversimplified since glucose has many fates once it enters cells, feeding into additional metabolic pathways beyond the TCA cycle, which are necessary for optimum thermogenesis.
In this project, I will use state-of-the-art glucose-tracing technology that utilizes mass spectrometry, combined with classic Cre-Lox and novel CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing strategies to precisely define how thermogenic adipose tissue utilizes glucose in vivo and to delineate the role of solute carrier transporters of the SCL family, including SLC25a1, for glucose utilization and thermogenesis. SLC25a1 delivers the glucose-derived metabolite citrate across the mitochondrial membrane for use in de novo lipid synthesis, a process that are highly regulated in the BAT of cold exposed mice.
This project will expand our understanding of how thermogenic adipocytes utilize glucose and will potentially reveal novel therapeutic strategies to enhance thermogenesis. My previous experience with BAT metabolism and mass spectrometry-based isotopic tracing combined with the technological tools of my outgoing host and my host institute ideally poises me to successfully achieve my goals.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.