will take place on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 from 17:15 to 18:15 hours in CBBM building, Ground Floor, seminar room B1/B2.
Host: Dr. Henriette Kirchner
Department of Internal Medicine I
University of Lübeck
Abstract
The maintenance of body weight and energy and glucose homeostasis depends on the complex and coordinated communication between key metabolic organs such as the brain, adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle, gut and the pancreas. So far hormones and cytokines were considered as key players in the inter-organ communication. In addition, very recently extracellular vesicles (EVs) emerged as novel para- and endocrine signaling entities. Increasing evidence supports their role in various physiological and pathophysiological conditions including metabolic disorders. As stable carriers of genetic material, proteins and lipids from their tissue of origin, EVs can not only reprogram target cells, but also serve as a rich source for diagnostic analyses. Our work covers both aspects. We unraveled adipocyte-derived EVs as novel endocrine regulators of pancreatic insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. We further developed an antibody-based strategy for the sorting of adipocyte derived EVs from human blood samples to generate liquid adipose tissue biopsies. Overall, we uncovered EVs from adipose tissue as important novel catalysts and predictors for metabolic function.
Biosketch
Dr. Stemmer’s academic research is directed towards elucidating novel strategies for the early detection and personalized therapy of metabolic dysfunction and related comorbidities. She currently explores the diagnostic value and functionality of extracellular vesicles for metabolic diseases. Moreover, she is part of a joint team of scientists from academia and Novo Nordisk that aims to develop novel peptide based anti-obesity drugs.
She earned her Master and PhD in Human and Environmental Toxicology at the University of Konstanz, Germany. In parallel she pursued the postgraduate educational program of the German Society of Pharmacology and Toxicology, which allowed her to register as toxicologist. She continued her postgraduate training in the laboratory of Professors Stephen Woods and Randy Seeley at the Metabolic Diseases Institute in Cincinnati, OH. In April 2012 she returned to Europe to work at her current tenured position as head of the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Centre Munich, Germany. In July 2018, she received an additional appointment as senior lecturer at the University of Konstanz.
Her research was honored with the outstanding PhD thesis award provided by the pharmaceutical company Nycomed, and the Erwin Schrödinger Award by Helmholtz Society.
