New DFG research group to investigate the relationship between muscle growth and metabolic health

The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding the new research group ‘HyperMet: Effects of Muscle Hypertrophy and Atrophy on Metabolic Health’, which includes researchers from the Technical University of Munich (speaker function), the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the Helmholtz Centre Munich, as well as Technische Universität Braunschweig. The Braunschweig researchers are involved as metabolism experts and will receive around €560,000 in funding for their research.

The ‘HyperMet’ research project focuses on the relationship between muscle building and positive health aspects in humans. When skeletal muscle tissue shrinks and muscle mass decreases, for example in old age or as a result of serious disease, this is called muscle wasting. Muscle hypertrophy, on the other hand, occurs when muscles increase in size as a result of increased physical activity or exercise. The different effects of these two phenomena on metabolic health are the focus of the HyperMet research group.

An ageing and sedentary society

The relevance of this topic becomes clear in the context of an ageing and sedentary society: it has been observed that muscle atrophy has predominantly negative effects on health. Muscle hypertrophy, on the other hand, is associated with fat loss, better regulation of sugar levels, higher bone mineral density and beneficial effects in cancer. The researchers are therefore investigating whether a shrinking or growing muscle releases or absorbs metabolites – substances that are intermediate or breakdown products of metabolic processes – that lead to a disruption of metabolism or improved metabolic health in other tissues.

TU Braunschweig in the ‘HyperFlux’ subproject

The ‘HyperFlux’ project is part of the larger ‘HyperMet’ research network, which comprises a total of nine sub-projects. This interdisciplinary collaboration combines the expertise of leading research institutions to elucidate the complex relationships between muscle and metabolism. While the team at TU Braunschweig, with its internationally recognised expertise in metabolic flux analysis, is making a decisive contribution to the precise tracking of metabolic processes, the colleagues in Munich are focusing on physiological and medical aspects, cohort studies and work with specific animal models.

Internationally renowned laboratory

The laboratory at TU Braunschweig is internationally renowned for its expertise in this type of analysis and has established itself as one of the leading research institutions in this field in recent years. Because of this outstanding expertise, the team was specifically asked by colleagues in the international research consortium to participate in the project. This collaboration underlines the importance of the Braunschweig researchers in the field of metabolic research and opens up new opportunities to investigate the role of muscle in metabolism on a global scale.

Metabolic flux analysis

The Braunschweig researchers are using an innovative metabolic flux analysis technique to determine these relationships. In this technique, nutrients are labelled with stable isotopes and their metabolism is closely monitored. This technique allows direct observation of how nutrients are converted into different substances and the rates at which these processes occur. With their innovative method, the Braunschweig researchers are providing crucial insights that are central to understanding biochemical processes in the body.

Targeting the metabolism to prevent disease

The DFG research group ‘HyperMet’ aims to answer fundamental questions about the role of muscles in the body: While increased muscle mass has been shown to have positive effects on health, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Similarly, muscle loss is a major risk as it is associated with increased susceptibility to metabolic diseases such as diabetes. By analysing the metabolic pathways in detail, the researchers hope to find out which metabolic functions can be specifically activated to prevent disease and maximise the positive effects of muscle building.

In the future, the findings from this project could enable the targeted manipulation of metabolism, providing the basis for new therapeutic approaches – whether in the prevention of metabolic diseases or in the prevention of muscle wasting, for example during a stay in intensive care. “Our goal is to improve our understanding of the role of muscles in metabolism and to develop new approaches for targeted health promotion,” explains Prof. Karsten Hiller.

This research could therefore be of great importance not only for the scientific community, but also for the development of new strategies to promote general health.

About the DFG research groups

The DFG is establishing a total of seven new research groups and one new Centre for Advanced Studies. The new research groups will receive a total of approximately €39 million in funding.

Research groups enable researchers to address current and pressing issues in their respective fields and to establish innovative lines of work. They are funded for up to eight years. The DFG currently funds a total of 197 research groups, 12 clinical research groups and 17 Centres for Advanced Studies.