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Bringing Obesity to Light - Do obesogenic chemicals affect lipid metabolism through changes in circadian rhythm? (Obesity and Light)
Start date: Jan 15, 2013, End date: Jan 14, 2015 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Bringing light to obesity will elucidate the interconnecting steps of two important signaling pathways i.e. circadian signaling and lipid metabolism. An increase in serum cholesterol level in shift workers indicates this link. Also obesogenic chemicals might influence lipid metabolism through changes in circadian rhythm.Research on obesity has gained in importance as the number of affected patients increases world-wide. The WHO lists five European countries in the top 23 states regarding obesity incidence. Moreover, the mounting healthcare costs turn obesity research to a hot topic. With OBELIX and EUCLOCK the EU already funds projects on obesity and circadian rhythm. This proposal joins both topics and links them to toxicology.The main goal is to study the role of circadian rhythm in lipid metabolism and obesogenic effects of chemicals. To elucidate the signaling pathway of environmentally induced obesity the zebrafish a model for genetic and physiological studies will be used.How do alterations in circadian rhythmicity influence lipid metabolism? How do the clock gene rev-erbα and the peroxisome proliferator activated receptors connect circadian and metabolic signaling pathways? Do obesogenic chemicals influence lipid metabolism through changes in circadian rhythm? A multidisciplinary approach will be made using toxicological, physiological, molecular biological and genetic methods in wildtype and transgenic zebrafish larvae and cells.The project will be done at Dr. Juliette Legler’s lab at the Institute of Environmental Studies at the VU University Amsterdam. Dr. Legler already proved to be an expert in ecotoxicological studies in particular regarding obesogenic chemicals. In addition her broad experience in project management and scientific supervision will allow the applicant to reach her scientific goals like enhancing scientific skills and gaining research experience which will be essential to reach professional maturity.
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