Metabolic health research

Thema:: Healthy society

Obesity is an increasing problem. Our Metabolic Health Research (MHR) expertise group helps to reduce the burden of disease through preclinical research. We focus on metabolic diseases, such as type-2 diabetes and obesity. With research, we accelerate the development of new drugs, functional foods, diagnostics, and prevention.

Research area

Our MHR expertise group develops cellular and animal models to study mechanisms, interventions, and biomarkers in metabolic diseases, and the associated complications. In preclinical research, we apply the following models:

Translational models, including unique, humanised transgenic mouse models.
In vivo and in vitro fibrosis models, combined with histological, biochemical, molecular biological, cell biological, and immunological analysis methods.

We focus on improving research on the effectiveness and safety of interventions using drugs or food. We do this by increasing knowledge of disease processes and mechanisms, and we improve the translation to humans.

Research on obesity

Video explaining our research on obesity.

youtube

Knowledge and experience

We have extensive experience in the design and implementation of applied scientific research. In addition, we invest heavily in professional project management and work with quality systems. We deliver customised projects through the direct interaction of our MHR scientists with clients.

Metabolic disease and complications

The projects are characterised by a combination of knowledge and expertise in the field of metabolic health and metabolic disease, and the associated complications, such as:

cardiovascular diseases
hepatic steatosis
fibrosis
osteoarthritis

H.A. Lorentz Prize

Our H.A. Lorentz Prize is an internal oeuvre award that we present as the crowning glory of a TNO employee's career. In 2017, we awarded the prize to Dr Hans Princen of the MHR expert group. In a video portrait, Hans talks about his career at TNO, his ambition, and his vision for the future.

youtube

Video portrait of Hans Princen, winner of the TNO H.A. Lorentz Prize.

Partners

Within MHR, we work on projects with and for partners, such as:

industrial biotechnology
pharmaceutical industry
diagnostics
food industry
patient organisations
public authorities
consortia

New insights

Our research provides new insights and possibilities for treating or preventing metabolic diseases. A few examples:

A diet in which we alternate cholesterol-free food with ‘Western’ food containing a lot of cholesterol. This has a more or less similar effect on the prevention of cardiovascular disease and liver inflammation as a completely cholesterol-free diet.
Metabolic stress, caused by being overweight, plays a more prominent role in the development of osteoarthritis than higher mechanical stress.
A new statistical approach leads to a reduction in laboratory animal use.

Possibilities for visualising and analysing body fat in laboratory animals using non-invasive MRI.