Introduction
Schematic overview of research fields and approaches. The graphic does not represent established preventive effects.
Nutrition, mitochondrial bioenergetics and healthy ageing
My research explores how nutrition and bioactive food components influence mitochondrial function, cellular bioenergetics and immune responses—and how these processes relate to healthy ageing and neurodegenerative disease.
Our team
I am Professor of Nutrition in Prevention and Therapy at the Institute of Nutritional Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen. Together with my research team, my work brings together nutrition science, food chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology to investigate biological mechanisms relevant to health across the lifespan.
A particular focus is on mitochondria as central regulators of cellular energy metabolism. We study how nutritional factors and bioactive food components affect mitochondrial function and related processes, and how these findings can be explored in the context of ageing and neurodegeneration.
Research approach
Our research combines mechanistic studies with translational research, from cell and model systems to human studies. An important part of this work is the analysis of mitochondrial bioenergetics and immune function in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), alongside the investigation of peripheral markers associated with ageing.
Academic background
I studied Food Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology at the University of Kaiserslautern and received my PhD in Pharmacy. I later completed my habilitation in Pharmacology and Toxicology at Goethe University Frankfurt, where I worked on pharmacological approaches to neurodegenerative disease. Since 2016, I have been Professor of Nutrition in Prevention and Therapy at Justus Liebig University Giessen.
Collaboration
I welcome academic and cross-sector collaborations in human nutrition research, mitochondrial bioenergetics, PBMC methods, healthy ageing and neurodegeneration. Please get in touch to discuss potential collaborations.
Academic posts in Department 09 at JLU Giessen.
Scientific and Professional Service
- Chair, Arbeitskreis Omega-3 e.V.
- Co-opted member of the Scientific Presidium of the German Nutrition Society (DGE)
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Board, Future of Nutrition and Longevity (FNL) Institute