Prof. Schoonjans Group

The Laboratory of Metabolic Signaling, led by Prof. Kristina Schoonjans, focuses on investigating how bile acids and other signaling molecules regulate energy homeostasis to target metabolic disorders. Research areas include the liver-gut-brain axis, with a special emphasis on the physiological system of fuel sensing and processing. The team explores how nutrient-derived metabolites, particularly bile acids, are integrated with hormonal and neuronal systems to coordinate energy utilization and homeostasis. They also study the liver-gut axis, investigating how hepatic metabolism is regulated by the intestine and gut microbiome, and how liver-produced bile acids influence intestinal renewal. The lab uses advanced in vivo and ex vivo approaches, including genetically modified animals and organoid culture systems, to model metabolic dysfunctions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and intestinal cancers.