A new review article by Prof. Dr. Karsten Hiller (Technische Universität Braunschweig) and Dr. Maria Rohm (Helmholtz Munich), both Principal Investigators of the DFG Research Unit HyperMet, has been published in Current Opinion in Biotechnology.
The article, entitled “Muscle–immune metabolic crosstalk: shared pathways in cachexia and exercise,” was written by Bastian Bennühr and Stefanie Westermann and brings together current knowledge on the metabolic communication between skeletal muscle and the immune system.
Muscle tissue and immune cells interact closely through metabolic signals. The review highlights shared metabolic pathways that are active both in cachexia, a severe muscle-wasting condition associated with chronic diseases, and in exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy. Interestingly, despite involving overlapping molecular mechanisms, these processes ultimately result in very different physiological outcomes.
By integrating recent findings on growth factors, metabolites and amino acids involved in this inter-tissue communication, the authors provide a structured overview of the field and identify key questions for future research. Understanding these muscle–immune metabolic interactions may help uncover new mechanistic insights and potential therapeutic targets for metabolic diseases and muscle wasting.
Further Informations can be found here | 02.03.2026 | ScienceDirect
International cooperation in cell metabolism research
Doctoral student reports on her stay in Canada
In January, doctoral student Hanna Willenbockel had the opportunity to spend two weeks learning about research and everyday working life in Vancouver, Canada. As part of a continuing education stay funded by Erasmus+, she travelled to the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, where she learned new scientific methods in Prof. Seth Parker’s working group and gained valuable international research experience.
Further Informations can be found here | 09.02.2026 | TU Magazine
06.12.2025 TUBS Magazine Seven students from TU Braunschweig receive the ‘Braunschweig Citizens’ Award’
On St. Nicholas Day, the Braunschweig Citizens’ Award was presented as is tradition – for the 30th time in 2025. This year, seven students from Technische Universität Braunschweig were honoured for outstanding academic achievements and social commitment.
For current research at TU Braunschweig Mohamad Alalloush received the award for the best oral presentation from Prof. Dr. Verena Traudte at DGMet (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Metabolomforschung).
About his research Mohamad stated:
"Aspartate availability is a critical limiting factor for arginine regeneration via the citrulline-arginine cycle, consequently restricting nitric oxide (NO) production. We demonstrate that endogenous aspartate synthesis, a key step in this pathway, is fundamentally dependent on a functional mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC). These findings establish a direct metabolic link between mitochondrial respiration and NO production, identifying aspartate as a crucial bottleneck that couples these two essential cellular processes." TU Braunschweig | 09.10.2025
Scientists from Braunschweig and San Diego track the path of the small molecule itaconate to understand its immunomodulatory function
Itaconate is a small molecule produced by our bodies to fight bacteria and control the immune response. Scientists led by the Technical University of Braunschweig have now deciphered for the first time exactly how it moves within the body. The findings open up new approaches for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Further information can be found at: TU Magazine | 16.09.2025
German version: TU Magazin | 16.09.2025
TU Braunschweig and the University of São Paulo have launched their first jointly approved Master’s programme module.
The module is an innovative approach to advancing international teaching. By integrating virtual lectures, interactive group work and practical exercises, it offers a dynamic and immersive learning experience that prepares students for global scientific collaboration.
Further information can be found at: TU Magazine | 26.02.2025
"TRAIN - Translationsallianz in Niedersachsen"
With over 80 participants the 1st TRAIN Omics Days 2024 were a big success.
You missed it? Here is a little aftermovie. Want to be part of this thriving network? Join the 2nd TRAIN Omics Retreat 2025 March 4th and 5th – get in touch!
To the video: LinkedIn - TRAIN | 20.12.2024
The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding the new research group "HyperMet: Effects of Muscle Hypertrophy and Atrophy on Metabolic Health," which involves researchers from Technische Universität Braunschweig, Technische Universität Munich (leading institution), Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, and Helmholtz Munich. The Braunschweig researchers, receiving around 560,000 euros, contribute their expertise in metabolic flux analysis to study the effects of muscle growth and loss on metabolism. The project aims to uncover the mechanisms that positively impact health and help prevent metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
For further information, follow this link: TU Magazine | 28.11.2024
The German Research Foundation (DFG) has accepted the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1454 “Metaflammation and Cellular Programming” into the second funding period. The research network investigates how the Western lifestyle is linked to chronic inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration and metabolic syndrome. The Department of Biochemistry and Bioinformatics at the Technical University of Braunschweig is contributing to research into immunometabolism in two projects and uses mass spectrometry to analyze metabolic processes. One focus is on deciphering mechanisms that promote chronic inflammation and developing new therapeutic approaches.
Further information can be found under this link: TU Magazine | 28.11.2024