Every year the German Obesity Society (DAG) honors young scientists under the age of 40 for outstanding work in the field of obesity research.Protective mechanism discoveredAlexander Bartelt investigates how fat cells grow, shrink, and remain healthy in the process. During his time in USA, he made an interesting discovery: a previously unknown mechanism ensuring that fat cells continuously regenerate from within, which prevents inflammation and dysfunction. Metabolism expert Bartelt expects that this protective mechanism will provide new lines of therapeutic research for the so-called metabolic syndrome: obesity, insulin resistance, high blood lipids, hypertension in conjunction increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and other major illnesses.Treat obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis better“Metabolic research is a very timely and very relevant topic, as our society is becoming bigger with half the population being overweight today. During the sedentary months of the pandemic, the Germans put on even more weight, ”says Bartelt. In his lab he focuses on the gene switch Nfe2l1: “Nfe2l1 controls the breakdown of protein waste. Apparently, it is a key factor that helps recycling waste products of metabolism and thus prevents cells from being stressed - be it in muscle cells, fat cells, or in the heart, ”explains the scientist.