Research Group Translational Metabolism Research
Obesity Research
The focus of Dr. Ruth Hanßen's research group is on investigating the causes of metabolic diseases, in particular overweight and obesity, as well as improving and developing new treatment options for long-term weight reduction. Although lack of exercise and excessive food intake have long been known to be the main causes of obesity, conservative approaches to weight reduction based on changes in eating and exercise behavior are only successful in the long term in around 17% to 20% of patients. To date, the mechanisms at the neurobiological, endocrinological, immunological and genetic/epigenetic level, that lead to sustained weight loss and improvement of obesity-associated diseases, are still insufficiently understood. Our research group works on disentangling these mechanisms in humans focusing on body-brain interactions and translating the latest basic scientific findings from cell/animal studies to humans and clinical application. Our aim is to develop personalized and sustainable treatment options for patients with obesity.
Team
Clinician Scientists and Study Investigators:
Dr. Julia Wille, Studienärztin
E-Mail julia.wille@uk-koeln.de
Dr. Alina Kretschmer, Studienärztin
E-Mail alina.kretschmer@uk-koeln.de
Eva von Gablenz, Clinician Scientist
E-Mail eva.freiin-von-gablenz@uk-koeln.de
Dr. med. Dr. rer. nat. Sita Arjune, Clinician Scientist
E-Mail sita.arjune@uk-koeln.de
Study Nurse Team:
Malwina Hranischmacher, Studienassistentin
E-Mail malwina.harnischmacher@uk-koeln.de
E-Mail studie-pedp@uk-koeln.de
E-Mail adipositas-pedp@uk-koeln.de
Sabina Topoloaga, Studienassistentin
E-Mail sabina.topoloaga1@uk-koeln.de
E-Mail studie-pedp@uk-koeln.de
E-Mail adipositas-pedp@uk-koeln.de
PhD and MD Students:
Kinga Bik-Multanowska, PhD student
E-Mail kinga-bik-multanowska@uk-koeln.de
Irene Bertonazzi, MD student
E-Mail irene.bertonazzi@uk-koeln.de
Hanna Hoin, MD student
E-Mail hanna.hoin1@uk-koeln.de
Rebecca Klein, MD student
E-Mail rebecca.klein@uk-koeln.de
Therapist team:
Heike Güdelhöfer, Dietitican
E-Mail heike.guedelhoefer@uk-koeln.de
Susanne Meurer, Sports scientist
Dr. Clare Abbenhardt-Martin, Ecotrophologist
Doris Kuhlmann, Dietitican
Dr. Annika Diekmann, Psychotherapist
Student assistants:
Louis Tucholski, Student assistant
Thyra Fritz, Student assistant
Felicitas Brock, Student assistant