Regulation of Lipid Metabolism in Obesity and Diabetes Group

Current Research Lines

Our aim is to study lipid metabolism in the development of obesity-induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In vitro and in vivo mechanistic studies to find new approaches to combat obesity through the following research lines:

  1. Enhancing adipose tissue thermogenesis (CPT1A expression, lncRNAs). 
  2. Central activation of brown adipose tissue and satiety (neuronal CPT1A’s role and new inhibitors).
  3. Adipose tissue in adults and children with obesity (childhood obesity and new biomarkers in obesity). 

Funding in Process

  • 2023 - 2024
    Unravelling the human brown adipose tissue secretome and its implication on obesity CIBEROBN Intramural (Coordinator: Jonatan Ruiz)
  • 2023 - 2025
    Nuevos retos de investigación sobre plasticidad adiposa Redes de investigación. Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation-MCIN (Coordinator: Francesc Villarroya)
  • 2022 - present
    Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN) CB06/03/0001. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI: Laura Herrero)
  • 2021 - 2024
    Modulation of the adipose tissue and AgRP neurons’ lipid metabolism to counteract obesity and diabetes MCIN-AEI (PI: Laura Herrero / Dolors Serra)

Past Funding

  • 2020 - 2022
    Unraveling the pathophysiology of adipose tissue of obese children through next-generation RNA sequencing (KIDSADIPOSEQ) CIBEROBN intramural project (OBN20PI03/2020) (Coordinator: Laura Herrero)
  • 2019 - 2021
    Drug delivery targeting Brain CPT1: a novel nanomedicine-based approach to fight obesity and cancer (CONCORD) Japanese Medical Research Agency (AMED) & National Research Agency (AEI) (PI: Rosalía Rodríguez-Rodríguez)
  • 2018 - 2020
    Next-generation RNA sequencing and single-cell RNAseq: novel opportunities for understanding human adipose tissue pathophysiology and obesity (ADIPOSEQ) CIBEROBN Intramural (PI: Francesc Villarroya)
  • 2018 - 2019
    Analysis of the Inflammatory Profile in Childhood Onset Diabetes Sidra Internal Research Fund (IRF). Qatar Foundation (Meritxell Espino)
  • 2018 - 2021
    Regulation of central and peripheral lipid metabolism to reduce food intake and obesity Spanish ministry of economy, industry and competitiveness (SAF2017-83813-C3-1-R) ((PI: Dolors Serra; Co-PI: Laura Herrero))
  • 2017 - 2019
    Consolidated research groups. Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR). 2017 SGR 278 (PI: Dolors Serra)
  • 2017 - 2019
    Identification of differential markers in morbid obese patients with different metabolic profile Universidad CEU San Pablo-Banco Santander (Martín Alcalá)
  • 2017 - 2020
    Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1-mediated strategies to activate brown fat and reduce food intake to fight against obesity. Fundació Marató TV3. (PI: Dolors Serra)
  • 2015 - 2018
    Estudio de las carnitinas palmitoiltransferasas en hipotálamo como potenciales dianas para el control de la ingesta y el tratamiento de la obesidad Ministry of economy and competitiveness of Spain (SAF2014-52223-C2-1-R) (PI: Dolors Serra; Co-PI: Jordi García)
  • 2015 - 2017
    Estudio de las carnitina palmitoiltransferasas en hipotálamo como potenciales dianas para el control de la ingesta y tratamiento de la obesidad. Ministry of economy and competitiveness of Spain. SAF2014-5223-C2-1-R (PI: Dolors Serra)
  • 2014 - 2017
    Enhancing brown adipose tissue fat-burning power as a therapy against obesity-induced diabetes. Ministry of economy and competitiveness of Spain. SAF2013-45887-R (PI: Laura Herrero)
  • 2014 - 2016
    Consolidated research groups. Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR). (2014 SGR 465; 2014-2016) (PI: Dolors Serra)
  • 2014 - 2015
    Enhancing brown adipose tissue fat-burning power as a therapy against obesity-induced diabetes. L’Oréal-UNESCO Research Fellowship. (PI: Laura Herrero)
  • 2013 - 2015
    Enhancing brown adipose tissue fat-burning power as a therapy against obesity-induced diabetes. European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD) and Janssen Research Fellowship. (PI: Laura Herrero)
  • 2013 - 2014
    Enhancing brown adipose tissue fat-burning power as a therapy against obesity-induced diabetes. European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD)/Lilly Research Fellowship (PI: Laura Herrero)
  • 2012 - 2014
    New strategies of fatty acid oxidation modulation for the treatment of obesity. Ref. SAF2011-30520-C02-01. MICINN (PI: Dolors Serra)
  • 2012 - 2021
    Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN) CB06/03/0001. Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Sanidad. (PI: Xavier Remesar / Dolors Serra)
  • 2011 - 2013
    Fatty acid oxidation in the adipose tissue to revert obesity and type 2 diabetes. Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain. Ref. SAF2010-20039. (PI: Laura Herrero)