Tobias Walther is interested in the mechanisms that underlie lipid storage in cell membranes and energy metabolism. Walther and his team study how lipids are formed and stored and how these processes contribute to obesity and metabolic disease. They apply a wide range of interdisciplinary approaches, from biophysics and biochemistry to proteomics and lipidomics, to discover global insights into the regulation of lipid metabolism. Once they have identified important regulatory circuits, they use methodologies such as live cell imaging to investigate these dynamic processes at the cellular and physiological level.
Scientists have gained a deeper understanding of a molecule that regulates lipid levels in the brain. This breakthrough could eventually lead to treatments for diseases like frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Cellular structures once thought to be inactive fat storage centers may actually help regulate metabolism.