Projects / Programmes
Molecular mechanisms underlying development and function of the skeletal muscle
January 1, 2020
- December 31, 2025
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.03.00 |
Medical sciences |
Neurobiology |
|
| 3.07.00 |
Medical sciences |
Metabolic and hormonal disorders |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B000 |
Biomedical sciences |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 3.01 |
Medical and Health Sciences |
Basic medicine |
| 3.02 |
Medical and Health Sciences |
Clinical medicine |
Skeletal muscle, sarcopenia, critical illness, ischemia-reperfusion injury, ischemic training, Na+-K+-ATPase, FXYDs, diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, AMPK, local anesthetics, neuromuscular junction, in vitro innervation of human skeletal muscle cells, myosin heavy chains,
Data for the last 5 years (citations for the last 10 years) on
December 5, 2023;
A3 for period
2017-2021
| Database |
Linked records |
Citations |
Pure citations |
Average pure citations |
| WoS |
477 |
7,426 |
6,580 |
13.79 |
| Scopus |
483 |
8,251 |
7,358 |
15.23 |
Researchers (37)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
Programme group P3-0043 “Molecular mechanisms underlying development and function of the skeletal muscle”, founded in 2004, is the only research programme in Slovenia which provides integrative research platform with unique focus on skeletal muscle. A team of basic and clinical researchers brings together a complementary expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry, normal and pathological muscle morphology, veterinary medicine, orthopaedics, physiotherapy, anaesthesiology, and intensive care. The interdisciplinary team of experienced researchers has the capacity to address salient questions regarding skeletal muscle physiology and pathophysiology using a range of different approaches, spanning from cell-based experiments to clinical studies, thus bridging the gap between basic sciences and the clinics.
Skeletal muscle, the largest tissue in the body, is essential to generate movement, maintain whole-body metabolic homeostasis and withstand stress-induced catabolic states, such as critical illness, which highlights the importance of investigating skeletal muscle development and function. Indeed, skeletal muscle research plays a major role in the fight against sarcopenia, metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. These chronic disorders, which represent major public health challenges in the ageing modern society, often co-exist and are associated with physical inactivity and muscle dysfunction. Physical inactivity promotes development of sarcopenia and insulin resistance, thus leading to systemic metabolic dysregulation, which in turn accelerates development of neurodegenerative brain disorders. And vice versa: brain disorders are associated with sarcopenia, physical inactivity, and metabolic dysregulation, including insulin resistance and diabetes. Decoding the molecular mechanisms that underlie skeletal muscle dysfunction in these disorders might therefore offer a particularly effective way to attack their common pathophysiological underpinnings.
Our overarching research objective is to participate in opening new avenues for therapy and diagnostics of skeletal muscle dysfunction associated with sarcopenia and muscle weakness in critical illness and injury-induced physical inactivity, diabetes, and neuromuscular disorders. We therefore aim to uncover novel pharmacological targets, innovative approaches to modulate existing targets, and identify new biomarkers that could be used in clinical patient assessment. Our objective is also to build on our experience of productive collaborations with SMEs/industry and participate in development of new products and innovations by translating our research findings into clinical applications. Finally, our objective to produce societal benefits is of utmost importance. We will therefore continue to provide educational activities for lay public and training of students, young scientists, and clinicians in interdisciplinary and internationally integrated research milieu.
Significance for science
Programme group P3-0043 “Molecular mechanisms underlying development and function of the skeletal muscle”, founded in 2004, is the only research programme in Slovenia which provides integrative research platform with unique focus on skeletal muscle, thus highlighting its importance for development of science and profession in skeletal muscle field in Slovenia. Importantly, skeletal muscle research plays a major role in the fight against sarcopenia, metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. These chronic disorders, which represent major public health challenges in the ageing modern society, often co-exist and are associated with physical inactivity and muscle dysfunction. Physical inactivity promotes development of sarcopenia and insulin resistance, thus leading to systemic metabolic dysregulation, which in turn accelerates development of neurodegenerative brain disorders. And vice versa: brain disorders are associated with sarcopenia, physical inactivity, and metabolic dysregulation, including insulin resistance and diabetes. Our overarching research objective is to participate in opening new avenues for therapy and diagnostics of skeletal muscle dysfunction associated with sarcopenia and muscle weakness in critical illness and injury-induced physical inactivity, diabetes, and neuromuscular disorders. Decoding the molecular mechanisms that underlie skeletal muscle dysfunction might offer a particularly effective way to attack common pathophysiological underpinnings of these disorders, thus highlighting potential impact that our research may have on science as well as clinical applications.
Further, in addition to producing original experimental results that advance our knowledge about skeletal muscle physiology and pathophysiology, we actively participate in introducing new methodologies and techniques. During the 2015-2019 we acquired MAGPIX multiplex and, together with collaborators from Institute of Pharmacology, Institute of Biophysics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Institute Jozef Stefan, participated in acquiring Seahorse analyzer for assessment of cellular oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification rate, which is the first instrument of its kind in Slovenia. During the 2020-2025 work programme we will continue to promote introduction of new methodologies, thus helping to accelerate further development of science in Slovenia. In addition, we also stimulate development of profession by exposing students, who train in our group, to multidisciplinary and internationally-oriented environment, which helps to develop their research careers in line with international standards. We will continue to pursue this approach to training also during the 2020-2025 programme, thus helping career development of a new generation of students. Finally, we provide benefit to the Slovenian scientific community by organizing scientific symposia “Skeletal muscle research – from cell to human”, where participants can interact with excellent international as well as Slovenian researchers and lecturers. Our symposia have been very-well attended and have helped to create new collaborations and networks linking Slovenian and international preclinical and clinical researchers. In the next six years we therefore plan three new symposia.
In sum, our 2020-2025 work programme has a realistic chance of producing important new scientific results and of benefiting Slovenian research community by introducing new methodologies, training students in interdisciplinary and internationally-oriented environment and accelerating networking of Slovenian and international skeletal muscle researchers. Last but not least, by bringing together preclinical and clinical scientists we will also continue to promote bridging the gap between basic and applicative, clinical, sciences.
Significance for the country
Objectives of the Programme group P3-0043 “Molecular mechanisms underlying development and function of the skeletal muscle” are not limited to producing experimental results and advancing scientific knowledge. We are also aiming to translate our basic findings into innovations, thus participating in development of new products and services, which would benefit citizens and patients as well as generate economic impacts, such as opening new employment opportunities for talented young researchers. In addition, our objective is to use our theoretical knowledge, technical expertise, and infrastructure to engage and benefit society directly. To this end, we are very active in providing practical training for undergraduate and postgraduate students and young researchers. During the 2015-2019 work programme we supervised or co-supervised more than 60 student projects, including 9 PhDs, 12 MScs as well as medical student projects, which received 6 Prešern Awards and 1 Prešern Prize from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana. We also actively participate in various workshops and educational events for health professionals, thus helping to bridge the gap between basic biomedical sciences and clinical medicine. Last but not least, we participate in various events dedicated for lay public, including public lectures and round table discussions. In this way, we communicate scientific advances in the field of skeletal muscle research, highlight the importance of science, explain scientific basis of health topics, which are of general interest, and try to motivate young people, especially secondary school pupils, to decide to pursue higher education in medicine or related biomedical studies and make the first step on the path to career in science.
