Collegium Helveticum
Switzerland
fellow
Alexander Pfeifer
2022-2023
Home institution
University of Bonn, DE
Country of origin (home institution)
Germany
Discipline(s)
Medicine
Theme(s)
Health
Fellowship dates
›
Biography
Alexander Pfeifer conducts research on cellular signaling pathways, molecular pharmacology and drug discovery. His focus is on energy balance and metabolic diseases in order to identify potential targets for new drugs and therapeutic approaches. Alexander is spokesperson for the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Center SFB/TRR333, which focuses on energy homeostasis and brown fat. He is also a spokesperson for the Pharmazentrum Bonn at the University of Bonn and heads the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University Hospital Bonn. Furthermore, Alexander is a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.
At the Collegium, Alexander held a lecture that sought to promote interdisciplinary discussion on the causes of metabolic diseases and imbalances in energy homeostasis as well as on new approaches to tackle these diseases.
Research Project
Metabolism Spiralling Out of Control
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are not passed from person to person. Typical NCDs include heart disease, stroke, cancer, or obesity and are responsible for three out of four deaths globally. Major risk factors are metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Alexander Pfeifer’s lecture will focus on the causes for metabolic diseases and imbalances in energy homeostasis as well as on new approaches to tackle these diseases. The main objective of the lecture is to promote discussion of this major problem for our society and to receive interdisciplinary input.
Research Interests:
Noncommunicable diseases; NCDs; metabolic diseases; energy homeostasis