Jonas Roland Knudsen - Exploring the spatio temporal orchestration of mTORC and AMPK signaling inskeletal muscle

Exercise elicits phenotypic alterations in skeletal muscle which impact positively on muscle function and metabolic health. Many of these adaptations are orchestrated by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTORC)1, but the subcellular locations of the signaling and its exact molecular links to Diabetes-relevant downstream processes such as autophagy and mitochondrial function remain unclear.

In an international research collaboration using a broad range of state-of-the-art microscopy techniques in mouse and human muscle, including live-muscle microscopy of novel mTORC1 and AMPK activity biosensors, various forms of super-resolution microscopy and correlative light electron microscopy, this project aims to 1) describe the spatio-temporal dynamics of mTORC1 and AMPK signaling, 2) test the involvement of microtubules (MTs) in organizing intracellular membrane-compartments downstream of AMPK-signaling and insulin resistance.