Revealing how genes and other factors determine fat storage

Identification and functional evaluation of genetic and epigenetic determinants of human fat distribution; investigations to understand the cardio-protective effect of lower body adiposity.

Professor Fredrik Karpe at the University of Oxford is working out how genes, and factors that influence them, determine where fat is stored in our bodies and our risk of heart disease. Being overweight increases the risk of heart disease, but the risk is particularly strong if fat is stored around the waist. Surprisingly, fat stored around the hips has the opposite effect and seems to protect against heart disease. This is probably because lower body fat tissue works differently compared with upper body fat tissue. This may partly be due to genetics, but also epigenetics – where other factors influence how our genes behave. In this project, Professor Karpe is studying a large group of twins to work out how our genes determine fat distribution, and what effect epigenetics has on this. He will also work out how fat cells in the upper and lower body fat tissue work by analysing fat samples from people with different body shapes. He will work out the specific mechanisms that govern how ‘good’ fat cells work, and how they protect against heart disease. This research may identify new ways to promote safer fat storage to prevent or reduce the risk of heart disease.