Johanna Lanner

Associate Professor of Physiology and principal investigator for the Molecular Muscle Physiology and Pathophysiology laboratory at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. 

Chronic (non-communicable) diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer often develop secondary muscle complications. These muscle complications (including weakness and fatigue) may even be the overshadowing symptoms since ordinary daily activities require extensive effort which reduces the quality of life for afflicted patients, and also contribute to increased mortality risk.

My research centers on muscles capacity to generate force and processes that provides the muscle with energy, particularly focusing on calcium regulation, redox signaling, and mitochondrial function. Over the years, my research has explored the intricate mechanisms underlying muscle dysfunction in chronic diseases that exhibit a component of systemic inflammation. My work has led to valuable insights into the interplay between cellular processes impact on overall muscle health. 

In the Molecular Muscle Physiology and Pathophysiology laboratory we have created an interdisciplinary and translational niche for making ground-breaking research on the causes of muscle function and dysfunction. This includes human patients and healthy subjects, as well as preclinical models, which are used together with functional analyses (e.g. live imaging, muscle contraction, cellular respirometry), ultrastructural analyses (e.g. electron microscopy, near super-resolution imaging), in vivo assessments (e.g. muscle strength, indirect calorimetry) and multi-omics analyses. This approach allows us to bridge gaps between disciplines, foster creativity and innovation.