Postdoc Fellowships 2025 - Project 5
Short running title of project: Molecular insights into PCOS muscle dysfunction
Project title: Molecular mechanisms causing skeletal muscle dysfunction in polycystic ovary syndrome
Summary
The aim is to uncover the molecular and cellular markers responsible for PCOS-specific skeletal muscle dysfunction, which is a major contributor to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes risk. The project includes single nuclei transcriptomic sequencing of skeletal muscle from women with and without PCOS at baseline and in PCOS after 16 weeks of lifestyle management, metformin and muscle contractions, and primary human skeletal muscle in vitro culture models. Advanced bioinformatic analyzes will lead to detailed mapping of PCOS-specific skeletal muscle cellular composition, identification of cell type-specific features, and exploration of subtype-specific molecular mechanisms and treatment effects. The identified molecular markers will be tested in vitro and their potential as targets for novel therapeutic strategies will also be investigated.