Weinhofer Lab
Lipids are essential structural components of the brain and play critical roles in cell signalling and inflammatory processes.
The Weinhofer lab at the Medical University of Vienna aims to understand how lipids shape the inflammatory response within the CNS and how disruptions in brain lipid metabolism may lead to life-threatening neurological disorders, such as X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). In X-ALD, the metabolism of very long-chain fatty acids is impaired, causing a clinically heterogeneous neurometabolic disorder. Strikingly, more than half of all X-ALD patients, particularly children, develop a severe, rapidly progressive neuroinflammation that results in death or a vegetative state if left untreated. Our research seeks to uncover the mechanisms by which alterations in lipid metabolism affect different brain cell types and how this links to neuroinflammation.
Collaborating closely with clinical partners and patient organizations, we also focus on identifying and translating blood biomarkers to detect early brain damage, such as Neurofilament light chain protein or the epigenetic status of cell-free DNA. Our ultimate goal is to improve the clinical management and the outcomes for patients with X-ALD and other neuroinflammatory disorders characterized by a dysfunction in brain lipid metabolism.
