Research team Holasek

Research focus: Metabolism and the gut

PI: Sandra Holasek

Focus: The “Translational Nutrition Research” unit addresses nutritional assessment in cases of eating disorders, mental health conditions, food intolerances, and athletes using various methods to standardize nutritional interventions, measure body composition, assess nutrient intake, and analyze relevant metabolites, with a focus on adipocyte biology. The role of plant-based compounds in nutritional immunometabolism is being investigated translationally in dendritic cells and T cells. Another focus is the influence of dietary quality and the gut microbiome on the immune system in relation to eating disorders, lifestyle, body fat, and age.

Networking: We conduct cross-team research at the Otto Loewi Research Center with Herbert Strobl (DC Models) and Johannes Fessler (Clinical Collectives), Gunther Marsche (Lipid Metabolism), Tobias Madl (Metabolomics), and at the Diagnostic & Research Center for Molecular Biomedicine with Christine Moissl-Eichinger (Microbiome Analytics). In addition, we are engaged in various interdisciplinary collaborations with the Clinical Departments of Medical Psychology, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy; the Clinical Department of Rheumatology; the Clinical Institute for Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics; the Institute of Sports Science; and the Institute of Psychology at the University of Graz and Graz University of Technology, as well as with FH Joanneum, the University of Vienna, and international partners.

Projekte

Immunometabolism in Smoking Cessation

Substance use disorders (SUD) represent a significant burden for both individuals and society and are often associated with unhealthy behaviors and problematic lifestyles. In this context, metabolome analyses and analyses of the gut microbiome offer new avenues for the discovery of biomarkers. This study examines nicotine as a gateway drug and the risk of developing dependence on other substances. While a large portion of the existing literature stems from animal studies with limited validity, a new approach involving metabolome studies with individuals suffering from SUD is expected to advance our understanding of addiction mechanisms as well as diagnostics and treatment. The empirical investigation of the gateway hypothesis also plays a crucial role in this context.
Project duration: 2024–2027
Funded by: Grüner Kreis – Association for the Rehabilitation and Integration of People with Substance Use Disorders, Mönichkirchen, Austria

BioTransform: Mapping the unknown human metabolism of new bioactive compounds in food

The BioTransform project, funded by the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, is coordinated by Nina Hermans at the University of Antwerp. A total of 16 partner institutions from eight countries are collaborating on the project—including the Medical University of Graz, with Sandra Holasek serving as project leader. The goal is to fill key gaps in our understanding of human metabolism.
Eleven doctoral students are being trained as part of the project to investigate how health-promoting food components, known as food bioactives, are metabolized by microbes in the human gut and what role these metabolites play in the prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity or diabetes.
The BioTransform approach is based on the idea that it is not necessarily only the original ingredients of a food that are responsible for its health-promoting effects, but rather their metabolites—that is, the compounds produced by their breakdown in the gut microbiome. To test this hypothesis of the international consortium, the project is investigating how selected bioactive substances are transformed in the human body and what biological activity the resulting metabolites possess. As a “proof of concept,” BioTransform focuses on bioactive compounds from olive products (Olea europaea) and blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus)—both foods typical of Mediterranean and Northern European diets, respectively. Both are considered particularly beneficial for metabolic health, but exactly which compounds are responsible for these effects remains unclear. In the long term, the findings are intended to contribute to the development of new dietary strategies and therapeutic approaches that, in the spirit of personalized medicine, are based on individual metabolism and the interaction between diet, the microbiome, and health.
Project duration: 2025–2029
Funded by: European Commission, Brussels, Belgium

ESAN III – Energy Sensing Pilot Study: Effects of Plant Bioactives on Immunomodulation in Patients with Obesity, Depression, and Normal-Weight Controls

Along with the brain and muscles, the immune system is one of the three largest energy consumers in the human body. Increased energy consumption in the brain is triggered by external factors such as stressful life events or brain dysfunction (e.g., underlying severe depression). It is hypothesized that various dietary factors influence the distribution of energy supply within these energy-consuming systems. The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of natural juices rich in phytonutrients such as polyphenols and carotenoids in healthy and depressed subjects in order to leverage the known positive effects of these food sources in a therapeutic setting. The consumption of natural fruit juices rich in polyphenols and carotenoids corresponds to a vegetarian diet model due to the increased micronutrient density of plant-based foods. The results obtained here can be viewed as preliminary explanatory models for the positive effects of a vegetarian diet.
Project duration: 2025–2027

Teaching

LIFEMED Doctoral School (PI: Sandra Holasek)

The goal of this doctoral program is to investigate the pathophysiology of lifestyle-related diseases, gain insights into the mechanisms underlying chronic diseases, and elucidate how modifiable factors—such as physical activity/fitness or dietary habits—interact with non-modifiable factors, such as genetic predisposition. Research activities and the curriculum are designed to complement one another and enable students to acquire the fundamental principles of life sciences research, insights into the underlying causes of common lifestyle-related diseases, and specialized knowledge in the chosen field of their dissertation. The curriculum therefore includes, on the one hand, statistics, scientific metrics, and the fundamentals of laboratory methods, and on the other hand, aspects of physical activity, nutrition, anthropometry, endocrinology, surgery, and the interaction between genes and the environment in the development of diseases.

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NutriMEDucation Teaching Unit (PI: Sonja Lackner)

By resolution of the Curriculum Committee meeting 01/2025, the integrated curriculum in nutritional medicine was incorporated into the medical curriculum. This establishes nutritional medicine as an integral part of medical education, with the aim of introducing students to its fundamentals, diagnostics, and clinical aspects. The goal is to prepare future physicians for nutrition-related diseases and to strengthen their expertise in prevention and treatment. The “NutriMEDucation” Teaching Unit serves as a coordination and development platform for the structured implementation of the curriculum. It promotes interdisciplinary networking, facilitates coordination of content, and supports the transfer of knowledge between research, clinical practice, and teaching. Additionally, it ensures continuous quality development in teaching by integrating new scientific findings and optimizing teaching methods.

Division of Immunology

Sandra Johanna Holasek

T: +43 316 385 71153

E: sandra.holasek(at)medunigraz.at

Research profile

Team

Members

Gesunde Ernährung

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