Meet Janne Lebeck, who is fascinated by how sex influence fat storage patterns and the risk of cardiometabolic diseases

Research field

I am fascinated by how the body determines where fat is stored — and how this is influenced by sex hormones.
Premenopausal women typically exhibit a gynoid fat distribution, storing fat primarily around the hips and thighs. In contrast, men and postmenopausal women often show an android distribution, with fat accumulating centrally around the abdomen.

The central fat distribution pattern is associated with a higher risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and other cardiometabolic diseases.
My research focuses on uncovering the biological mechanisms behind these sex-specific fat storage patterns and their implications for health.

Why is this important?

The sex-specific differences in fat distribution have significant consequences for the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases.

By understanding the mechanisms driving these differences, we aim to support the development of sex-specific treatment strategies — offering better outcomes and fewer side effects for patients with conditions such as MASLD and type 2 diabetes.

Current research

Currently, we are investigating how sex affects the protein profiles of endothelial cells in adipose tissue and liver.

We are also studying how sex influences the development of hepatic steatosis in perivenous hepatocytes. These projects seek to uncover how sex-specific mechanisms contribute to fat accumulation and liver disease progression.

"I hope that our research will help pave the way for sex-specific treatment strategies for MASLD and type 2 diabetes - ultimately improving health outcomes for both men and women."

How I entered the field

I have always been intrigued by the complex regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, and how these two systems interact.

My initial work on aquaglyceroporins directed my attention toward glycerol metabolism in adipose tissue and liver. Here, we uncovered a sex-specific regulation of these glycerol channels, with implications for both glucose and triglyceride synthesis — a finding that continues to shape my research today.

Landmark moments

In recent years, increased recognition of sex differences in energy metabolism and their impact on cardiometabolic disease has reinforced the interest for this field.

It is encouraging to see the growing momentum toward developing sex-specific treatment strategies, and it confirms that we are moving in an important direction.

Janne Lebecks research area: KCM

Janne Lebecks research colleagues