Merja Joensuu

A major focus of my laboratory is understanding how lipid metabolism supports neuronal energy production and brain function. Our research has challenged the long-standing view that neurons depend predominantly on glucose for energy by demonstrating that neurons can mobilise and use fatty acids to generate energy. We are now translating these discoveries towards new metabolic treatment strategies for rare inherited neurological disorders, including hereditary spastic paraplegias.

My team also uses patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and human organoid models to recreate features of rare neurological diseases in the laboratory. These models provide a human-relevant platform for identifying disease mechanisms and evaluating potential treatments, including gene and metabolic therapies, while contributing to efforts to reduce reliance on animal models in preclinical research.

Our research into how viruses and bacterial neurotoxins exploit cellular pathways has also identified potential new therapeutic targets. This includes developing host-directed antiviral strategies that target cellular lipid-modifying enzymes rather than individual viruses, providing a potential route towards broad-spectrum antiviral therapies.

By combining advanced imaging, human stem cell and organoid technologies, disease modelling and therapeutic development, my laboratory seeks to convert fundamental discoveries about how human cells function into new opportunities to diagnose, prevent and treat neurological and infectious diseases.