Regular biography
Kristina Schoonjans is an Associate Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the BIO department. Her research focuses on bile acid signaling, nutrient sensing, intermediary metabolism, and metabolic disorders. She teaches courses such as General Biology (BIOENG-110) and Practical - Schoonjans Lab (BIO-603(SK)), which explores GPCR-mediated effects of bile acids on mitochondrial function and dynamics. She is also involved in teaching across multiple EPFL departments, including SSV, EDBB, EDCB, and EDMS. Her work has been recognized with awards such as the Windaus Prize and the European Medal of Endocrinology.
Scholar-generated biography
Kristina Schoonjans is a professor at EPFL with research interests in metabolism, bile acid signaling, and the liver-gut-brain axis. Her work explores how bile acids influence energy expenditure, glucose homeostasis, and lipid metabolism through mechanisms involving nuclear receptors and PPARs. She investigates the role of bile acid receptors like TGR5 in metabolic diseases and their impact on inflammation and atherosclerosis. Her research also examines the interplay between NAD+ metabolism, sirtuins, and mitochondrial function in aging and obesity. Schoonjans' studies highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting bile acid signaling and PPAR pathways to improve metabolic health and treat conditions such as insulin resistance and fatty liver disease.