The primary objective of our research group is to explore the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying various metabolic disorders, including obesity, fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Our focus is on understanding how these conditions are influenced by factors such as ageing, physical activity, dietary habits, and weight reduction, particularly through bariatric and metabolic surgery as a treatment for obesity.
This research aims to elucidate the adaptations in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, identify health-promoting myokines and adipokines, and discover novel biomarkers that can predict treatment outcomes and enhance patient care for individuals with obesity. A central focus of our work is understanding how the crosstalk between these tissues contributes to overall metabolic health.
Our clinical investigations employ a multidisciplinary approach to metabolic diseases, examining gene and protein regulation, cell physiology, and metabolism. We place particular emphasis on whole-body function and its implications for human health and disease.
Yassuda V, Sequeira B, De Sousa-Coelho AL (2026) The impact of bariatric and metabolic surgery on the levels of circulating growth differentiation factor 15 in humans. J Physiol Biochem. 82(1):34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13105-026-01160-8
De Sousa-Coelho AL, Estêvão MD, Patti ME, Lerin C (2025) Editorial: Tissue crosstalk in obesity and diabetes: a focus on skeletal muscle. Front. Endocrinol. 16:1724016. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2025.1724016
Cardoso P, Santos TV, Pais S, Ramon-Krauel M, De Sousa-Coelho AL (2025) Impact of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery on Sarcopenia-Related Parameters According to the EWGSOP2 Consensus Criteria in Persons Living with Obesity. Obesity Surgery. 35, 1900-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-025-07816-6
Dias CV, Silva AL, Dias J, Cardoso P, Castanheira R, Fernandes A, Nunes F, Sanai T, Sanchez M, Maia-Teixeira J, De Sousa-Coelho AL (2025) Comparing International Guidelines for the Remission of Hypertension After Bariatric Surgery. Clinics and Practice. 15(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/clinpract15010011
Leal AC, Silva AL, Gomes AF, Amálio S, De Sousa-Coelho AL (2023) The impact of obesity on hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in southern Portugal. Obesity Medicine 44, 100524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obmed.2023.100524