Work on Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
Awards
Otto Naegeli Prize (2002); European Federation of Lipid Research Award (2002); Hartmann Müller Prize (2008); Life Time Achievement Award (2011); Chaire d’Excellence Pierre de Fermat (2013)[1]
Scientific career
Fields
Nuclear Hormone Receptors and gene expression; Energy metabolism
Walter Wahli, born on 23 May 1946 in Moutier, Switzerland, is a distinguished biologist and professor. He has held academic positions at the
University of Lausanne and at
Nanyang Technological University of Singapore.[2] Wahli's research has contributed to the understanding of metabolic regulation through
gene expression. He is particularly recognized for his work on nuclear receptors, specifically the
Peroxisome proliferator-activated Receptors (PPARs), which play a crucial role in regulating the body's energy balance.[3]
In 1980, Wahli became full professor and the director of the Institute of Animal Biology at the
University of Lausanne where he completed several mandates, such as vice-rector for research, postgraduate and continuing education and founding director of the Center for Integrative Genomics. He then served as a professor of metabolic disease at the
Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, a joint medical school of Nanyang Technological University Singapore and
Imperial College London, in Singapore. Since 2019, he is a visiting professor at this school.[5][6][7]
Wahli has a long-standing interest in nuclear receptors found within cell nuclei which are responsible for sensing
steroid hormones,
fatty acids and other
lipophilic molecules. Upon activation by these ligands, the receptors regulate the expression of specific genes, thereby controlling key biological processes, such embryonic development,
homeostasis, and metabolism of the vertebrates.[8] Since 1977, Wahli reported several discoveries related to the molecular mechanism of action of the estrogen receptor and then of the fatty acid-activated
peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs),[9] for which he was the co-discoverer, in their functions of regulating lipid and glucose metabolism, inflammation, wound-healing, and cell differentiation processes. He also investigated the role of PPARs in the liver disease known as
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).[10] He underscored the potential of PPARs as drug targets for NAFLD that is often associated to
metabolic syndrome and
type 2 diabetes.[11] Wahli obtained patents for his inventions. His patents include "Composition for regulating lipid metabolism" (2013)[12] and "Composition for enhancing immunity" (2019).[13]
Lifetime Achievement Award, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University ofLausanne (2011)[21]
Chaire d’Excellence Pierre de Fermat, Région Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse (2013, for 2014–15 tenure).[22][23][24]
Publications
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors: nuclear control of metabolism.[25]
Differential expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs): tissue distribution of PPAR-alpha,-beta, and-gamma in the adult rat.[26]
Fatty acids and eicosanoids regulate gene expression through direct interactions with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors α and γ.[27]
^US 8518459, Wahli, Walter; Bourgeois-Lugand, Marie Françoise Yvonne & Husson-Robert, Bernadette et al., "Composition for regulating lipid metabolism", published 2013-08-27, assigned to Actigenomics SA
^EP 3027056, Bourgeois, Marie Françoise; Cefaï, Daniel & Wahli, Walter et al., "Composition for enhancing immunity", published 2019-12-04, assigned to Actigenomics SA
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