Merja Joensuu
@joensuulab.bsky.social
Lab head at The University of Queensland, Australia, https://aibn.uq.edu.au/joensuu . Cat servant. All things cell- and neurobiology, and microscopy.
Pinned
Merja Joensuu
@joensuulab.bsky.social
· Nov 20
aibn.uq.edu.au
Heya! Introductory post on 🦋 I am a lab head at The University of Queensland. My lab studies molecular mechanisms of cellular and neuronal membrane trafficking, aiming at discovering new therapeutic strategies for human conditions caused by mutations, neurotoxins and viruses. aibn.uq.edu.au/joensuu
Reposted by Merja Joensuu
RESEARCH | S Saber, @joensuulab.bsky.social et al. (U Queensland):
The lipase DDHD2 provides endogenous fatty acids to support fatty acid oxidation and energy production, proteostasis and membrane trafficking balance in neurons 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
The lipase DDHD2 provides endogenous fatty acids to support fatty acid oxidation and energy production, proteostasis and membrane trafficking balance in neurons 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
DDHD2 provides a flux of saturated fatty acids for neuronal energy and function - Nature Metabolism
Saber et al. show that the lipase DDHD2 provides endogenous saturated fatty acids to support fatty acid oxidation and energy production, proteostasis and membrane trafficking balance.
www.nature.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:08 AM
RESEARCH | S Saber, @joensuulab.bsky.social et al. (U Queensland):
The lipase DDHD2 provides endogenous fatty acids to support fatty acid oxidation and energy production, proteostasis and membrane trafficking balance in neurons 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
The lipase DDHD2 provides endogenous fatty acids to support fatty acid oxidation and energy production, proteostasis and membrane trafficking balance in neurons 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
More evidence appearing on fatty acid energy fuelling of neurons ⚡️🧠 🔋👇🏻 #pufa #dementia #ageing
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Interaction of sortilin with apolipoprotein E3 enables neurons to use long-chain fatty acids as alternative metabolic fuel - Nature Metabolism
Greda et al. show that sortilin and apolipoprotein E3 mediate import and utilization of long-chain fatty acids as a metabolic fuel in neurons after glucose restriction.
www.nature.com
October 16, 2025 at 10:08 PM
More evidence appearing on fatty acid energy fuelling of neurons ⚡️🧠 🔋👇🏻 #pufa #dementia #ageing
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Reposted by Merja Joensuu
Lupaavat uudet tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että aivojen hermosolut voivat käyttää rasvaa ajattelun, liikkumisen ja muistamisen polttoaineena. Yllättävä löydös saattaa mahdollistaa uusien hoitojen kehittämisen vakaviin aivosairauksiin.
www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/t...
www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/t...
Rasva ruokkii aivoja – läpimurto aivojen aineenvaihduntasairauksien hoidossa | Helsingin yliopisto
Tiesitkö, että aivot voivat käyttää rasvaa energianlähteenä? Lupaavat uudet tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että aivojen hermosolut voivat käyttää rasvaa ajattelun, liikkumisen ja muistamisen polttoainee...
www.helsinki.fi
October 6, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Lupaavat uudet tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että aivojen hermosolut voivat käyttää rasvaa ajattelun, liikkumisen ja muistamisen polttoaineena. Yllättävä löydös saattaa mahdollistaa uusien hoitojen kehittämisen vakaviin aivosairauksiin.
www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/t...
www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/t...
Why fundamental research matters? It can have far-reaching implications for human health, as shown in latest Nobel Prize win on discovering why immune system does not destroy the body.
Make funding fundamental science a priority - there is no translation without it!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Make funding fundamental science a priority - there is no translation without it!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
October 7, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Why fundamental research matters? It can have far-reaching implications for human health, as shown in latest Nobel Prize win on discovering why immune system does not destroy the body.
Make funding fundamental science a priority - there is no translation without it!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Make funding fundamental science a priority - there is no translation without it!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
🧠 If you are interested in our discovery of neurons using endogenous fatty acids to fuel their energy and function (rdcu.be/eIQA0), I recommend this read:
www.sciencenewstoday.org/your-neurons...
#fattyacids #betaoxidation #brain #neuron #mitochondria #HSP #rarediseasr #metabolism #energy
www.sciencenewstoday.org/your-neurons...
#fattyacids #betaoxidation #brain #neuron #mitochondria #HSP #rarediseasr #metabolism #energy
Your Neurons Have a Secret Power Source — And It Could Change Medicine Forever
For as long as modern neuroscience has existed, one belief has stood largely unquestioned: the brain, our most energy-hungry organ,…
www.sciencenewstoday.org
October 6, 2025 at 8:22 PM
🧠 If you are interested in our discovery of neurons using endogenous fatty acids to fuel their energy and function (rdcu.be/eIQA0), I recommend this read:
www.sciencenewstoday.org/your-neurons...
#fattyacids #betaoxidation #brain #neuron #mitochondria #HSP #rarediseasr #metabolism #energy
www.sciencenewstoday.org/your-neurons...
#fattyacids #betaoxidation #brain #neuron #mitochondria #HSP #rarediseasr #metabolism #energy
💡Fats fuel our thoughts 🌟 Read more here: rdcu.be/eIQA0
#fattyacids #metabolism #energy #betaoxidation #HSP #raredisease #brain #neuron #energy
www.helsinki.fi/en/news/heal...
#fattyacids #metabolism #energy #betaoxidation #HSP #raredisease #brain #neuron #energy
www.helsinki.fi/en/news/heal...
Fats Fuel the Brain – A Breakthrough in Treating Metabolic Brain Disorders | University of Helsinki
Did you know your brain can run on fat? Exciting new research has revealed that neurons in the brain can use fats as fuel—powering our thoughts, movements, and memories. This surprising discovery open...
www.helsinki.fi
October 6, 2025 at 8:17 PM
💡Fats fuel our thoughts 🌟 Read more here: rdcu.be/eIQA0
#fattyacids #metabolism #energy #betaoxidation #HSP #raredisease #brain #neuron #energy
www.helsinki.fi/en/news/heal...
#fattyacids #metabolism #energy #betaoxidation #HSP #raredisease #brain #neuron #energy
www.helsinki.fi/en/news/heal...
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 #neuron #energy #metabolism #fattyacid #raredisease #HSP #mitochondria #betaoxidation #brain #health #neurodegeneration Read more here: rdcu.be/eIQA0 🧠 🔬
October 3, 2025 at 2:41 AM
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 #neuron #energy #metabolism #fattyacid #raredisease #HSP #mitochondria #betaoxidation #brain #health #neurodegeneration Read more here: rdcu.be/eIQA0 🧠 🔬
🌟 Thrilled to share that my lab’s first publication is now out in @natmetabolism.nature.com. Congrats to the team 🎉
🧠 We discovered that neurons use endogenous fatty acids as an energy fuel, challenging long-standing models of sugars being the exclusive energy source for neurons. 1/3
🧠 We discovered that neurons use endogenous fatty acids as an energy fuel, challenging long-standing models of sugars being the exclusive energy source for neurons. 1/3
October 1, 2025 at 4:11 AM
🌟 Thrilled to share that my lab’s first publication is now out in @natmetabolism.nature.com. Congrats to the team 🎉
🧠 We discovered that neurons use endogenous fatty acids as an energy fuel, challenging long-standing models of sugars being the exclusive energy source for neurons. 1/3
🧠 We discovered that neurons use endogenous fatty acids as an energy fuel, challenging long-standing models of sugars being the exclusive energy source for neurons. 1/3
Yesterday I was honored to receive 2025 Queensland Young Tall Poppy Award #YTP25 from The Australian Institute of Policy and Science @aipscience.bsky.social. The award celebrates scientific achievements & community outreach. Big thanks to my lab and AIBN at UQ for making this possible. 🏅
September 9, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Yesterday I was honored to receive 2025 Queensland Young Tall Poppy Award #YTP25 from The Australian Institute of Policy and Science @aipscience.bsky.social. The award celebrates scientific achievements & community outreach. Big thanks to my lab and AIBN at UQ for making this possible. 🏅
Reposted by Merja Joensuu
Some commiserations for fellow #ARC applicants - I was a 2020 ARC Future Fellow. With that support, I now have a senior author Nature Cell Biology paper. Here’s my grant outcomes for that period. You are not alone. There simply isn’t enough money in the system.
November 26, 2024 at 4:57 AM
Some commiserations for fellow #ARC applicants - I was a 2020 ARC Future Fellow. With that support, I now have a senior author Nature Cell Biology paper. Here’s my grant outcomes for that period. You are not alone. There simply isn’t enough money in the system.
Check out our latest publication: Dynamin independent endocytosis is an alternative cell entry mechanism for multiple animal viruses.
Congrats to all authors, especially A/Prof Balistreri, University of Helsinki, for this classic host-virus interaction paper. 🦠🧫🔬
journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
Congrats to all authors, especially A/Prof Balistreri, University of Helsinki, for this classic host-virus interaction paper. 🦠🧫🔬
journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
Dynamin independent endocytosis is an alternative cell entry mechanism for multiple animal viruses
Author summary To initiate their infection cycle, most viruses first need to enter their target cells, a process called endocytosis. In mammalian cells, endocytosis often involves a class of proteins ...
journals.plos.org
November 21, 2024 at 9:17 PM
Check out our latest publication: Dynamin independent endocytosis is an alternative cell entry mechanism for multiple animal viruses.
Congrats to all authors, especially A/Prof Balistreri, University of Helsinki, for this classic host-virus interaction paper. 🦠🧫🔬
journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
Congrats to all authors, especially A/Prof Balistreri, University of Helsinki, for this classic host-virus interaction paper. 🦠🧫🔬
journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
Heya! Introductory post on 🦋 I am a lab head at The University of Queensland. My lab studies molecular mechanisms of cellular and neuronal membrane trafficking, aiming at discovering new therapeutic strategies for human conditions caused by mutations, neurotoxins and viruses. aibn.uq.edu.au/joensuu
aibn.uq.edu.au
November 20, 2024 at 5:20 AM
Heya! Introductory post on 🦋 I am a lab head at The University of Queensland. My lab studies molecular mechanisms of cellular and neuronal membrane trafficking, aiming at discovering new therapeutic strategies for human conditions caused by mutations, neurotoxins and viruses. aibn.uq.edu.au/joensuu