Professor Langen his research aims at deepening the understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of skeletal muscle plasticity in health and disease, to provide a foundation for interventions to restore muscle homeostasis and prevent or reverse muscle atrophy in lung disease, with the ultimate goal to halt or even reverse disease progression and improve treatment outcomes for patients.

To this end, detailed molecular and cellular analyses of skeletal muscle biopsies are combined with clinical and functional characteristics of patients suffering from lung cancer and COPD-associated muscle wasting. Complex in vitro and novel relevant in vivo models have been developed in his group to elucidate the intra- and inter-cellular signaling underlying muscle atrophy and impaired muscle homeostasis, and to test potential intervention strategies.

These experimental models are subject to constant optimization by integrating the latest technological developments in AI-based (non-invasive) image analyses, bioinformatics, and Organ on Chip approaches, with continuous attention to their translational potential.

Professor Langen (1972), Department of Respiratory Medicine, studied Biochemistry at Avans University of Applied Sciences, and received his PhD in 2003 at Maastricht University for his thesis ‘Modulation of skeletal muscle plasticity by inflammation’, on a project conducted in collaboration with the University of Vermont, US. He has worked as a post-doctoral fellow (2003-2007), Assistant Professor (2007-2016), and Associate Professor (2016-2024) at the Department of Respiratory Medicine of Maastricht University.

Ramon Langen is also chair of the Animal Welfare Body (IvD-UM) and chair of the Knowledge platform Biomedical Models Maastricht (KBM²).

NUTRIM congratulates Ramon!