Meet Professor Martin Haluzík, Professor of Internal Medicine at the Charles University in Prague, Deputy Head of Centre for Experimental Medicine and Head of the Department of Experimental Diabetology at the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Prague, Czech Republic. Professor Haluzík is a deputy editor of the Journal of Endocrinology and Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. His major research focus is on the etiopathogenesis of obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In this interview, Professor Haluzík tells us more about his research and career.
Tell us about your particular field and research?
Our lab explores the etiopathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes aiming to find preventive and treatment strategies. We are particularly interested in bariatric surgery and endoscopic methods of treatment along with novel pharmaceutical targets. Our research is both experimental and clinical, involving patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
What techniques do you use in your research?
At the moment, a lot of our research is focused on immunometabolism/subclinical inflammation in adipose tissue using flow cytometry and continuously trying to refine it. We are also using metabolomic and proteomic methods in collaboration with other laboratories. In patients, we often use glucose clamps to characterise insulin sensitivity before and after interventions. We are also testing numerous novel endoscopic methods for treatment of obesity/type 2 diabetes in both experimental models and in patients.
What inspired you into endocrinology?
It was primarily my mentor, Professor Vratislav Schreiber, who was a leading, internationally-recognised, experimental endocrinologist. His primary focus was hypothalamus/hypophysis research but he was the one who, after discovery of adipose tissue hormone leptin, came up with the idea that we should focus on the endocrine function of fat.
What do you enjoy most about work?
I really enjoy its variability – doing both experimental and clinical research brings some challenges but this combination is never boring. I very much like scientific discussion with my colleagues about our results and brainstorming how to explain it and put it into context. I also like writing the papers, especially when nobody is calling and I have a couple of hours to focus on thinking about data and writing.
What does your day-to-day work life involve?
I do both clinical work (seeing patients with diabetes/endocrine diseases) and experimental research. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I am not very useful in the lab anymore. My job is mostly to write grant applications, organize things, write and refine the papers and support my colleagues and PhD students.
What are you most looking forward to in becoming an editor?
I am very much looking forward to a chance to contribute to shaping and refining the focus of such well-respected journals of Journal of Endocrinology and Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. Also, I really like interaction with the Editorial Board and other members of the team that bring most interesting ideas that help us to improve the journal.
Who/what research has inspired you the most?
My first mentor, Professor Vratislav Schreiber, who contributed to the discovery of TRH. He was very inspiring by a combination of being extremely smart and modest at the same time, while having an unforgettable sense of humour.
What is the best feedback or advice you have ever received?
“Work smart not hard” although I am still learning how to do it, which involves a lot of hard work.
Is there any advice you can give to someone just starting off in science?
Go for it! I would make the same choice again if I could start over. It is a lot of work but you don’t really need any other hobbies. You can think about science all the time.
The Endocrine Post 