Aktuell

• von Dr. Alexandra Nießen
• 11.08.2026

Even diseased cells need energy to survive. Junior Professor Dr. Luiza Melo investigates how cellular metabolism changes in disease. By uncovering these processes, she aims to develop new approaches for diagnosis and treatment at University Hospital Essen. The 36-year-old has been appointed Junior Professor of *Preclinical Theranostics in Nuclear Cardiology* at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Duisburg-Essen.

[Dr. Alexandra Niessen:] If you had to explain your research to someone outside your field, what is it about?

[Junior Professor Dr. Luiza Melo:] What fascinates me most is how cells obtain energy and nutrients, especially cancer cells and immune cells. If we better understand how the metabolism of these cells changes, we can improve both the detection and treatment of cancer. My goal is to combine insights into these metabolic processes with advanced nuclear medicine imaging techniques to make diagnosis and therapy more precise and personalized.

What fascinates you personally about this topic?
I am particularly fascinated by the fact that metabolism is like a common language shared by all cells. Small molecular changes can have major effects on whether diseases develop and how well therapies work. Connecting these fundamental biological mechanisms with tangible benefits for patients is what I find most exciting.

What would you like to achieve at UDE over the coming years?
I would like to further develop an interface where metabolism research, nuclear medicine, and clinical applications come together. My goal is to translate fundamental biological discoveries into innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

I also want to support early-career researchers, strengthen international collaborations, and help further establish UDE as a visible and attractive center for translational research.

What finding from your research has surprised you the most?
What surprised me most is how remarkably flexible cells are in adapting their metabolism. Cancer cells use this ability to survive under challenging conditions, while immune cells deliberately reprogram their metabolism to fight disease more effectively. This adaptability opens up exciting new opportunities for diagnosis and therapy.

What is a common misconception about your field that you would like to correct?
Many people associate metabolism mainly with nutrition or body weight. In reality, it is much more fundamental. Metabolic processes determine how cells function, communicate with one another, and respond to disease. That is why metabolism plays a central role not only in cancer but also in cardiovascular diseases and immune responses. Understanding metabolism means understanding disease more deeply and creating new opportunities for diagnosis and treatment.

Diseases leave their mark on cellular metabolism. Junior Professor Dr. Luiza Melo investigates these changes.

Short Biography

Since June 2026: Junior Professor of Preclinical Theranostics in Nuclear Cardiology, University of Duisburg-Essen

2022 – 2026: Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Duisburg Essen and Visiting Postdoctoral Scientist at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health (USA)

2018 – 2022: Doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) in Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen

2016 – 2018: M.Sc. in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Ruhr University Bochum

2011 – 2016: B.Sc. in Biotechnology, Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil
 

Further information:
Junior Professor Dr. rer. nat. Luiza Martins Nascentes Melo, Department of Nuclear Medicine – Preclinical Theranostics in Nuclear Cardiology, Phone: +49 201 723 86229, Email: Luiza.Martins-Nascentes-Melo@uk-essen.de

Editor: Dr. Alexandra Niessen, alexandra.niessen@uni-due.de