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Prof Dr M.C.G.J. Brouwers

Research projects

1. Cardiometabolic consequences of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

NAFLD consists of a histological spectrum comprising simple steatosis, steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis and cirrhosis. Evidence is accumulating that NAFLD is not only a liver disease per se, it is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome and cardiovascular disease. This research project focuses on establishing a causal relationship between NAFLD and these cardiometabolic disorders, and on identifying potential mediators, as recently reviewed in Diabetologia and Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism.

This research is in part funded by the Netherlands Heart Foundation and the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes.

 

2. Aberrant fructose metabolism

Fructose is one of the predominant sugars present in processed foods. Fructose is specifically metabolized in the gut, liver and kidney, and, therefore, believed to have more disadvantageous health effects than other sugars. This research project focuses on the metabolic effects of fructose in fructose-metabolizing tissues, in particular the liver. Moreover, it focuses on the quality of life, treatment desires, long-term complications and potential new treatment modalities in patients with inborn errors of metabolism. The results have recently been reviewed in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences.

This research is in part funded by the Dutch Diabetes Foundation, Stofwisselkracht, and United for Metabolic Disease

 

 

 

Recent publications
  • Koene, E. J., Buziau, A. M., Cassiman, D., Cox, T. M., Bons, J., Scheijen, J. L. J. M., Schalkwijk, C. G., Meex, S. J., Saxena, A. R., Esler, W. P., Schrauwen-Hinderling, V. B., Schrauwen, P., & Brouwers, M. C. (2025). Safety and efficacy of pharmacological inhibition of ketohexokinase in hereditary fructose intolerance. Journal of Clinical Investigation. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI187376
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  • van Oeteren, M. A. J., Simons, N., Simons, P. I. H. G., van de Waarenburg, M. P. H., Kooi, M. E., Feskens, E. J. M., van der Ploeg, E. M. C. L., Van den Eynde, M. D. G., Houben, A. J. H. M., Schalkwijk, C. G., & Brouwers, M. C. G. J. (2025). Fructose restriction has beneficial effects on adipose tissue distribution but not on serum adipokine levels: Post-hoc analysis of a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Clinical Obesity, 15(1), Article e12714. https://doi.org/10.1111/cob.12714
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  • Buziau, A. M., Lefeber, D. J., Cassiman, D., Rubio-Gozalbo, M. E., Kwast, H., Tolan, D. R., Schalkwijk, C. G., & Brouwers, M. C. G. J. (2025). Aldolase B Deficient Mice Are Characterized by Hepatic Nucleotide Sugar Abnormalities. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease, 48(1), Article e12836. https://doi.org/10.1002/jimd.12836
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  • Balfoort, B. M., van den Broeck, F., Boon, C. J. F., Brouwers, M. C. G. J., Diederen, R. M. H., Dhillon, P., van Hasselt, P. M., Jaeger, B., Karuntu, J. S., Rennings, A. J. M., van Spronsen, F. J., Timmer, C., Wagenmakers, M. A. E. M., De Zaeytijd, J., Leroy, B. P., Schulze, A., van Karnebeek, C. D., Brands, M. M., & GACR “Bird's Eye View” Consortium (2025). Novel Insights Into Gyrate Atrophy of the Choroid and Retina (GACR): A Cohort Study. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease, 48(1), Article e12842. https://doi.org/10.1002/jimd.12842
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  • Brouwers, M. C. G. J. (2024). Reconciling the apparently contrasting observational and genetic evidence on the association between MASLD and cardiovascular disease. Journal of Hepatology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2024.11.042
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  • Stangl, T. A., Wiepjes, C. M., Smit, R. A. J., van Hylckama Vlieg, A., Lamb, H. J., van der Velde, J. H. P. M., Winters van Eekelen, E., Boone, S. C., Brouwers, M. C. G. J., Rosendaal, F. R., den Heijer, M., Heijboer, A. C., & de Mutsert, R. (2024). Association Between Low Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin and Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Is Mediated by Increased Visceral and Liver Fat: results from observational and Mendelian randomization analyses. Diabetes, 73(11), 1793-1804. https://doi.org/10.2337/db23-0982
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  • van Hulten, V., Souverein, P. C., Starup-Linde, J., Viggers, R., Klungel, O. H., Vestergaard, P., Brouwers, M. C. J. G., van den Bergh, J. P., & Driessen, J. H. M. (2024). The association of type 2 diabetes-related characteristics with fracture risk at different sites. Diabetes Obesity & Metabolism, 26(11), 4887-4896. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.15884
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  • Van Hulten, V., Driessen, J. H. M., Andersen, S., Kvist, A., Viggers, R., Bliuc, D., Center, J. R., Brouwers, M. C. J. G., Vestergaard, P., & van den Bergh, J. P. (2024). Fracture risk revisited: Bone mineral density T-score and fracture risk in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Obesity & Metabolism, 26(11), 5325-5335. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.15890
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  • Buziau, A. M., Oosterveer, M. H., Wouters, K., Bos, T., Tolan, D. R., Agius, L., Ford, B. E., Cassiman, D., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Schalkwijk, C. G., & Brouwers, M. C. G. J. (2024). Hepatic glucokinase regulatory protein and carbohydrate response element binding protein attenuation reduce de novo lipogenesis but do not mitigate intrahepatic triglyceride accumulation in ALDOB deficiency. Molecular Metabolism, 87, Article 101984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101984
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  • Brouwers, M. C., & Cassiman, D. (2024). Rare monogenic causes of steatotic liver disease masquerading as MASLD. Journal of Hepatology, 80(6), e252-e253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2024.02.025
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