Technocultures of extended metabolism

The project is concerned with recent advances in medical research and clinical practice in understanding metabolism that emphasize the complexity and malleability of metabolism. Metabolism, in this understanding, extends beyond the individual body, becoming collective and encompassing a variety of technologies and pharmaceutical interventions. Using qualitative methods, we explore how metabolism is shaped today in people living with type 1 diabetes (study 1), obesity (study 2) and home parenteral nutrition (study 3). We focus on the role of next generation metabolic drugs and technologies and the potential for personalized metabolic management. The project is carried out in collaboration with the Centre for Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes Research, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. We will design and test a biosocial case-control method on part of a research sample of patients, which will link sociological and clinical data.