Dean’s Seminar Series featuring Marc Reitman, MD, PhD – “Regulation of Energy Homeostasis and Obesity: Using Mice to Understand Human Physiology”
***CME/CE Credit will be offered for this Seminar***
Speaker:
Marc Reitman, MD, PhD
Senior Investigator and Chief
Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch, NIDDK, NIH
Title:
“Regulation of Energy Homeostasis and Obesity: Using Mice to Understand Human Physiology”
Abstract:
Obesity prevalence is 38% in the United States and current pharmacotherapies are inadequate. Most obesity drugs have been identified via fortuitous observations and not developed rationally from knowledge of physiology. We use mice to elucidate the biology of energy homeostasis. One area of investigation is on how to use mice to better model human biology. This led to a focus on thermal biology and brown adipose tissue (BAT), a major mouse/human difference. We are also investigating the neural control of energy expenditure and food intake, with a focus on the neurons expressing the marker BRS3. BRS3 neurons in one brain region (PVH) control food intake, while others (DMH, POA) control energy expenditure.