2nd International Symposium on Obesity Mechanisms, Leipzig 2019

For the past 10 years, I have had the rather exclusive privilege of being on the External Advisory Board (which I have chaired for the past five years) of the Integrated Research and Treatment Center (IFB) AdiposityDiseases, a multi-million Euro a joint research and clinical center of the University and the University Hospital Leipzig – sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. This funding period has now come to term (although obesity research will remain alive and kicking in Leipzig) and the 2^nd International Symposium on Obesity Mechanisms, marks an important celebration of this milestone.

The three-day symposium, at which I will be presenting the Key Note Lecture, is held in collaboration with the DFG-funded SFB1052 and focuses on central obesity mechanisms, brain periphery crosstalk, adipose tissue heterogeneity, adipokines, and the clinical consequences of obesity. 

The findings and publications emanating from this research consortium over the past decade are far too numerous to mention in this post (publications appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, Cell, Nature, Nature Medicine, and other top international journals).

As Matthias Blüher remarked in his opening address, many of these findings are now finding their way into translational research, including the testing of novel anti-obesity compounds and behavioural interventions based on findings from neuroimaging studies.

I, for one, have very much enjoyed being associated with these important efforts here in Leipzig and look forward to continuing involvement in the exciting work that continues to advance our understanding of this complex chronic disease.

@DrSharma
Leipzig, Germany