1st Edition

Understanding the Heterogeneity of Obesity
November 15, 2024

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Session 1 – From Bench to Bedside

Chair: Dr. Melissa Chee (Carleton University, Canada)

• The role of the adipocyte in systemic metabolic homeostasis
  Dr. Philipp E. Scherer (UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA)

• Amylin in the treatment of obesity: from physiology to pharmacology
  Dr. Thomas A. Lutz (University of Zurich, Switzerland)

 

Session 2 – The Hunger Games

Chair: Dr. Natalie J. Michael (Université Laval, Canada)

• Hunger Drives Life
  Dr. Tamas L. Horvath (Yale University, USA)

• Physiology and pharmacology of GLP-1 in regulating feeding
  Dr. Darleen A. Sandoval (University of Colorado, USA)

 

Session 3 – One Size Does Not Fit All

Chair: Dr. Marie-Philippe Morin (Université Laval, Canada)

• Two common epigenetically distinct obesity subtypes
  Dr. Andrew Pospisilik (Van Andel Institute, USA)

• The past, present, and future of behavioral obesity treatment
  Dr. Ariana Chao (Johns Hopkins University, USA)

• Precision medicine for obesity: where do we stand?
  Dr. Andres Acosta (Mayo Clinic, USA)

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2nd Edition

The Science of Obesity: From Biology to Behavior
November 21, 2025

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Session 1 – Highway to Hunger

Chair: Dr. Natalie J. Michael (Université Laval, Canada)

• Neuroendocrine control of metabolism
  Dr. Jens Brüning (Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Germany)

• Brainstem circuits driving feeding
  Dr. Lora Heisler (University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom)

 

Session 2 – Metabolism in Sync

Chair: Dr. Fernando F. Anhê (Université Laval, Canada)

• Interorgan circadian control of healthful metabolism
  Dr. Joseph Bass (Northwestern University, USA)

• Cellular energy sensing and obesity
  Dr. Gregory R. Steinberg (McMaster University, Canada)

 

Session 3 – Genetic Codes and Surgical Roads

Chair: Dr. Andréanne Michaud (Université Laval, Canada)

• Genetic loci that contribute to the risk of obesity and related traits
  Dr. Ruth J.F. Loos (University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

• Metabolic surgery in a pharmacological world
  Dr. Philip R. Schauer (Pennington Biomedical Research Center, USA)

 

Session 4 – Beyond BMI, Beyond Willpower

Chair: Dr. Sylvain Iceta (Université Laval, Canada)

• The mathematics of obesity: from Quetelet to modern medicine
  Dr. Steven B. Heymsfield (Pennington Biomedical Research Center, USA)

• The mental weight of obesity
  Dr. Kelly C. Allison (University of Pennsylvania, USA)