Systems Physiology of Obesity
Obesity stretches the limits of metabolism, resulting in diseases such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Bariatric surgery, also known as weight-loss or metabolic surgery, is currently the most effective weight-loss treatment for obese patients. But changing the anatomy also changes physiology, and surgery often leads to improvement in diabetes and other metabolic diseases also independent of weight-loss. Understanding how bariatric surgery works presents opportunities for studying organismal physiology as well as identifying new clinical approaches for obesity and metabolic diseases. To this end, we collaborate closely with physicians, make use of mouse models, and apply mathematical tools to interpret results and design new experiments.