14 May 9th Annual Obesity Research Incubator
On Friday, May 14, 2021, the Brigham Research Institute’s Cardiovascular, Diabetes, and Metabolic Diseases (CVDM) Research Center hosted the 9th Annual Obesity Research Incubator Session. This was a virtual event featuring a keynote address, several short talks and a poster session. The goal of this event, which attracted almost 70 participants, was to bring together clinicians and researchers working in the fields of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease to address this challenging public health crisis. The annual event, which has grown popular over the years among local researchers, seeks to promote cross-collaborative research efforts and stimulate new ideas for further investigation.
There were 23 poster presenters, three of whom won prizes of $250. Those who were selected to give short talks during the plenary session received $500. Congratulations to all those who participated and our prestigious winners!
KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
Circadian system effects on obesity and metabolism
Frank Scheer, MD
Professor of Medicine, HMS; Director, Medical Chronobiology Program, BWH
Dr. Scheer’s work focuses on influences of the endogenous circadian system and its disruption – such as with shift work – on cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic regulation and disease states, including hypertension, asthma, obesity and diabetes.
SHORT TALKS:
Deciphering the kisspeptin-melancortin pathways underlying the regulation of energy expenditure
Rajae Talbi, PhD
High-Fat Diet Causes Rapid Loss of Intestinal Group 3 Innate Lymphoid Cells Through Microbiota-Drive Inflammation
Selma Boulenouar, PhD
Discovery and validation of a saliva metabolomic signature of insulin resistance and diabetes progression among Puerto Rican adults
Danielle Haslam, PhD
POSTER WINNERS:
Sleeve gastrectomy promotes colitis-associated cancer via a modified microbiome
James Luo, MD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Surgery, BWH
Lipid metabolism fuels IL-17+ γδ T cells in obesity and the tumour microenvironment
Claire McIntyre, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Endocrinology, BWH
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists decrease platelet-mediated airway inflammation
Dinah Foer, MD
Instructor, Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, BWH
POSTER PRESENTERS:
The association between body mass index and hypothalamus functional connectivity in
response to acute psychosocial stress
Hyeon Min Ahn, PhD | BWH
Fatty acid metabolism alteration leads to an impair MKs differentiation and platelet production
Maria Barrachina, PhD | Boston Children’s Hospital, HMS
Reimagining Obesity Care
Alexander Blood, MD | BWH
Fractional Amplitude of Low-frequency Fluctuations and Insulin Resistance in Postmenopausal
Women with and without Obesity
Jessica Busler | BWH
Comprehensive genomic analysis of dietary intake elucidates relationships with metabolic
Disease
Joanne Cole, PhD | MGH
Genetic dissection of the insulin-Akt-mTORC1 pathway for systemic metabolism and insulin
Resistance
Yann Cormerais, PhD | Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
A basic translational roadmap to understanding DAPA’s mechanism of action in the heart
Sudeshna Fisch, PhD | BWH
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists decrease platelet-mediated airway inflammation
Dinah Foer, MD | BWH
Sleeve gastrectomy alters adipose tissue B cell biology independent of weight
Renuka Haridas, BVSc, PhD | BWH
Implementing a Bariatric Surgery Digital Intake System for Prospective Collection of Patientreported
Outcome Measures
Frances Hu, MD, MSc | BWH
Redox Model of Insulin Actions
Nawfal Istfan, MD, PhD | BWH
The source of dietary fat, not obesity alone, shapes the tumor microenvironment and alters
tumor growth
Britta Kunkemoeller, PhD | BWH
Obesity, Diabetes and Hospitalization for COVID-19 Infection
Jasmin Lebastchi, MD | Brown, BWH
Gastrointestinal synthetic epithelial linings for nutritional modulation
Junwei Li | BWH
Sleeve gastrectomy promotes colitis-associated cancer via a modified microbiome
James Luo, MD | BWH
Lipid metabolism fuels IL-17+ γδ T cells in obesity and the tumour microenvironment
Claire McIntyre, PhD | BWH
Assessing the feasibility and acceptability of an ED-initiated Screening, Brief Intervention and
Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) approach applied to poor nutrition and lifestyle
Christopher Murray, MD, MBA | BWH, MGH
Obesity and effects of dapagliflozin on cardiovascular and renal outcomes in patients with type
2 diabetes mellitus in the DECLARE-TIMI 58 trial
Kazuma Oyama, MD, PhD | BWH
Amniotic Membrane Treatment of an Oxidative Stress Murine Chronic Diabetic Wound Model
Adriana Panayi, MD | BWH
Validation of BMI-related diagnosis codes in claims data
Karine Suissa, PhD | BWH
Evaluating Fairness Criteria in Obesity Subgroups to Assess Risk for Incident Diabetic
Complications
Chunlei Tang | BWH
Bariatric Surgery and Weight Loss: Evidence from a US National Sample 2015-2018
Wubin Xie, DrPH | BU
Daily rhythm of fractal cardiac dynamics links to weight loss resistance: interaction with
CLOCK3111T/C genetic variant
Hui-Wen Yang, PhD | BWH