CONNECT WITH LEADING EXPERTS
Coffee with the Experts
TOS expert education offerings help you stay current on the latest obesity science and its real-world application. Learn directly from respected voices in the field and bring practical insights back to your work.
The Obesity Society (TOS) provides exclusive member benefits, including these online events. Registration details are shared directly with current members via email.
TOS’s Early Career Committee developed Coffee with the Expert, a monthly Zoom series where early-career and student members can connect with leading TOS scientists. These informal sessions offer valuable mentoring and networking opportunities—ideal for discussing career development, research, and professional growth in a relaxed setting. No preparation is required—just bring your coffee or tea. Registration is limited to 15 participants.
Pediatric Endocrinology with a focus on Diabetes and Obesity
Daniel S. Hsia, MD
Thursday, July 30, 2026
2 pm ET
Daniel S. Hsia, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. His clinical and research work focuses on the treatment, prevention, and intervention strategies for diabetes and obesity across the lifespan, with a particular emphasis on pediatric populations.
Dr. Hsia is especially interested in expanding access to effective therapies for children by translating evidence-based and approved treatments into pediatric care. His work aims to improve health outcomes by addressing both early prevention and long-term management of obesity and diabetes.
Through his research and clinical efforts, Dr. Hsia contributes to advancing innovative approaches that support children and families in managing chronic metabolic conditions. His work reflects a commitment to improving care delivery and expanding treatment options for young patients affected by obesity and diabetes.
Clinical Health Psychology with a focus on Behavioral Medicine and Obesity-Related Mental Health
Robyn Pashby, PhD
Thursday, June 25, 2026
2 pm ET
Dr. Robyn Pashby is a licensed clinical health psychologist and founder of Health Psychology Partners, specializing in the psychological and behavioral treatment of obesity and related chronic health conditions. With over two decades of clinical experience, she is a nationally recognized expert in the intersection of mental health, obesity, and chronic illness.
Dr. Pashby integrates evidence-based psychological strategies with medical science to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care. She works with a diverse population, including healthcare professionals, executives, educators, and students, addressing challenges such as burnout, anxiety, stigma, and behavioral health barriers.
In addition to her clinical work, she is a coach, speaker, and author who delivers workshops and training focused on mental health, resilience, and performance. Her mission is to reshape how mental health is understood and prioritized, helping individuals and organizations build sustainable, health-focused environments that support overall well-being and long-term success.
Endocrinology with a focus on Obesity Medicine and Medical Weight Management
Jaime Almandoz, MD
Thursday, May 28, 2026
2 pm ET
Jaime Almandoz, MD, MBA, is a Professor of Internal Medicine and Medical Director of the Weight Wellness Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He is board certified in endocrinology, internal medicine, and obesity medicine. His clinical expertise focuses on obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiometabolic disease, and post-bariatric surgery care, with an emphasis on personalized, patient-centered treatment.
Dr. Almandoz earned his medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, where he graduated first in his class. He completed his residency and endocrinology fellowship at Mayo Clinic and advanced training in nutrition and metabolic diseases at UT Southwestern. He also holds an MBA in Healthcare Management.
A nationally recognized leader, he serves on the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology. His research focuses on interdisciplinary weight management, long-term outcomes, and disparities in obesity care.
NIH R01: Improving Muscle Function in Older Adults with Obesity
Candida J. Rebello, PhD, RD, LDN, FTOS
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Dr. Candida J. Rebello is an Assistant Professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Director of the Nutrition and Chronic Disease Laboratory. Her research focuses on developing sustainable, evidence-based lifestyle interventions to treat obesity, improve insulin sensitivity, and prevent age-related functional decline.
She is the recipient of a $3.7 million NIH R01 grant from the National Institute on Aging to investigate lifestyle strategies that reduce excess body fat while preserving muscle function in older adults with obesity. Her work bridges clinical nutrition and translational science, focusing on improving metabolic health and quality of life in aging populations.
Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome
Brendon Neuen, MBBS (Hons), MSc (Oxon), PhD, FRACP, FASN
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Associate Professor Brendon Neuen is Program Lead for Renal and Metabolic Health at The George Institute for Global Health and a Staff Specialist Nephrologist and Director of Kidney Trials at Royal North Shore Hospital. He is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Sydney and a Conjoint Associate Professor at UNSW Sydney. Dr. Neuen earned his MBBS with First Class Honors and an Academic Medal from James Cook University, an MSc from the University of Oxford, and a PhD from UNSW, and completed postdoctoral training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
An internationally recognized expert in cardio-kidney-metabolic health, Dr. Neuen serves as Co-Chair of the SGLT2 Inhibitor Meta-Analysis Cardio-Renal Trialists’ Consortium. His research has informed more than 30 international clinical guidelines, including KDIGO and ADA Standards of Care. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications and serves on multiple editorial boards.
This session is supported via an educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
2025 ObesityWeek® Lightning Talk Winners
Hoang Van M. Nguyen, Lila Dabill, & Hamlet Gasoyan
Thursday, February 26, 2026
The February Coffee with the Expert session features the 2025 ObesityWeek Lightning Talk Winners, recognizing outstanding early-career investigators selected from 11 top-scoring abstracts presented during the Early-Career Professional Committee’s Lightning Talk session at ObesityWeek 2025.
The top three finalists include:
- 1st Place: Hoang Van M. Nguyen, PhD Physical Activity is Associated with Decreased Biological Age in a Behavioral Weight Loss Trial
- 2nd Place: Lila Dabill Neural Sarm1 Knockout Limits Obesity and Improves Metabolic Health with Enhanced Benefits in Females
- 3rd Place: Hamlet Gasoyan, PhD , Reasons for Discontinuation of Semaglutide or Tirzepatide for Obesity in Clinical Practice
This session highlights innovative research across basic, clinical, and population sciences and reflects TOS’s continued commitment to supporting early-career investigators and advancing obesity research.
Molecular Biology
Sepideh Sheybani-Deloui, PhD
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Sepideh Sheybani-Deloui, PhD, is a recipient of the Ethan Sims Young Investigator Award, which recognizes excellence in obesity research by early-career investigators. She was selected as a finalist based on her abstract, “Gastric Mucosal Response to Caloric Restriction and High-Fat Diet: Protective Role of Depp1,” and was named the Basic Science award recipient following her oral presentation at ObesityWeek®.
Sepideh earned her Honors Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from the University of Toronto, followed by a Master of Science in Physiology and a PhD in Molecular Genetics. Her research integrates molecular genetics, developmental biology, and single-cell multiomic approaches to better understand neuroglial and gastrointestinal mechanisms underlying obesity and metabolic regulation. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow studying the role of the ghrelin system in eating disorders, mood, and addiction.
During the Coffee with the Expert session, Sepideh will expand on her award-winning research and discuss its broader implications for obesity science and metabolic health.
Obesity Medicine
Louis J. Aronne, MD
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Dr. Louis J. Aronne, MD, FACP, is a leading expert in obesity treatment and the Sanford I. Weill Professor of Metabolic Research at Weill-Cornell Medical College. He directs the Comprehensive Weight Control Center and is a founder and Chief Scientific Advisor to FlyteHealth. A former president of The Obesity Society and Chair Emeritus of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, Dr. Aronne has authored over 150 publications and helped develop the NIH’s Practical Guide to Obesity Treatment. He has received multiple teaching awards and contributed to the VA’s MOVE program. Dr. Aronne earned his BS from Trinity College, MD from Johns Hopkins, and completed training at Albert Einstein and Cornell. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and has been recognized on “Best Doctors” lists for over 20 years.
Cardiometabolic Diseases
Bharath Mani, DVM, PhD
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Bharath Mani, PhD, is a Scientific Director at Novo Nordisk, based in Lexington, MA. He brings extensive experience in biomedical research and drug development, having held previous roles at Novo Nordisk, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Mani earned his PhD in Pharmacology from Loyola University Chicago (2006–2012), where he developed a strong foundation in laboratory science and translational research.
His expertise spans a wide range of scientific disciplines, including cell biology, electrophysiology, ELISA, and in vivo experimentation. Dr. Mani is recognized for his contributions to advancing scientific understanding in metabolic and pharmacological research and continues to play a key role in driving innovation at Novo Nordisk.
Pediatrics-Nutrition
Darleen Sandoval, PhD
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Dr. Sandoval is a professor of pediatrics and medicine in nutrition and endocrinology at CU Anschutz Medical Campus. Dr. Sandoval earned her Ph.D. in Exercise Science from Arizona State University and a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Endocrinology at Vanderbilt. Dr. Sandoval studies the gut-brain axis in metabolism regulation. There are two main topics in her work. One examines how the gut hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) affects glucose homeostasis and how GLP-1 dysregulation causes type 2 diabetes. The other studies how bariatric surgery affects physiology and its success mechanisms. With NIH and American Diabetes Association funding, she has over 100 papers on this topic. As co-founder and co-chair of the American Diabetes Association Women’s Interprofessional Network, Dr. Sandoval has worked hard for diversity and inclusion. She recently co-chaired the American Heart Association’s Signaling 2 Fellowship Peer Review Committee and is a permanent NIDDK-C study section member.
NORC Inspire
Mabel Toribio, MD, and Sara E. Dolan Looby, PhD
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Dr. Mabel Toribio is a clinical investigator at the Massachusetts General Hospital Metabolism Unit and Director of Transgender Health Research. Her work focuses on neuroendocrine and metabolism disorders, including gender-affirming hormone therapy. She leads clinical and survey-based research to advance the health of gender-diverse populations. Dr. Toribio earned her MD from Johns Hopkins and completed her Endocrinology fellowship at Mass General.
Dr. Sara Looby is an NIH-funded researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Her research focuses on metabolic disorders among women with HIV, including bone loss and cardiovascular risk. A long-time member of the Program in Nutritional Metabolism, Dr. Looby is also a dedicated health educator and Nurse Scientist at the Munn Center for Nursing Research.
Neuroscience
Amber Alhadeff, PhD
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Dr. Amber L. Alhadeff began her research career in 2007, joining the laboratory of Dr. Harvey Grill at the University of Pennsylvania as a sophomore. She continued on to earn her Ph.D. with Dr. Harvey Grill and Dr. Matthew Hayes, during which she investigated the effects of hindbrain neuroendocrine signaling on food intake control. After receiving her Ph.D., Amber joined the laboratory of Dr. J. Nicholas Betley at Penn for her postdoctoral research. During her time in the Betley Lab, Dr. Alhadeff explored the physiological regulation of homeostatic and reward circuits in the brain. As a postdoc, Amber received independent funding from the NIH (F32 NRSA, K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award), L’Oreal USA For Women In Science, and The Obesity Society. The Alhadeff Lab opened in 2020 at the Monell Chemical Senses Center and Department of Neuroscience at Penn and is focused on the gut-brain signaling dynamics underlying motivated behavior. The Alhadeff lab is funded by the NIH (NIDDK and NCCIH), the Klingenstein Fund and Simons Foundation, the American Heart Association, the Monell Center, and the Penn Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. Amber is a recipient of the 2021 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award and the 2021 Eppendorf & Science Prize in Neurobiology, and is a Pew Biomedical Scholar and a New York Stem Cell Foundation – Robertson Neuroscience Investigator.
Nutrition Sciences
Barbara Gower, PhD
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Barbara Gower is Professor and Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Nutrition Sciences, and serves as Director of the Metabolism Core for the Nutrition Obesity Research Center and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science, and the Human Physiology Core for the Diabetes Research Center. Her research focuses on the interplay among diet, endocrinology, and metabolism, and their relationship to chronic metabolic disease, with expertise in evaluating body composition, body fat distribution, insulin sensitivity, and beta-cell function. Her two major research areas are nutrition interventions for obesity and metabolic health, and risk for type 2 diabetes in African-Americans. She recently completed two NIH-funded studies on the role of macronutrient composition in diet on reproductive and metabolic outcomes. She currently is conducting two NIH-funded research studies to 1) test the hypothesis that in patients with type 2 diabetes, a low glycemic diet will enable return of beta-cell function by depleting pancreas lipid, even in the absence of weight loss, and 2) test the hypothesis that in African-American women with obesity, an insulin-lowering diet will improve loss of fat mass during weight loss and result in greater weight loss maintenance, in part by increasing energy expenditure.
Nutritional Medicine
Faris M. Zuraikat, PhD
Thursday, April 24, 2025
Dr. Faris M. Zuraikat is an Assistant Professor of Nutritional Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and the Institute of Human Nutrition. His research focuses on the intersection of sleep, eating behaviors, and cardiometabolic health, with a primary goal of understanding how sleep influences the effectiveness of obesity treatments. Dr. Zuraikat has extensive experience in both clinical trials and observational research, examining the complex relationships between dietary behaviors, metabolism, and long-term health outcomes. His academic training explored key drivers of food choice and intake, while his postdoctoral fellowship deepened his expertise in sleep and circadian rhythms. This foundation enabled him to develop a unique research approach to evaluate the independent and combined effects of sleep and dietary habits on obesity and metabolic risk. By integrating insights from nutrition and sleep sciences, Dr. Zuraikat’s research aims to develop innovative strategies for weight management and the prevention of metabolic diseases. His work sheds light on the physiological and behavioral mechanisms underlying obesity and chronic disease, bridging gaps in current treatment approaches. Beyond research, Dr. Zuraikat is deeply committed to education and mentorship. He plays an active role in Columbia University’s Center of Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research and the Columbia University Seminar on Appetitive Behaviors. Through these initiatives, he fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and helps train future scientists in nutrition, sleep, and metabolism. Dr. Zuraikat’s contributions to research and education continue to shape new approaches for obesity treatment, emphasizing the crucial role of sleep and eating behaviors in long-term health.
Physical Activity & Weight Management
Renee J. Rogers, PhD, FACSM
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Dr. Renee Rogers is a leading expert in bio-behavioral healthy lifestyle intervention and platform design, specializing in technology, media, and engagement strategies to promote long-term adherence. She is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and serves as Chair of ACSM’s Strategic Health Initiative (SHI) for Behavior and the ACSM International Health & Fitness Summit. With a background in theater and production, combined with academic training in Exercise Physiology, Behavior Change, and Weight Management, Dr. Rogers takes an innovative approach to health promotion, physical activity, and weight management. She has worked as a practitioner, program director, researcher, and consultant, shaping her ability to translate research into real-world programs that drive strong engagement and adherence. Since 2010, Dr. Rogers has been developing technology-based lifestyle interventions tailored to diverse populations across the lifespan. Her work focuses on improving body weight, cardiovascular fitness, strength, physical function, cognition, and overall quality of life through innovative strategies that encourage long-term participation.
Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk
Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley, MD, MPH, FAHA, FABMR
Monday, February 24, 2025
Tiffany Powell-Wiley graduated summa cum laude from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. During medical school, she spent a year at the NIH as a research fellow in the Clinical Research Training Program. Dr. Powell-Wiley graduated from Duke University School of Medicine and completed her Master’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to joining NIH, Dr. Powell-Wiley completed internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts and cardiology fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Powell-Wiley served two years as a clinical research fellow in the Reynolds Cardiovascular Research Center at UTSW. Dr. Powell-Wiley also served for one year as the Cardiology division’s first chief fellow. From 2011 to 2017, Dr. Powell-Wiley was an Assistant Clinical Investigator at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. From 2011-2014, she held a joint appointment in the Office of the Associate Director of the Applied Research Program of the National Cancer Institute. Since 2017, Dr. Powell-Wiley has been an Earl Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator with a joint appointment in the Cardiovascular Branch of the Division of Intramural Research at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
Obesity Medicine
Scott Butsch, MD, MSc, FTOS
Thursday, January 30, 2025
Dr. Butsch is the Director of Obesity Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic’s Bariatric and Metabolic Institute and a former Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS). He completed the first obesity medicine fellowship in the U.S. at HMS/Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and is a diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and a Fellow of The Obesity Society.
Dr. Butsch specializes in pharmacological treatments for obesity, combination therapies for bariatric surgery patients, and care for individuals with severe obesity. A national leader in obesity education, he has directed educational programs at HMS, including the division of Nutrition and the Harvard CME Blackburn Course in Obesity Medicine.
An active advocate for reducing weight stigma and improving access to obesity care, Dr. Butsch chairs key committees in The Obesity Society and the Massachusetts Medical Society. His dedication to education, advocacy, and clinical excellence is recognized nationally and internationally.
Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism
Gitanjali Srivastava, MD
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Dr. Gitanjali Srivastava, MD, an Associate Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (VUSOM), is a trailblazer in obesity medicine. As the Chief/Medical Director of Obesity Medicine and Program Director of the Obesity Medicine Fellowship at VUSOM, she spearheads clinical excellence. As Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Weight Loss Clinics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Dr. Srivastava combines compassionate care with cutting-edge research. Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Obesity Medicine by the American Board of Obesity Medicine, she is a global authority in obesity medicine. Dr. Srivastava is an internationally recognized obesity medicine educator, researcher, and principal investigator of leading anti-obesity pharmacotherapy clinical trials. Her impactful publications span adolescent pharmacotherapy, outcomes research, and complex obesity cases, including transplant and postoperative weight-regain patients. Dr. Srivastava’s innovative insights drive clinical progress. Dr. Srivastava earned her MD at Louisiana State University and completed fellowship training at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, with residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Nutritional Science
Michelle Cardel, PhD, MS, RD, FTOS
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Dr. Cardel is a nutrition scientist, registered dietitian, Head of Clinical Research & Nutrition at WeightWatchers, and a faculty member at the University of Florida, where she is also a Co-Director for the Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases. At WeightWatchers, Dr. Cardel oversees the company’s clinical trials, nutrition point of view using the latest in nutritional science, and works across the organization to translate scientific evidence into member content, programs, and beyond. She is a Fellow of The Obesity Society and has published more than 110 papers in high-impact journals. Dr. Cardel has won many awards, including the University of Alabama (UAB) Outstanding Woman Award, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Excellence in Emerging Outcomes Research Award, and UAB’s Young Alumni Rising Star Award.
Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences
Akilah Dulin, PhD
Friday, September 6, 2024
Akilah Dulin, PhD, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences at Tulane’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Edward Wisner Endowed Professor. Her research centers on community engaged approaches to understand relationships between multilevel resilience resources, risks, and chronic disease management and to create resilience building interventions for racial and ethnic minority groups. She leverages her expertise to engage in advocacy work to support policies that address structural-level adversities for Black Americans. She has served on the Health Promotion in Communities Study section as an ad hoc reviewer, standing study section member and now chair. In 2024, she Chaired the Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting, Moving Behavioral Science Upstream. She has an active R01 to implement a dietary intervention with Southeast Asian families, two prior R01s focused on resilience and other NIH and foundation awards. She has a PhD in Medical Sociology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Sciences
Kaja Falkenhain, PhD UBCO
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Dr. Kaja Falkenhain is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Sciences at Pennington Biomedical Research Institute. She earned her undergraduate degree in Cognitive Sciences and Artificial Intelligence, providing a foundation for AI- and ML-based applications and research themes. Her PhD work investigated the effects of endogenous and exogenous ketosis on cardiometabolic health and employed mHealth technology with integrated biofeedback. Dr. Falkenhain’s overarching research focus is cross-disciplinary human research investigating the metabolic and physiological effects of nutritional and lifestyle interventions, including their mechanistic underpinnings.
NeuroMetabolic Pharmacology
Alexandre Caron, PhD
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Dr. Alexandre Caron holds the Canada Research Chair in Neurometabolic Pharmacology. After obtaining his PhD in Physiology-Endocrinology in 2015, he joined the Center for Hypothalamic Research (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center) first as a Diabetes Canada Postdoctoral Fellow and then as a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow. His postdoctoral work aimed at understanding how the central leptin-melanocortin system controls adipose metabolic and endocrine functions. In 2019, Dr. Caron received the NIDDK K99/R00 Award to perform studies aimed at better understanding the sympathetic regulation of liver metabolism. In 2020, he was appointed Assistant Professor in Pharmacy at Laval University. His research is based on the conceptual framework that metabolic diseases result from alterations in the nervous system. His laboratory studies the pathophysiological mechanisms that alter brain-organ communication in metabolic diseases and aims to identify new molecular and pharmacological targets to improve energy and glucose metabolism.
Pediatric Medicine
Carmen T. Monthe-Dreze, MD
Monday, June 24, 2024
Dr. Monthé-Drèze is an attending neonatologist and faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and an Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. In addition to caring for sick neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Monthé-Drèze conducts clinical and translational research on the effects of pre-pregnancy obesity on child health. Her specific interests lie in investigating the underpinnings of child obesity and adverse neurodevelopment observed in children of mothers with high body mass index, with a focus on dysmetabolism in pregnancy. Given the critical role of neurobiology in obesity development, Dr. Monthé-Drèze’s long-term goal is to define neurobiobehavioral mechanisms of intergenerational obesity during the first 1,000 days, a sensitive period for obesity development in children. She hopes this novel approach to understanding intergenerational obesity will lead to new targets for early-life interventions to improve child health.
Her research activities have been supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institutes of Health, the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard, and the Harvard Medical School Diversity and Inclusion Community Partnership Faculty Fellowship. In addition to her research activities, Dr. Monthé-Drèze co-directs the Inter-NORC Speaking Scholar Initiative (INSPIRE) Program, an NIDDK-sponsored national initiative that aims to promote the careers of early-career scientists working in obesity, nutrition, and metabolism research. Dr. Monthé-Drèze is originally from Cameroon (Central Africa). She received her undergraduate degree in Biology and Child Psychology from Swarthmore College and her Medical Degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She completed her residency in Pediatrics and fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at the Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Combined programs.
Medical Director, Obesity at Novo Nordisk
Anthony N. Fabricatore, PhD, FTOS
Monday, May 20, 2024
Dr. Fabricatore is a licensed psychologist with experience in both academic and industry settings. He is currently Medical Director in Medical Affairs, Obesity, at Novo Nordisk, Inc., where his work includes, e.g., provision of subject matter expertise to cross-functional projects, guiding and executing scientific training, and contributing to clinical trial design. Previous industry positions include Medical Science Liaison at Novo Nordisk and VP, Research and Development at Nutrisystem. His career began at the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, where, as Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, his clinical and research efforts addressed various aspects of obesity assessment and management.
Nutrition & Exercise Physiology and Medicine
R. Scott Rector, PhD, FTOS, FACSM
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Professor Rector is currently an Associate Professor (with tenure) with Co-appointments in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology and Medicine-Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Dr. Rector is the Director of NextGen Precision Health and a Research Health Scientist at the Harry S Truman Memorial VA Hospital.
Dr. Rector at the University of Missouri is a researcher focused on chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). His lab uses a translational approach, examining factors triggering disease progression and effective treatment strategies. He is studying nutritional, lifestyle, and pharmacological interventions in animal models and humans to combat the NAFLD epidemic. His findings have led to a better understanding of the importance of physical activity and fitness in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. His work is supported by industry and federal grants.
Translational Research of Metabolism and Diabetes
Karen D. Corbin, PhD, RD
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Karen D. Corbin, PhD, RD, is a clinical-translational scientist at the AdventHealth Translational Research Institute (TRI) and the Founder and Chief Geek of Geeks That Speak®.
Dr. Corbin’s scientific career is focused on human nutrition and metabolism. In particular, she explores the mechanisms, such as the gut microbiome, that drive individual susceptibility to metabolic diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diabetes, and obesity. Her research portfolio includes both investigator-initiated and industry clinical-translational studies focused on novel pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutics.
Dr. Corbin, a researcher and dietitian, joined the TRI after a 3-year tenure as a Research Assistant Professor at UNC Chapel Hill. She conducted research on individual nutrient requirements and metabolic disease. Dr. Corbin holds a doctorate in molecular medicine and a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Food Science. She believes that by helping scientists communicate complex scientific information, she can contribute to innovation and solve society’s most pressing problems. She founded Geeks That Speak® to empower scientists.
Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine
Ellen A. Schur, MD, MS
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Dr. Schur, a Stanford Medical School MD and a University of Washington internal medicine resident, is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and Clinical Research Director of the UW Medicine Diabetes Institute and the University of Washington Nutrition and Obesity Research Center. She specializes in obesity medicine at the UW Medicine Center for Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery. Dr. Schur’s research focuses on eating behavior, obesity, and cardiometabolic disease risk in humans, elucidating the genetic, physiological, and neurological factors that drive food consumption. She regularly gives invited lectures and presentations nationally and has published in various journals. Dr. Schur has served as Principal Investigator of research awards from the National Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association. Her current research uses functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to investigate brain regulation of appetite and the relation between hypothalamic inflammation and obesity and type 2 diabetes pathogenesis and treatment.
Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, Nutrition
Michael D. Jensen, MD
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Dr. Jensen is an endocrinologist whose clinical interests are primarily focused on obesity and diabetes. Dr. Jensen’s research focuses on human body fat distribution and fatty acid/energy metabolism, specifically the effects of obesity and body fat distribution on health. He served as co-chair of the NHLBI Expert Panel on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, 2008-2013, and is the current editor-in-chief of Obesity.
Growth and Obesity
Jack A. Yanovski, MD, PhD
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Jack Yanovski, Chief of the Section on Growth and Obesity and Associate Scientific Director for Translational Medicine at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, is a leading expert in pediatric obesity. He earned his MD and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and completed residency training in Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Yanovski founded the NIH’s Section on Growth and Obesity in response to the growing pediatric obesity epidemic in the US. He has conducted numerous clinical studies evaluating and treating overweight and obesity in children and adults, as well as laboratory investigations into molecular etiologies. Dr. Yanovski has authored over 350 publications and received numerous awards for his research on obesity.
Cancer Metabolism & Science Communication
Stephanie Compton, PhD, RD
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Stephanie Compton, PhD, RD is a postdoctoral fellow in the Cancer Metabolism Program at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Dr. Compton’s research focuses on the intersections of nutrition, physical activity, and metabolism on clinical cancer outcomes and survivorship. Her current studies are investigating the impact of side effects of cancer treatment on metabolic flexibility, energy metabolism, and glucose regulation. Dr. Compton has been engaged in science communication via social media for over 5 years, bridging the gap between science and real life to educate about nutrition and her research. She also educates on filtering online nutrition information, shares science education for health professionals, and demystifies research to her audience of over 13,000 followers in Instagram. Dr. Compton has spoken to both scientific and public audiences about science communication and disseminating nutrition science online.
Epidemiology and Prevention
Jamy D. Ard, MD
Thursday, September 14, 2023
Jamy Ard, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention and the Department of Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine and Vice Dean for Clinical Research. He is also co-director of the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Weight Management Center, directing medical weight management programs. Dr. Ard’s research interests include the clinical management of obesity and strategies to reduce cardiometabolic risk through lifestyle modification. Dr. Ard has more than 25 years of experience in clinical nutrition and obesity. He has served on several expert panels and guideline development committees, including the 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS Guideline Panel on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, and the USDA’s 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Dr. Ard is currently the president-elect of The Obesity Society.
Nutritional Sciences
Samuel Klein, MD
Monday, August 14, 2023
Dr. Klein’s primary research uses both basic and clinical tools to evaluate cellular, regional, and whole-body substrate metabolism and test physiologically and clinically relevant hypotheses in human subjects in vivo. His laboratory is specifically focused on understanding the pathophysiological alterations in metabolic function associated with obesity in people, and on the mechanisms underlying weight-loss-induced benefits in ameliorating obesity-related metabolic abnormalities.
Nutritional Sciences
Christopher Gardner, PhD
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Christopher Gardner is a Professor of Medicine and the director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. For 30 years, he has been feeding and bleeding human study participants to answer health questions about the potential benefits of various nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns. He has conducted several landmark weight loss diet studies, including the A TO Z (2007) and DIETFITS (2018)studies. He is currently chair of the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee and is serving on the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Most recently, his interests have shifted in two directions. One is to work more in institutional food settings such as universities, hospitals, worksites, and schools – which often involves working with chefs and the concept of “unapologetic deliciousness”. The other involves collaborations with Drs. Justin and Erica Sonnenburg – Stanford microbiologists – on the topic of diet and the microbiome.
Nutritional Sciences
Angela Odoms-Young, PhD
Monday, June 26, 2023
Dr. Angela Odoms-Young is an Associate Professor and Director of the Food and Nutrition Education in Communities Program at Cornell University. Her research centers on understanding the social and structural determinants of dietary behaviors among low-income populations and Black, Indigenous, and people of color, and on identifying culturally appropriate programs and policies that promote health equity, food justice, and community resilience. Dr. Odoms-Young has over 20 years of experience partnering with communities to improve nutrition and health, and she has served on numerous advisory committees and boards, including the Institute of Medicine committees to revise the food packages provided for WIC and the Council on Black Health. Dr. Odoms-Young also currently serves as the inaugural Equity Visiting Scholar at Feeding America.
Physiology of Human Adipose Tissue
Ursula White, PhD
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Ursula White, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in Clinical Science at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. She leads a clinical research program that conducts intervention trials to investigate the effects of changes in energy balance, nutrition, and exercise on physiology in adults with obesity and related cardiometabolic disorders. Dr. White’s NIH-funded work also emphasizes the influence of adipose (fat) tissue distribution and body shape on metabolic health and implements approaches for comprehensive metabolic phenotyping at the whole-body and adipose-tissue levels. In addition to her research projects, Dr. White serves as a mentor for initiatives, such as the NSF LS-PAC-MODELS program at Louisiana State University, and as the Director of Peer Mentoring for the NIH-NIDDK U24 grant (LAUNCHED) at Pennington Biomedical. Dr. White is a member of The Obesity Society and is the current Chair of the Annual Program Committee.
Weight and Eating Disorders
Kelly C. Allison, PhD, FAED, FTOS
Friday, April 21, 2023
Kelly C. Allison, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders. She is a researcher and clinician with over 20 years of experience in NIH- and industry-funded trials. Her research interests include the timing of eating, night eating syndrome, binge eating disorder, and the role of weight and eating behaviors on reproductive health. She is also engaged in studies on bariatric surgery outcomes and clinical trials for weight and disordered eating. Dr. Allison enjoys providing psychotherapy related to weight management and disordered eating, and she provides pre-operative bariatric surgery psychological evaluations at Penn Medicine’s bariatric program. Additionally, she provides supervision and mentoring to predoctoral psychology externs and interns, medical students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty members. Dr. Allison is a Fellow of The Obesity Society and the Academy for Eating Disorders. She has published over 170 peer-reviewed papers and chapters, as well as two books.
Jennifer Orlet Fisher, PhD
Thursday, March 23, 2023
11:00 am Eastern
Dr. Jennifer Orlet Fisher is a Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Temple University and Associate Director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education. Dr. Fisher’s research seeks to understand influences on the development of eating behaviors and weight outcomes during early childhood. Dr. Fisher was the 2019 Oded Bar-Or Award for Excellence in Pediatric Obesity Research from The Obesity Society. She recently served as Chair of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Eating Research expert panel to develop evidenced-based guidelines for promoting healthy eating behaviors in children. She earned a master’s degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and PhD in Nutrition from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Fisher currently serves on several editorial boards and on the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
Alison E. Field, ScD
Thursday, February 23, 2023
12:00 pm Eastern
Alison E. Field, ScD is a Professor of Epidemiology and the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at the Brown University School of Public Health. She has been conducting research on obesity and eating disorders for the past 30 years. She helped to establish and later was a Co-Director of the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS), which is the largest cohort study of youth in the US with frequent assessments over more than 20 years of follow-up. Her early research focused on identifying the causes of developing obesity, binge eating, and purging. Much of her current research is focused on phenotyping obesity. Dr. Field has been a member of the Obesity Society since 1998 and has served in numerous leadership positions, including Chair of the Program Committee, Chair of the Obesity Section, Member of Council, Chair of the Ethics Committee, and is now the Vice President. In addition, she is a member of the Eating Disorders Research Society, a Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders, and on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Aaron S. Kelly, PhD, FTOS
Monday, January 23, 2023
4:00 pm Eastern
Aaron S. Kelly, PhD, is a Professor of pediatrics, holds the Minnesota American Legion and Auxiliary Chair in Children’s Health, and is co-director of the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He has approximately 20 years of experience conducting clinical trials for the treatment of pediatric obesity and has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers on related topics. Dr. Kelly’s NIH-funded research program focuses on treatments targeting the underlying biology of obesity, such as pharmacotherapy and metabolic/bariatric surgery, as supplements to lifestyle modification therapy with the goal of enhancing clinical outcomes in youth struggling with the disease. Dr. Kelly is actively involved in numerous initiatives related to pediatric obesity treatment in the United States and internationally, has held various leadership positions in the Obesity Society and American Heart Association, and is a Fellow of both organizations.
Joseph A. Skelton, MD, MS, FAAP, FTOS
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
4:00 pm Eastern
Joseph A. Skelton, MD, MS, FAAP, FTOS, is a board-certified pediatrician and obesity medicine specialist. He is particularly interested in working with entire families to change behavior and with community organizations with the same goals. Dr. Skelton is the founder and director of Brenner FIT® (Families In Training), a family-based pediatric obesity program active in clinical care, research, education, and community outreach.
Dr. Skelton researches attrition and treatment adherence and how to incorporate the entire family system into health care. In addition, he teaches medical students in a field called Culinary Medicine, a way to improve nutrition and health through cooking.
Peter T. Katzmarzyk, PhD, FTOS
Thursday, October 27, 2022
3:00 pm Eastern
Dr. Katzmarzyk is Professor and Associate Executive Director for Population and Public Health Sciences at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, where he holds the Marie Edana Corcoran Endowed Chair in Pediatric Obesity and Diabetes. Dr. Katzmarzyk is an internationally recognized leader in physical activity and obesity, with a particular emphasis on pediatric health and ethnic health disparities. He has over two decades of experience in conducting large clinical and population-based studies in children and adults. Dr. Katzmarzyk has a special interest in global health and has a record of building research capacity in physical activity and obesity research in developing countries.
Sherry Pagoto, PhD
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
4:00 pm Eastern
Dr. Pagoto is a licensed clinical psychologist, professor, and social media researcher. She is currently a Professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Connecticut and Director of the UConn Center for mHealth and Social Media. She is also the Past-President of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, the leading organization for research at the intersection of behavioral science and health. Her research focuses on leveraging technology in the development and delivery of behavioral interventions targeting diet, physical activity, and cancer prevention. She has developed two mobile apps for weight management and a comprehensive weight loss program that is deliverable via social media platforms.
Leanne Redman, PhD, FTOS and Diana Thomas, PhD
Thursday, August 11, 2022
4:00 pm Eastern
Leanne M. Redman, PhD, FTOS is a Professor of Clinical Science. Her expertise is in human physiology as it relates to the quantification of energy balance, in both controlled and free-living conditions in humans. The epicenter of Dr. Redman’s work has been in the design and conduct of controlled clinical trials where diet and physical activity are manipulated to modulate body energy stores. Dr. Redman is the Chief Academic Officer at Pennington Biomedical and leads the Division of Scientific Education. She has published more than 200 research articles, reviews, and book chapters around energy metabolism, insulin sensitivity, obesity, calorie restriction, exercise, and maternal/infant physiology.
Diana M. Thomas, PhD is currently a professor of discipline at the United States Military Academy at West Point. She holds joint research appointments at the Columbia University New York Obesity Research Center and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and serves on the editorial board for the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, PloS One, and Nutrition and Diabetes. She has published over 130 peer-reviewed articles in exercise, fitness, nutrition, and body weight regulation relying on diverse mathematical methods ranging from differential equations to machine learning. Dr. Thomas has devoted her career to increasing and diversifying the number of students who pursue mathematics.
Kevin D. Hall, PhD
Monday, July 18, 2022
4:00 pm Eastern
Dr. Kevin Hall received his Ph.D. in Physics from McGill University and is now a tenured Senior Investigator at the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda MD. His main research interests are the regulation of food intake, macronutrient metabolism, energy balance, and body weight. Dr. Hall’s laboratory performs experiments in humans and rodents and develops mathematical models and computer simulations to help design, predict, and interpret the experimental data. Dr. Hall is the recipient of the NIH Director’s Award, the NIDDK Director’s Award, the Lilly Scientific Achievement Award from The Obesity Society, the Guyton Award for Excellence in Integrative Physiology from the American Society of Physiology, and his award-winning Body Weight Planner (http://BWPlanner.niddk.nih.gov) has been used by millions of people to help predict how diet and physical activity dynamically interact to affect human body weight.
Rebecca Puhl, PhD
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
1:00 pm Eastern
Dr. Rebecca Puhl is Deputy Director for the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health and Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at UConn. Dr. Puhl is responsible for identifying and coordinating research and policy efforts aimed at reducing weight bias. Dr. Puhl earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Yale University. She has conducted research on weight bias for 20 years and has published over 140 studies on weight-based bullying in youth, weight bias in health care and the media, interventions to reduce weight bias, and the impact of weight stigma on emotional and physical health. Dr. Puhl is a leading national expert in the field of weight bias, and her research is routinely publicized in national and international media. She has been recognized for her research with national awards including the Excellence in Policy Research Award from the National Eating Disorders Coalition, and The Obesity Society Scientific Achievement Award for excellence in an established research career.
Jeffrey Zigman, MD, PhD
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
4:00 pm Eastern
Dr. Zigman is a Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern, where he is affiliated with the Center for Hypothalamic Research, the Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, and the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute. Dr. Zigman’s research is geared toward understanding the neuro-hormonal framework underlying metabolism. In particular, the Zigman lab focuses on how gastrointestinal hormones such as ghrelin and LEAP2 interact with the brain, peripheral nervous system, and various peripheral organs such as the pancreatic islet and pituitary to control eating, body weight, blood glucose, responses to exercise, and mood. Conditions studied by the lab include obesity, diabetes, hypoglycemia, cachexia, Prader-Willi Syndrome, and depression.
John Jakicic, PhD
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
4:00 pm Eastern
John Jakicic, PhD serves as the Director of Population Science, building research programs focused on obesity, weight loss, and physical activity in cancer. Dr. Jakicic has a long history of investigating lifestyle behaviors in chronic health conditions like obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. In addition, he has recently investigated aging and brain health and the intersection between behavior and physiology. Dr. Jakicic has published >250 peer-reviewed papers, review articles, and book chapters and has served on several Editorial Boards and grant review panels for the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Jakicic obtained a BS in Physical Education and Health and an MS in Exercise Science from Slippery Rock University and received a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Pittsburgh. Before taking his director role at AdventHealth Translational Research Institute, he was a distinguished professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
Susan Yanovski, MD and Robert Rivers, PhD
Monday, February 14, 2022
3:00 pm Eastern
Susan Z. Yanovski, MD, serves as co-director of the Office of Obesity Research at the NIDDK, and as Senior Scientific Advisor for Clinical Obesity Research. Her primary responsibilities are to coordinate obesity-related research activities across the Institute, including basic and clinical studies that lead to innovative prevention and treatment strategies, and to serve as scientific lead for obesity within the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition.
Robert Rivers, PhD, is a program director in the Office of Minority Health Research Coordination (OMHRC) at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). He also leads both the Short-Term Research Experience Program to Unlock Potential (STEP-UP), Diversity F31s, Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health Related Research and Supplemental Funding to Promote Re-Entry into Biomedical and Behavioral Research.
Thomas Inge, MD
Friday, January 21, 2022
4:00 pm Eastern
Dr. Tom Inge is professor of surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief at the Ann and Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. His clinical practice has focused on advanced minimally invasive surgery and in particular, his clinical and academic interest in his 16 has been in the surgical care of adolescents with severe obesity. Dr. Inge has been continuously funded by the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2005, developing an evidence base defining the role of surgery to treat adolescents with clinically severe obesity. He and his team have produced over 150 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. He has also provided over 140 invited lectures for national and international professional groups. His leadership experience includes prior roles as Chief of Pediatric Surgery and associate Surgeon-in-Chief at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Delia West, PhD, FTOS
Monday, December 6, 2021
4:00 pm Eastern
Exercise Science Professor and SmartState Endowed Chair of the Technology Center to Promote Healthy Lifestyles (TecHealth) Delia West’s work has focused on developing and evaluating behavioral weight control interventions, including technology-assisted lifestyle interventions. Dr. West has explored the experiences of minority populations engaged in weight control and strategies for addressing binge eating among individuals with obesity. She and colleagues have developed and evaluated online weight control to determine the efficacy of delivery platforms, cost profiles, and strategies to improve outcomes. She has also evaluated the dissemination of an established lifestyle intervention in community settings using lay health educators.
Penny Gordon-Larsen, PhD, FTOS, FAHA
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
4:00 pm Eastern
Penny Gordon-Larsen, PhD, FTOS, FAHA, became the Gilling School’s Associate Dean for Research in September 2018. In this role, she leads a schoolwide research program of approximately $200 million in research funding each year. She provides intellectual and strategic leadership and vision for research programs and supports and enhances the School’s research enterprise. The NIH supports Dr. Gordon-Larsen’s research program. Her portfolio ranges from molecular and genetic to environmental and societal factors that influence health. She served as President of The Obesity Society in 2015 and received the Eli Lilly Scientific Achievement Award from The Obesity Society in 2010.
Kevin L. Grove, PhD
Wednesday, September 8, 2021
11:00 am Eastern
Dr. Grove started his independent academic career as a Staff Scientist at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), OHSU, in 1996. In the past 20 years at ONPRC he rose through the ranks to Senior Scientist and to eventually start and lead the Division of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. In 2014, Dr. Grove joined Novo Nordisk as the Vice President of Obesity Research to establish and develop a new early discovery research program in Seattle, WA to identify novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of obesity and other metabolic disorders. Dr. Grove also maintains an active academic research program at ONPRC/OHSU.
David B. Allison, PhD and Andrew W. Brown, PhD
Thursday, August 5, 2021
1:00 pm Eastern
David B. Allison, PhD, is a Dean and Provost Professor at the Indiana University-Bloomington School of Public Health since 2017. Prof. Allison’s research interests include obesity and nutrition, quantitative genetics, clinical trials, statistical and research methodology, and research rigor and integrity.
Andrew W Brown, PhD, is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Applied Health Science, Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. Dr. Brown has received local, regional, and national awards and spoken internationally about integrity in research reporting and science communication with respect to nutrition and obesity research.
Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, MBA, FTOS
Tuesday, July 13, 2021
4:00 pm Eastern
Dr. Stanford is a fellowship-trained obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Her clinical interests and expertise focus on the practice of obesity medicine and nutrition. She has evaluated and treated more than 2,000 patients and helped to develop both a standardized approach for the use of weight loss pharmacotherapy for adults and the pediatric treatment program for the MGH Weight Center. She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and conducted clinical research across a broad spectrum of topics in clinical and policy in obesity medicine for pediatric and adult patients.
Jacqueline M. Stephens, PhD
Friday, June 4, 2021
10:00 am Eastern
Students and early career members of The Obesity Society (TOS) had the opportunity to hear from Jacqueline Stephens, PhD, during the June session of the “Coffee with Professor” series.
Dr. Stephens study molecular aspects of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. She has served on the Editorial Boards of several journals, including Obesity, Diabetes, JBC, AJP-Endo and Metabolism, and Adipocytes. She has also served or chaired numerous NIH grant review panels as well as reviewing grants for the UK, Netherlands, Germany, France, and Canada.
Daniel H. Bessesen, MD
Monday, May 10, 2021
11:30 am Eastern
Dr. Bessesen is the program director of the obesity medicine fellowship program at the University of Colorado as well as the Director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center on the campus of the University of Colorado, School of Medicine. He has been involved in ‘big data’ studies of pharmacotherapy for obesity in large healthcare organizations. Dr. Bessesen has been a member of TOS since he was a post-doctoral fellow and is currently the president-elect of TOS.
Elizabeth J. Parks, PhD
Friday, April 9, 2021
1:00 pm Eastern
Dr. Elizabeth Parks is currently a tenured professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, within the Medical School, at the University of Missouri at Columbia. Dr. Parks’ current research studies are investigating how the brain, intestine and liver may communicate through the taste of fat to maintain energy balance and how the dysregulation of lipid metabolism in obesity leads to body-fat gain. Dr. Parks serves on the TOS Governing Board as Vice President and as a spokesperson for the organization.
Eric Ravussin, PhD & Donna Ryan, MD
Thursday, March 11, 2021
10:00 am Eastern
Eric Ravussin, editor-in-chief of Obesity, is a Boyd Professor at Louisiana State University. He received his PhD in human physiology from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. Ravussin is an internationally recognized translational investigator in obesity and diabetes research.
Ryan, associate editor-in-chief, is Professor Emerita at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La.
Catherine Kotz, PhD
Tuesday, February 9, 2021
4:00 pm Eastern
A leading researcher into the neuroscience of obesity and energy balance, Dr. Catherine Kotz is professor and director of graduate studies at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology. She is also associate director of research at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center in Minneapolis. Dr. Kotz is the current president and a long-time, active member of TOS.