This application seeks partial funding for a FASEB Summer Research Conference on: "The Physiological Basis for Obesity Therapeutics." The objectives of this conference are: 1. To present and discuss the key aspects of body weight regulation from an integrative perspective, and how aspects of homeostatic and non-homeostatic regulation might differ in specific populations;2. To present and discuss how current therapies and those in development affect these regulatory systems, and how they might be used in combination to improve their general effectiveness and/or targeted to specific populations in which they may be more effective;3. To foster the development of junior scientists and clinicians who study the mechanisms of body weight regulation and the treatment of obese individuals. The conference will be held in Snowmass Village, Colorado, from August 16th to 21st, 2009. With this conference we will attempt to establish a forum for interaction between basic science researchers and clinical strategists to work together to develop better, more effective therapies to treat obesity. The biological systems regulating energy homeostasis are inherently redundant, and there are nuances in body weight regulation in specific groups of individuals. We have yet to fully capitalize on the redundancy with combination therapies or the presence of these nuances with targeted therapies. Scientists from academic, nutritional, and pharmaceutical sectors will meet at this conference and begin to bridge this gap between the basic sciences and the clinic.

NARRATIVE: Over 60% of adults are overweight or obese, and current therapeutic approaches are not very effective. This conference will provide a forum for scientists to discuss a more comprehensive perspective of obesity therapeutics that involves targeting combinational strategies to specific populations.

R13DK084625

2009-08-01

2010-07-31