The biology of eating

Mon 22 November 2021

Department of Chemistry

A lecture by Professor Sadaf Farooqi, Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow and Professor of Metabolism and Medicine, Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge

The final talk in a series of lectures organised by the Cambridge Philosophical Society in the Michaelmas Term 2021

Abstract: Globally, obesity-associated diseases such as Type 2 diabetes cause over 3 million deaths annually. The rising prevalence of obesity is driven by the consumption of high calorie foods and reduced levels of physical activity, which contribute to a persistent imbalance between energy intake and expenditure leading to weight gain. However, within a given environment, some people are particularly susceptible to severe obesity, whilst others remain thin. In this lecture, I will describe how genetic studies have shaped our understanding of the pathways that regulate eating behaviour and body weight. I will share insights into how the brain regulates behaviours such as eating, that were previously considered to be under voluntary control.

Cost: free