Newsroom

Possible new approach for controlling appetite and obesity


January 15, 2014

After recently discovering a new molecular pathway that controls appetite and weight gain, Dr. Hsiao-Huei Chen has now used a novel approach to manipulate this pathway and prevent over-eating and obesity in mice. As outlined in the Journal of Neuroscience, Dr. Chen and her colleagues showed that a novel gene therapy and designer drug technology targeting a certain part of the brain could cut food intake in half in mice. Further research could lead to new treatments for obesity in humans, which is a major cause of heart disease, diabetes and other diseases.

Funders: Canadian Diabetes Association, Ontario Research Fund, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, HSF Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

About the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) is the research arm of The Ottawa Hospital and is an affiliated institute of the University of Ottawa, closely associated with the university’s Faculties of Medicine and Health Sciences. OHRI includes more than 1,700 scientists, clinical investigators, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and staff conducting research to improve the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human disease.

Media contact
Jennifer Ganton
Director, Communications and Public Relations
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
613-798-5555 x 73325
613-614-5253 (cell)
jganton@ohri.ca