The Biology of Obesity

Jeffrey M. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D.
Investigator, The Rockefeller University

In parts of the developing world, malnutrition and a lack of calories are serious health concerns. For many industrialized nations, however, a bigger problem is the consumption of too many calories. Millions of overweight individuals in the United States are at increased risk for obesity-related problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. Dr. Friedman is a leading obesity researcher working to understand the genetics and biology of weight control. He suggests that the obesity epidemic in the United States is not entirely the result of a “toxic” nutritional environment full of fattening junk foods. In this 60-minute presentation, he focuses on the role of the hormone leptin in regulating fat accumulation. He also discusses his studies of a human population from the island of Kosrae, which appears to be genetically predisposed to obesity.

To Eat or to Sleep?

Masashi Yanagisawa, M.D., Ph.D.
Investigator, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

Why are people sleepier after they eat and more awake when hungry? Learn about the exciting breakthroughs scientists have made in understanding links between two different brain functions—sleeping and eating. Watch this 70-minute lecture by Masashi Yanagisawa, M.D., Ph.D., an HHMI investigator at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Lecture "highlights" focus on key topics such as fundamentals of sleep and narcolepsy.