CBBM Lecture: Neuroimmunometabolism

by Ana Domingos, PhD Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Dept. Physiology, Anatomy, Genetics, University of Oxford and Wellcome Trust International Research Scholar

will take place via webex on Tuesday, May 18th, 2021 from 17:15 to 18:15 hours 

https://uni-luebeck.webex.com/meet/henrik.oster

Host: Prof. Henrik Oster
Institute of Neurobiology

The Domingos laboratory researches neuroimmune mechanisms underlying obesity. They discovered neuro-adipose junctions, between white adipocytes and sympathetic neurons, that are necessary and sufficient for fat mass reduction via norepinephrine (NE) signalling. Moreover, they discovered Sympathetic neuron-Associated Macrophages (SAMs) that import and metabolize NE. Abrogation of SAM function promotes long-term amelioration of obesity independently of food intake. These findings inspired the development of a new class of anti-obesity compounds named sympathofacilitators, which do not enter the brain, nor have the typical cardiovascular side effects of centrally acting sympathomimetic drugs.  Sympathofacilitator drugs act as an energy sink by coupling thermogenesis to active heat dissipation.