ABSTRACT
Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference entitled Obesity: Causes and Consequences,
organized by Drs. Giles S.H. Yeo, Karine Clément and Murielle Véniant-Ellison. The conference will be held in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from February 4-7, 2024.
Over the last four decades, the prevalence of obesity has tripled in the population. Along with its wide range of
comorbidities, obesity is associated with a substantial proportion of the worldwide non-communicable disease
burden. In parallel, the emergence of innovative therapies is transforming the field of obesity. This Keystone
Symposia conference is designed to explore the latest research focused on the causes of obesity, including
genetics, environmental impacts, and hypothalamic dysfunction, as well as how the heterogeneity of obesity
affects the field’s approach to its precision management. The sessions also emphasize the metabolic
consequences of obesity, including Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), dyslipidemia, as well as cardiovascular, liver and
renal disease. Finally, the program will touch on innovation in treatment and new molecular targets. While the
value of model organisms is recognized in the field, this program was designed to focus on the model that matters
most: humans. This conference will be paired with another Keystone Symposia conference entitled
Cardiometabolic Diseases: The Role of Ethnic Diversity in Precision Medicine, where shared scientific sessions
will explore cross connectivity of genetics and precision obesity management. These joint conferences will also
bring together an interdisciplinary group of investigators with different focus areas within the field, ranging from
‘big data’ to detailed mechanistic studies. Participants of both conferences will also have an opportunity to
network at shared meals and poster sessions. This unique environment will lead to new scientific collaborations
and the implementation of precision medicine approaches directed at better understanding and treating
cardiometabolic disease.