Dr. Friedman from the Rockefeller University briefs the Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus on “Leptin and the Biologic Basis of Obesity.”
The real cause of obesity—it’s not gluttony—is genetics, or so Dr. Friedman posits. Watch as Dr. Friedman discusses his work that unravels the molecular mechanisms that regulate body weight. Dr. Friedman has identified and characterized the activity of leptin, a hormone secreted by fat cells that balances food intake and energy expenditure. By studying leptin—and continuing to search for other genes that influence weight in humans—Friedman hopes to lay the foundation for developing therapies to combat obesity.
