Taskforce for Obesity Research at Southwestern (TORS)

肥胖和相关代谢危险因素（致动脉粥样硬化性血脂异常，高血糖， 高血压、肝脂肪变性、促血栓形成和促炎状态）对死亡有重要作用， 残疾在美国。肥胖和代谢综合征的机制 拒绝通过传统方法进行解释。该领域的专家提出， 为了了解导致肥胖的基因/环境相互作用，需要实施一项 基础广泛的临床和基础研究计划。为了开发这样一个程序，我们已经组装了一个高度 互动和协作的跨学科专家小组在UT西南所谓的工作组， 西南肥胖研究（TORS）。TORS利用来自高度多样化学科的专业知识， 目标是确定导致肥胖的行为、代谢、遗传和分子机制， 代谢综合征我们在过去两年的P20融资中取得的成就表明，我们 成功地整合了解剖学、生物化学、化学、遗传学、脂质 代谢，分子生物学，中间代谢，神经内分泌学，营养学，药理学， 生理学和临床流行病学组成一个有凝聚力的跨学科研究联盟，研究肥胖症 和代谢综合征。我们教师的力量和我们行政部门的支持提供了TORS 拥有专业知识，基础设施和开发新方法来阐明和预防 肥胖相关疾病。成功完成本补助金中描述的研究将提供 需要深入了解控制全身能量代谢的关键分子和途径， 转化为预防肥胖和治疗代谢性疾病的新方法的发展， 这种疾病的并发症。

Obesity and the constellation of associated metabolic risk factors (atherogenic dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, hepatic steatosis, prothrombotic and proinflammatory states) contribute importantly to death and disability in the United States. The mechanisms responsible for obesity and the metabolic syndrome have resisted elucidation through conventional approaches. Experts in the field have proposed that progress towards understanding the gene/environment interactions causing obesity will require the implementation of a broad-based clinical and basic research program. To develop such a program, we have assembled a highly interactive and collaborative interdisciplinary team of experts at UT Southwestern called the Taskforce for Obesity Researchat Southwestern (TORS). TORS harnesses expertise from highly diverse disciplines, with a goal of defining the behavioral, metabolic, genetic and molecular mechanisms contributing to obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Our accomplishments during the past 2 years of P20 funding demonstrate that we have successfully integrated traditionally disparate disciplines of anatomy, biochemistry, chemistry, genetics, lipid metabolism, molecular biology, intermediary metabolism, neuroendocrinology, nutrition, pharmacology, physiology, and clinical epidemiology into a cohesive Interdisciplinary Research Consortium to study obesity and the metabolic syndrome. The strength of our faculty and the support of our administration provide TORS with the expertise, infrastructure, and ability to develop new approaches to the elucidation and prevention of obesity-associated diseases. Successful completion of the studies described in this grant will provide much needed insights into the key molecules and pathways that govern whole-body energy metabolism, which will be translated into the development of new approaches to prevent obesity and to treat the metabolic complications of this disorder.