Grant #2P30DK072476 October 2012 ANNUAL DIRECTORS MEETING In This Issue: This year’s annual NORC director’s meeting is being held on October 2 - 3, 2012, at LSU - Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Pg. 1 NORC Directors Meeting Rouge, LA. There are 12 NORCs around the United States who will be involved in this annual meeting. Each year a different NORC hosts EAB Member Receives the annual meeting; PBRC was honored as the host of this year’s Honorary Doctorate Degree event. Pg. 2 Training Update The meeting is comprised of the 12 center directors and their Pg. 3 Core Capabilities and executive administrators. This years annual meeting will include a Upgrades presentation from Dr. Greg Germino and Dr. Mary Evans from NIH. Next on the agenda is a discussion on recurring methods across the Pg. 6 2011 Pilot and Feasibility different centers including; imaging and energy expenditure focusing Updates on standard operating procedures, methodology, and quality control. Potential collaborative topics will be discussed, specifically one Pg. 8 New Pilot and Feasibility already initiated by UAB NORC (Emily Dhurandhar) known as the 2012 Awards “Breakfast Study”. NORC EAB MEMBER RECEIVES HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREE Rudolph L. Leibel, M.D., received an Honoris Causa Doctorate, or honorary doctorate degree, for his internationally recognized diabetes research at the LSU Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) commencement ceremonies on Thursday, May 17 in New Orleans. On Friday, May 18, he was honored at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge where he will also presented his work to the faculty and research staff. Dr. Leibel, the Christopher J. Murphy Memorial Professor of Diabetes Research at Dr, Rudolph Leibel Columbia University, was nominated for the honorary degree by Pennington Biomedical and LSUHSC for his extraordinary scientific achievement as well as for his many years of service as a member of Pennington Biomedical's External Advisory Board, and his current service as chair of the institution's Nutrition and Obesity Research Center (NORC), which is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Dr. Steven Heymsfield, M.D., executive director of Pennington Biomedical, said, "Dr. Leibel has made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of the molecular genetics and developmental process related to obesity, Type 2 diabetes and body weight control by initiating the molecular cloning of the leptin gene." His 1 recent work includes the use of human stem cells to clarify the molecular and developmental processes related to diabetes and obesity. http://norc.pbrc.edu Nutrition Obesity Research Center October 2012 Page 2 Having worked in obesity research for over 25 years, Doctorate of Medicine from Albert Einstein College of Dr. Leibel has served as a physician and researcher Medicine in 1967. in faculty positions at Harvard University School of Dr. Leibel is a member of the Institute of Medicine of Medicine, Rockefeller University, Cornell University the National Academy of Sciences and the NIDDK Medical College, and subsequently at Columbia Federal Advisory Council. His research is funded by University College of Physicians and Surgeons National Institutes of Health, American Diabetes where he has been since 1997. Dr. Leibel is a Association, the New York State Stem Cell Science professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Columbia Program, the Russell Berrie and Helmsley Foundations, University Medical Center, and head of the Division and Astra Zeneca. He has published over 300 peer of Molecular Genetics in the Department of reviewed scientific papers, which have been cited over Pediatrics. He is also co-director of the Naomi 13,000 times in the world scientific literature. He also Berrie Diabetes Center and executive director of the serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Clinical Berrie Program in Cellular Therapies of Diabetes, co Investigation, International Journal of -director of the New York Obesity Research Center Obesity, and Obesity Research, and has received and the Columbia University Diabetes and numerous awards for scientific and pioneering work in Endocrinology Research Center. He received his medical research. TRAINING UPDATE The Division of Education recently submitted a deal) and three others have faculty positions that competitive renewal application on Pennington emphasis teaching but have a research component. Biomedical’s NIDDK sponsored T32 training grant Three have acquired k awards, two have non-NIH entitled “Obesity: From Genes to Man.” If approved, grants and others have applications pending. it would be the third five-year training cycle for Program Director Phillip Brantley, PhD, Associate If the T32 renewal is approved, two to four new slots are Director of the NORC. The renewal application anticipated in the spring of 2013. We are seeking proposed to expand the number of postdoctoral applicants with less than 5 years of postdoctoral trainee positions from the current four to six slots experience who have evidence of research aptitude and a per year. The renewal application also requested the strong desire to become an independent obesity center be allowed to accept MD applicants along with researcher. Eligible applicants must be a US citizens or PhD’s. The center made the decision to include MDs green card holder. Please contact Dr Brantley if you due in part to the increasing medical training identify a strong candidate. resources being added in close proximity to the center and the availability of graduate research Along with postdoctoral training, faculty of the NORC training through a recently acquired translational recently served as mentors for eight summer medical research center grant. students from LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans (LSUHSC) who participated in a newly acquired A total of 18 postdoctoral trainees have participated NIDDK T35 Summer Research Training Program. in the training program since it began in 2003. To Students received hands on training in Pennington date, twelve faculty members of the NORC have NORC faculty research labs, attended didactic seminars served as primary mentors for trainees on the on methodology and the responsible conduct of research, Obesity T32. Currently we have four regular slots and presented their projects at a special research day and one supplemental slot filled (total of 5). Ten of event at LSUHSC. The grant addresses the need for the 13 trainees no longer with the program have physician scientists and is designed to encourage careers 2 continued a research career and are publishing. in biomedical research. The program is co-directed by Three have faculty positions with a research focus Dr. Paula Gregory of LSUHSC and Pennington NORC (two more insist they are on the verge of closing the Associate Director, Dr Phillip Brantley. Nutrition Obesity Research Center October 2012 Page 3 NORC CORE CAPABILITIES EXPANDED HUMAN PHENOTYPING CORE 1. Neural substrates of macronutrient preference and restriction. Imaging & Body Composition Subcore In close collaboration with colleagues from Duke Imaging and Body Composition Subcore has University Medical Center (DUMC; Joe McClernon, acquired equipment to further expand the Center’s Ph.D.), Dr. Martin plans to perform studies to research capabilities. This new equipment includes investigate the neural substrates of macronutrient BOD POD and PEA POD systems and functional preference, as well as changes in brain activation in MRI (fMRI) components. response to weight loss and restriction of specific macronutrients. BOD POD and PEA POD These systems are capable of accurately assessing 2. Changes in brain activation in response to exercise: body composition in infants (PEA POD) and adults Do changes in brain activation differ between (BOD POD) using air displacement plethysmography compensators and non-compensators? technology and will add to the Center’s current In some individuals, particularly women, exercise capabilities for measuring body composition which results in less weight loss than expected based on the include two DXA scanners and a nuclear magnetic energy expended during exercise training. It is resonance system called EchoMRI™. Dr. Leanne hypothesized that this is due to people compensating Redman’s laboratory plans to utilize these systems for the increase in energy expenditure from exercise by in the coming months. For her “Life-Moms” study, increasing energy (food) intake. This phenomenon is the BOD POD and PEA POD will be used to monitor known as compensation. Dr. Martin and Dr. Tim changes in body fat in overweight and obese Church plan to quantify brain activation in response to pregnant women visual food stimuli before and after exercise training during pregnancy They plan to test 1) changes in brain activation in and also in the response to food stimuli differs between compensators baby during the vs. non-compensators, and 2) if changes in brain first year of life. activation are associated with compensation among “Life-Moms” is a compensators. national study that is a collective of 3. Brain networks and their relation to food intake and seven different weight change. studies. The goal Dr. Martin plans to collaborate with colleagues from of the study is to Duke and possibly Wake Forest to establish the ability test the benefit of to map brain activation in response to food stimuli l i f e s t y l e using fMRI technology. This methodology has been interventions for used to demonstrate that brain networks associated management of with addiction and reward are also activated in weight gain in response to food stimuli. Dr. Martin plans to evaluate: expectant moms. 1) if activation of brain networks associated with reward and addictive behaviors differs from before to Functional MRI after weight loss treatment, 2) if brain network Components for fMRI have been installed at PBRC, activation varies as a function of the amount of weight and quality assessments and methodology lost, and 3) how change in brain activation in response development are underway. Dr. Corby Martin’s to the ingestion of food differs between lean and obese laboratory plans to pursue three lines of fMRI 3 individuals.