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A black mouse runs on a yellow and green spinning wheel against a blue background
Exercising During Pregnancy Protects Mouse Offspring
Obese mice that exercised while pregnant gave birth to pups that grew up free of the metabolic issues present in the adult young of sedentary obese mothers—possibly by staving off epigenetic changes to a key metabolic gene.
Exercising During Pregnancy Protects Mouse Offspring
Exercising During Pregnancy Protects Mouse Offspring

Obese mice that exercised while pregnant gave birth to pups that grew up free of the metabolic issues present in the adult young of sedentary obese mothers—possibly by staving off epigenetic changes to a key metabolic gene.

Obese mice that exercised while pregnant gave birth to pups that grew up free of the metabolic issues present in the adult young of sedentary obese mothers—possibly by staving off epigenetic changes to a key metabolic gene.

obesity, genetics & genomics

brown fat, metabolism, cardiovascular disease, cardiometabolic disease, genetics & genomics, immunology, Q&A, adipose tissue, obesity
Q&A: Brown Fat Linked to Better Cardio and Metabolic Health
Amanda Heidt | Jan 12, 2021 | 5 min read
Paul Cohen of the Rockefeller University describes his study of thousands of people, finding that the energy-burning tissue is tied to a lower risk of for several diseases, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Exercise Changes Our Gut Microbes, But How Isn’t Yet Clear
Ashley Yeager | Aug 15, 2019 | 5 min read
Physical activity, independent of diet, shifts the composition of bacteria in the intestines, spurring researchers to search for species that might provide benefits akin to working out.
Microbe Miner: A Profile of Rob Knight
Anna Azvolinsky | Jun 1, 2019 | 9 min read
Developing computational tools to analyze the reams of microbial sequencing data his lab generates, the UC San Diego microbiologist is a pioneer of microbiome research.
obesity polygenic risk score genetics
Genetic Risk Score Developed for Obesity
Kerry Grens | Apr 18, 2019 | 2 min read
The tool weighs millions of variants to determine how susceptible a person is to becoming obese.
Genetic Predisposition to Obesity Linked with Depression
Ashley P. Taylor | Nov 13, 2018 | 2 min read
The variants associated with the mood disorder included those without metabolic risks, suggesting it is the psychological effects of obesity at play.
Limited Meal Times Prevent Obesity in Mice Prone to Gaining Weight
Abby Olena, PhD | Aug 30, 2018 | 3 min read
Even in mice with a busted circadian clock and an unhealthy diet, carefully timed feeding overcomes the rodents’ predispositions for metabolic diseases.
Primary Cilia in Neurons Linked to Obesity
Abby Olena, PhD | Jan 8, 2018 | 3 min read
Three studies—one of mice and two of human genetics—describe the role of two proteins, adenylyl cyclase and melanocortin 4 receptor, in the development of obesity and diabetes. 
Hormone Loss Prevents Obesity and Diabetes in Mice
Abby Olena, PhD | Nov 6, 2017 | 4 min read
Asprosin—involved in a rare disease called neonatal progeroid syndrome—targets neurons to stimulate appetite, and blocking the hormone wards off weight gain in rodents.
Week in Review: November 30–December 4
Jef Akst | Dec 4, 2015 | 3 min read
Historic meeting on human gene editing; signs of obesity found in sperm epigenome; top 10 innovations of 2015; dealing with retractions
Allele Linked to Obesity in People
Kerry Grens | Nov 3, 2015 | 1 min read
A single nucleotide polymorphism in BDNF is tied with lower levels of the protein and higher body-mass index.
Obesity Complicates Colorectal Cancer
Tracy Vence | Apr 9, 2014 | 2 min read
Study finds that prediagnosis obesity is predictive of poor prognosis, even among patients who have a molecular marker associated with better disease outcome.
Week in Review: August 12–16
Tracy Vence | Aug 16, 2013 | 3 min read
Engineered immune cells attack tumors; a mouth microbe that can cause cancer; HIV may heighten cocaine’s high; craving high-fat foods
Week in Review: March 25-29
Jef Akst | Mar 29, 2013 | 3 min read
Microbes affect weight loss; dozens of cancer-linked genes identified; a climate change scientists speaks out about personal attacks; isolation among elderly linked to death
Sensing Fat
Beverly J. Tepper and Kathleen L. Keller | Dec 1, 2011 | 10+ min read
Are genes that alter the perception of fat making us fat?
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