Obesity research and metabolic prevention strategies in man

Group Leader:

Dr Simon Coppack MD, FRCP

Research field

In addition to the genetic program we are at the forefront of research into human adipose tissue physiology. We were the first to report and measure release of leptin, lipoprotein lipase and various cytokines from human fat cells without needing to perform a fat biopsy. Recently, we have developed the first ever method of measuring sympathetic nervous activity in human adipose tissue in vivo. We have been involved in the assessment of new therapeutic agents to aid weight loss.

Profs Hitman and Dr Coppack are developing a focus on the design and implementation of primary prevention studies for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Closely related to this objective, we intend to use a combined genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic approach to develop markers of response to treatment.

Key research papers

1 Frayn KN, Karpe F, Fielding BA, Macdonald I, Coppack SW. The integrative physiology of human adipose tissue. Int J Obesity 2003;27:875-888.

2 Karpe F, Fielding BA, Coppack SW, Lawrence VJ, Macdonald IA, Frayn KN Oscillations of fatty acid and glycerol release from human subcutaneous adipose tissue in vivo. Diabetes 2005;54:1297-1303.

3 Harte A, McTernan P, Chetty R, Coppack SW, Katz JR, Smith S, Kumar S. Insulin-mediated upregulation of the rennin-angiotensin system in human subcutaneous adipocytes is reduced by rosiglitazone. Circulation 2005;111:1954-1961.

4 Coppack SW, Chinkes DL, Miles JM, Patterson BW, Klein S. A multicompartmental model of in vivo adipose tissue glycerol kinetics and capillary permeability in lean and obese humans. Diabetes 2005;54:1934-1941.

5 Kopelman PG, Grace C. New thoughts on managing obesity. Gut 2004; 53(7):1044-1053.

6 Chowdhury TA, Grace C, Kopelman PG. Preventing diabetes in south Asians. BMJ 2003; 327(7423):1059-1060.

7 van Baak MA, van Mil E, Astrup AV et al. Leisure-time activity is an important determinant of long-term weight maintenance after weight loss in the Sibutramine Trial on Obesity Reduction and Maintenance (STORM trial). Am J Clin Nutr 2003; 78(2):209-214.