The Seeley Lab’s work focuses on gut-brain, bariatric surgery, and metabolism research.
The Seeley Lab focuses on understanding the neural and hormonal mechanisms that regulate body weight, metabolism, and food intake. The lab explores the gut-brain axis, investigating how signals from the gastrointestinal tract, such as hormones like GLP-1, influence brain function to control energy balance and metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes. Our work also extends to studying the effects of bariatric surgery on metabolic health, identifying molecular pathways that can be targeted to mimic the surgery’s benefits without the need for invasive procedures. Through this research, the lab aims to develop more effective treatments for obesity and diabetes.
Research on the regulation of body weight and metabolism is of critical importance due to the global rise in obesity and related metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes. These conditions are not only major public health concerns but also significantly increase the risk for heart disease, stroke, and other life-threatening illnesses. Despite various treatment strategies, many current approaches to obesity and diabetes are either invasive (like bariatric surgery) or have limited long-term efficacy, underscoring the urgent need for innovative solutions. Understanding the gut-brain axis, for example, can help uncover how hormonal signals influence hunger, satiety, and energy expenditure, opening doors for more effective, non-invasive treatments.
The lab's exploration of bariatric surgery mechanisms is particularly important because these surgeries have been among the most effective treatments for severe obesity and diabetes, leading to sustained weight loss and improved metabolic health. However, surgery carries risks and is not accessible to everyone. By identifying molecular targets like the FXR receptor, our research could lead to therapies that mimic the benefits of surgery without the associated risks. This work is crucial for developing safer, more accessible treatment options, which could improve the lives of millions with these chronic conditions.
The lab employs a multifaceted approach to addressing obesity and metabolic diseases, focusing on the gut-brain axis as a key regulatory system. One pathway we study involves gut hormones, such as GLP-1 and leptin, which send signals to the brain to control appetite, energy expenditure, and glucose metabolism. The lab investigates how these signals are processed by specific neural circuits, particularly in the hypothalamus, and how these pathways can be targeted pharmacologically to replicate the effects of metabolic interventions like bariatric surgery. Our work on the FXR receptor, for instance, has identified it as a molecular target that mediates the metabolic benefits of vertical sleeve gastrectomy, with the potential to develop drug therapies that mimic the surgery's weight loss and glycemic control effects without the need for surgery.
In addition to hormonal signaling, the lab studies the role of neural pathways, such as those involving PPAR-γ and mTOR, in regulating energy balance and food intake. By understanding how these pathways are altered in states of obesity and diabetes, the lab aims to create novel interventions that can adjust these imbalances and restore healthy metabolic functioning. This approach integrates insights from neuroscience, endocrinology, and bariatric surgery to create comprehensive and potentially transformative treatments for these widespread health challenges.
