Please join the Division of Neuroscience, Wednesday 28 May 2025, for the Manchester Neuroscience Seminar Series, the speaker will be Associate Professor Garron Dodd from the University of Melbourne
TITLE: Unlocking Brain Pathways to Treating Metabolic Disease
ABSTRACT: Metabolic diseases, including obesity and type-2 diabetes (T2D), represent a leading global health challenge. Currently, over 35% of the world's population suffers from metabolic diseases, and they are projected to be the leading cause of mortality by 2030. With all current therapeutics demonstrating limited or negligible long-term efficacy, discovering effective treatments is a global health priority.
Traditionally viewed as disorders primarily affecting peripheral tissues, recent research illuminates the critical role of the brain in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases. This seminar aims to explore the intricate neural mechanisms governing energy balance, glucose homeostasis, and insulin sensitivity, emphasising the bidirectional communication between the brain and peripheral organs. By elucidating these brain pathways, A/Prof Dodd’s research team has identified several targets within the brain for therapeutic intervention, offering potential avenues to combat metabolic diseases.
BIO: Associate Professor Garron Dodd is Head of the Metabolic Neuroscience Research Laboratory at The University of Melbourne. His research is dedicated to uncovering how the brain regulates metabolism and contributes to the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.
He is also the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Gallant Bio and NewCo, two biotechnology companies pioneering the development of next-generation brain-targeted therapeutics for the treatment of metabolic disorders.
A/Prof Dodd’s work has been published in leading scientific journals, including Nature, Cell, Cell Metabolism, Nature Metabolism, eLife, Cell Reports, Nature Communications, Science Advances, and Diabetes. Several of his publications rank in the top 1% of all articles tracked by Altmetric.
His contributions to the field have been recognized with over 18 prestigious awards—including the NHMRC Marshall and Warren Innovation Award, The Dean’s Innovation Award, and the ANZOS Young Investigator Award—and over $18 million in competitive research funding from international funding bodies and industry partners.
This seminar will be hosted by Amy Worth
When: Wednesday, 28 May 2025 | 14:00 – 15:00
Where: Michael Smith Lecture Theatre
All are welcome
