Research summary
Close to one-third of Canadians aged 18 and older are obese—a condition that increases their risk of diabetes and heart disease. Dr. John Ussher, Canada Research Chair in Pharmacotherapy of Energy Metabolism in Obesity, is working to develop new drugs to treat these conditions.
It is now recognized that obesity causes fundamental changes in how the body’s organs metabolize fuel to produce energy. Ussher and his research team have already demonstrated that increasing the heart’s ability to burn sugar can improve heart function in obesity-related diabetes. Now, they are investigating whether correcting these alterations in energy metabolism could provide new drug targets for improving type 2 diabetes and heart disease associated with obesity. Ultimately, Ussher’s research has the potential to vastly improve outcomes and the quality of life for people living with obesity.