S. O'Rahilly

The paper shows that loss of Mfn1 promotes adipogenesis in cultured cells, while loss of Mfn2 does not, indicating distinct roles for Mfn1 and Mfn2 in adipocyte differentiation.

This study shows that blocking GDF15 reduces severe heart failure and cardiac cachexia in mice by preventing weight loss and slowing disease progression.

This study shows that GDF15 and FGF21, secreted by the liver in obese mice, reduce hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance when both are active.

The paper develops a Drosophila screening system to study mammalian appetite-related genes and identifies 16 and 10 genes affecting feeding behavior or nutrient status from GWAS and hypothalamic gene sets.

This study shows metformin increases GDF15 levels, which is necessary for its weight loss and insulin-sensitizing effects in both humans and mice.

The paper identifies TMEM18 as a mediator of genetic variants at 2p25.3 associated with obesity through loss and gain of function experiments in mice.