As we all know, obesity is a major health problem in the United States. The development of obesity can be attributed to a plethora of well-known factors (e.g. diet, environment, genetics, exercise). However, in many cases, the underlying molecular mechanisms and the metabolic pathways that link these factors to obesity are poorly understood. My laboratory is currently in the process of establishing a colony of
Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) that will be used for studying the effects of dietary fatty acids
(saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated) on obesity and related metabolic diseases. We think that manipulating dietary fats in the fruit flies may allow us to unlock some of the mysteries surrounding the development of obesity in humans. If you are interested in joining this research effort please contact me. If you are interested in learning about obesity and the role that fruit flies can play in our efforts to understand obesity please check out some of the resources listed below.