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Delineating the pro-inflammatory state of obesity on severe acute illness

Year:
2012
Duration:
24 months
Approved budget:
$166,667.00
Researchers:
Dr Rakesh Premkumar
Health issue:
Obesity
Proposal type:
Clinical Research Training Fellowship
Lay summary
Research and career objectives: My research objective is to provide a better understanding of the pro-inflammatory state associated with obesity. More specifically, I am going to investigate the role of obesity-conditioned mesenteric lymph (OCML) on cardiac dysfunction, and on the severity of acute pancreatitis (a model of severe acute illness). My career objective is to be an academic surgeon with an active clinical research programme; sub-specialising in hepatobiliary medicine, pancreatic surgery and transplantation. Principal methodologies: An experimental animal model of obesity and metabolic syndrome will be used to investigate the obesity associated pro-inflammatory state; the impact of OCML on cardiac dysfunction and the severity of AP.OCML composition will be determined by metabolomic and lipidomic platforms. Potential health outcomes: Obesity increases the morbidity and mortality of severe acute illness. Understanding the impact of the associated pro-inflammatory state on health outcomes will open opportunities for intervention to mitigate this effect.