"Do early-life environments shape brown fat activity in adulthood? Implications for human energetics, adaptation, and health"

 

Metabolism is highly variable across humans and plays a critical role in shaping chronic disease risk; yet the determinants of variation in energy expenditure remain unclear. Dr. Levy will discuss her current research investigating the evolutionary and developmental origins of variation in human metabolism and brown adipose tissue (BAT). BAT is a metabolically active form of fat that plays a key role in adaptation to cold stress. Her talk will discuss the implications of recent research on human BAT for understanding the process of biological adaptation and health patterns in a changing climate.