South Middlesex Times

Rutgers Health has inaugurated the Center for NeuroMetabolism, focusing on overcoming weight loss challenges and related health issues such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other disorders. The Center is part of the Child Health Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS).

The Center aims to lead in metabolic health research globally and expedite the development of targeted drug therapies with minimal side effects. Director Zhiping Pang noted that "metabolic disease is not like a cancer or a traumatic brain injury that will kill you quickly, but it is a disease that will cause a lot of health issues."

Despite drugs aiding many people, their side effects necessitate further research to identify precise brain areas to target. Amy P. Murtha, dean of RWJMS, described the Center as "a beacon of scientific excellence" that strengthens community ties.

Obesity-related drugs like Ozempic have gained popularity due to dieting's limited effectiveness for long-term weight loss. Arnold Rabson emphasized the importance of focused research on obesity's contributing factors.

Pang highlighted research on how early overnutrition in mice can lead to obesity in adulthood due to brain rewiring. He stated the need for better therapeutics than those currently available.

The Center plans to expand its team with additional faculty researchers and eventually relocate within New Brunswick by 2026. Collaborations with various scientific disciplines at Rutgers will support ongoing exploration into connections between brain function and metabolic processes.

Pang expressed confidence in Rutgers' ability to bridge research and clinical practice gaps: “Our mission is to discover basic metabolic and neural mechanisms...and translate these breakthroughs into transformative clinical therapeutics.”