Yu Wang
The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Title: Adipose tissue and adipokines as promising therapeutic targets for obesity-associated cardiovascular and metabolic diseases
Biography
Biography: Yu Wang
Abstract
Obesity is the major driving force for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the aged population. Currently, 2.1 billion people – over 30% of the world’s population – are either obese or overweight. This lifestyle-related epidemic has become and will continue to be a major societal, medical and economic problem in established and emerging industrialized countries. Adipose tissue (fat) is the largest energy storage and endocrine organ in the body. Adipose tissue dysfunction is the major culprit for obesity-associated cardiovascular and metabolic syndrome and has emerged as a promising therapeutic target. Here, I will summarize our discoveries during the past 15 years of proteomics-based research on a number of adipokines, including adiponectin, lipocalin-2 and adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (AFABP). In particular, I will demonstrate how the proteomics-based bio-discoveries allow us to proceed with various therapeutic development based on the druggable domains/structures of these adipokines.