Gut Feelings: Interoceptive Contributions to Obesity and Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction

Event Details

Purpose

The purpose of the Gut Feelings: Interoceptive Contributions to Obesity and Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction workshop is to bring together experts in interoception, obesity, and disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBIs) to examine the contribution of interoceptive processes to the development or exacerbation of these diseases and identify research gaps and opportunities to advance the field.

Meeting Objectives

• Highlight current knowledge, gaps, and opportunities in interoception research relevant to obesity and DGBIs.
• Explore potential physiological mechanisms that lead to or exacerbate these disorders, such as stress.
• Emphasize technical challenges and opportunities for measuring and modulating gastrointestinal interoception.
• Delve into underlying mechanisms of altered interoceptive processing in obesity and DGBIs that may lead to the development of new therapeutic targets.

Background

Interoception is the process through which the nervous system senses and interprets signals regarding the inner physiological state of the body (e.g., hunger, satiety) that are used to motivate behavior to meet physical needs for homeostasis (e.g., food intake, meal termination). The emerging progress in research on interoception, as emphasized and supported by recent NIH-sponsored workshops and initiatives, reflects the critical importance of body-brain interactions for health and disease. The current workshop focuses on the role of interoceptive processes in obesity and disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, etc.). A mechanistic understanding of interoceptive sensations of hunger and satiety is fundamental and transformative for obesity research given the unprecedented success of nutrient-stimulated hormone pharmacotherapies that work by altering these sensations to allow for reduced caloric intake and weight loss. In addition, the contribution of gastrointestinal interoceptive dysfunction in DGBIs is an under-studied area of investigation that would benefit from additional exploration. The overall goal of this workshop is to highlight research needs and opportunities for furthering the understanding of interoceptive processes relevant to obesity and DGBIs.

Organizing Committee

External Organizing Committee

Lin Chang, M.D.
Vice-Chief, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases
David Geffen School of Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles

Zachary Knight, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Physiology
University of California, San Francisco
Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Christoph Thaiss, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology
Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania

Internal Committee

Bradley Cooke, Ph.D.
Program Director, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolic Diseases (DEM)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Diana Cummings, Ph.D.
Program Director, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition (DDN), NIDDK

Voula Osganian, M.D., Sc.D., M.P.H.
Program Director, DDN, NIDDK

Terez Shea-Donohue, Ph.D.
Program Director, DDN, NIDDK

Registration Deadline

April 29, 2024

Abstract Submission Deadline

March 11, 2024

Agenda

• Workshop Faculty (PDF, 751.48 KB)

Day 1: Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Welcome and Introductions

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Registration

8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Welcome and Workshop Goals
Stephen James, M.D., Director, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition (DDN), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Diana Cummings, Ph.D., Program Director, DDN, NIDDK, NIH

8:45 a.m. – 8:55 a.m.

Opening Remarks from Meeting Co-chairs
Lin Chang, M.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Zachary Knight, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco
Christoph Thaiss, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

8:55 a.m. – 9:35 a.m.

Keynote Presentation: Gastrointestinal (GI) Interoception in Health and Disease
Sahib Khalsa, M.D., Ph.D., Laureate Institute for Brain Research

Session 1: Neural Sensing, Pathways, and Circuits for Food Intake

Moderator: Guillaume de Lartigue, Ph.D., Monell Chemical Senses Center; University of Pennsylvania

9:45 a.m. – 10:05 a.m.

Neural Coding of Visceral Sensations in the Brainstem
Chen Ran, Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute

10:05 a.m. – 10:25 a.m.

Gut–Brain Circuits and Signals That Drive Food Intake
Zachary Knight, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco

10:25 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Gut–Brain Circuits for Feeding Behavior
Amber Alhadeff, Ph.D., Monell Chemical Senses Center; University of Pennsylvania

10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Moderated Discussion

11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.

Break

Session 2: Gut–Brain Signaling and Obesity

Moderator: Vance Albaugh, M.D., Ph.D., Pennington Biomedical Research Center

11:20 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.

Dissecting Obesity-mediated Dysregulation of Gut–Brain Dynamics
Lisa Beutler, M.D., Ph.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Role of Interoception in Obesity Therapeutics
Darleen Sandoval, Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

12:00 p.m. – 12:20 p.m.

Brain Responses to Nutrients: Contributions to Weight Gain
Mireille Serlie, M.D., Ph.D., Yale University

12:20 p.m. – 12:35 p.m.

Moderated Discussion

12:35 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.

Break

12:50 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.

Lunch with Lightning Talks*
Moderators: NIDDK Program Staff

Session 3: Environmental and Microbial Variables for Gut–Brain Interoception

Moderator: Purna Kashyap, M.B.B.S., Mayo Clinic, Rochester

1:50 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.

Environmental Control of Gut–Brain Interactions
Christoph Thaiss, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

2:20 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.

Nutritional and Microbial Gut–Brain Signaling in Model Systems
Lihua Ye, Ph.D., The Ohio State University

2:40 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The Gut Microbiome Modulates Hedonic Feeding in Mice
Sarkis Mazmanian, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology

3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Moderated Discussion

3:15 p.m. – 3:35 p.m.

Break

Session 4: Dysfunction of Interoception in Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction (DGBIs)

Moderator: M. Maya Kaelberer, Ph.D., Duke University School of Medicine

3:35 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.

Enhanced Visceral Perception and Hypervigilance: Exploring Their Impact on DGBI
Lin Chang, M.D., University of California, Los Angeles

4:05 p.m. – 4:25 p.m.

Gut Touch and Mechanosensing in the Gastrointestinal Tract
Arthur Beyder, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic, Rochester

4:25 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

How Visceral Sensory Pathways Affect Brain Function and Implications for Clinical Disorders
Pankaj (Jay) Pasricha, M.D., M.B.B.S., Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale

4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Moderated Discussion

5:00 p.m.

Day 1 Meeting Adjournment
Voula Osganian, M.D., Sc.D., M.P.H., Program Director, DDN, NIDDK

Day 2: Wednesday, May 1, 2024

8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.

Welcome and Goals for Day 2
Terez Shea-Donohue, Ph.D., Program Director, DDN, NIDDK

Session 5: Dysregulated Stress—Contributions to Obesity and DGBIs

Moderator: Kirsteen Browning, Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University

8:40 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Impact of Early Life Stress on Circuits Controlling Food Intake
Linda Rinaman, Ph.D., Florida State University

9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.

Stress, Sex Differences, and Visceral Hypersensitivity
Albert Orock, Ph.D., The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

9:20 p.m. – 9:40 a.m.

Stress-based Environmental and Biological Interactions Related to Obesity
Arpana (Annie) Gupta, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

9:40 p.m. – 9:55 a.m.

Moderated Discussion

9:55 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.

Break

Session 6: Measuring and Modulating Gut–Brain Interactions: Technological Challenges and Opportunities

Moderator: Roberta Sclocco, Ph.D., Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

10:20 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.

Gut-Brain Neurotechnology
Polina Anikeeva, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

10:40 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Imaging and Modulating Stomach–Brain Interactions Using MRI, Electrophysiology, and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
Zhongming Liu, Ph.D., University of Michigan

11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.

Neuromodulatory Approaches for GI Disorders
Katja Karrento, M.D., Medical College of Wisconsin; Children’s Wisconsin

11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.

Moderated Discussion

11:35 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Break

11:50 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch (Small Group Break-out Sessions for Meeting Faculty)

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Break-out Summaries and Discussion
Lin Chang, M.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Zachary Knight, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco
Christoph Thaiss, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

1:30 p.m.

Closing Remarks and Day 2 Adjournment
Bradley Cooke, Ph.D., Program Director, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolic Diseases (DEM), NIDDK

*Lightning Talk Presentations:

• CART-Expressing Vagal Sensory Neurons Regulate Glucose Levels
  Santosh Kumar, Ph.D., NIDDK, NIH
• Enteroendocrine Cell–Specific Ablation of Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein 1 (FABP1) Promotes a Metabolically Healthy Obese Phenotype
  Kalhara Menikdiwela, Ph.D., Rutgers University
• Loss of Control Eating, Obesity, and Microbial Lipids in Children and Adolescents
  Jason (Yanjia) Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., Boston Children’s Hospital
• Illuminating Neural Pathways of the Gut–Brain Axis That Mediate Visceral Pain and Dysmotility
  Kristen Smith-Edwards, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic, Rochester
• A Visceral Neuroimmune Circuit Modulates Satiation and Contributes to Protection Against Colitis-induced Bodyweight Loss
  Payam Fathi, Ph.D., Vanderbilt School of Medicine
• Role of Nucleus Tractus Solitarius (NTS) Neurons in the Regulating Gastric Accommodation and Gastric Distention-induced Pain Perception and Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation
  Md Jahangir Alam, Ph.D., University of Michigan

Travel

Hotel Accommodations

Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
5701 Marinelli Rd
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: (301) 822-9200
Reserve a Room

Government Room Rate

A limited block of sleeping rooms for meeting participants has been reserved at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. The rate is the prevailing government rate of $291.54 (including 13% tax) per night for single occupancy. The room block will be in effect at the Government rate only until Monday, April 1, 2024, or until full, whichever comes first. Any room reservations received after this date will be accepted on a space- and rate-availability basis. Please be certain that the hotel provides you with a confirmation number for your reservation.

Reservation Dates

Book your arrival date as Monday, April 29, 2024, and departure as Wednesday, May 1, 2024. If you require alternate dates, please contact Janiya Peters of The Scientific Consulting Group, Inc. (SCG).

Check-in

When making a reservation, please provide your room and bedding preferences. The hotel will assign specific room types at check-in, based on availability. Please be advised that requests are not guaranteed. Check-in time is 4:00 p.m., and checkout time is 12:00 p.m.

Cancellations

If you need to cancel your reservation, please do so 48 hours prior to your arrival date, or you will be charged a no-show fee for 1 night on your credit card.

NIH Visitor Information

Information on visiting the NIH, campus maps, shuttle schedules, driving directions, security, and more can be found on the NIH Visitor Information page.

Abstracts

Submission Deadline

March 11, 2024

To encourage attendance from next-generation researchers and to extend the breadth of information available, brief presentations or lightning talks of up to 5 minutes will be held in conjunction with the invited workshop participants.

Applicants must be Early Stage Investigators (ESIs), including those ESIs who received their first R01 award or a career development award, or postdoctoral researchers working in areas of obesity or DGBIs that are relevant to the scientific focus of the meeting, e.g., interoception.

A 1-page abstract for the lightning talk is required, along with a cover letter containing a brief justification explaining why the submitter thinks the focus of the presentation would be relevant and how it would contribute to the emphasis of the meeting.

It is anticipated that up to five abstracts will be accepted for lightning talks.

Submitting Abstracts

All abstracts must be submitted via email to Janiya Peters at jpeters@scgcorp.com, of The Scientific Consulting Group, Inc. Abstract submissions should be no longer than 250 words (not including name and affiliation). Download the Abstract Template (DOCX, 24.67 KB).

Formatting Requirements

Please follow the instructions below to format abstracts. (Note: Submissions will not be edited for spelling or grammar and will be accepted “as is.”)

1. The abstract should be an MS Word document, typed and single-spaced using Times New Roman font. Everything but the title should be in normal, 12-point font.
   1. The abstract’s title should be bold, 16-Point, Title Casefont and should clearly represent the nature of the investigation.
   2. On the first line after the title, list the authors’ first and last names, degree, affiliation, city, state, and country.
   3. Separate multiple authors with a semicolon; underline the primary author’s name (one primary author per abstract).
   4. Use one blank line between the title and body of the abstract and between paragraphs.
   5. The abstract file name should follow this format: LastNameofprimary author_FirstWordOfTitle (e.g., Zucker Effects).
2. Please ensure that your abstract is the correct length and has 1-inch margins.
3. Use of standard abbreviations is desirable (e.g., BMI), as well as standard symbols for units of measure (e.g., kg, g, mg, mL, L, and %). Place any special or unusual abbreviations in parentheses after the full word or phrase the first time it appears. Use figures to indicate numbers except to begin sentences, in which case, the number should be spelled out. Do not use subheadings (e.g., Methods, Results).
4. Simple tables or graphs may be included; however, they must fit within the designated abstract space of one page.

Acceptance Notification

Applicants will be notified if their abstract has been accepted for a lightning talk by March 25, 2024.