www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-an.... On visiting the USA last week several academic colleagues had got the impression that the UK was becoming increasingly illiberal. I would like to point them to this speech by arif ahmed which illustrates the UKs firm commitment to Academic freedom

Several a day!! What do you use now?

the research illustrates how the control of adipocyte lipolysis by circulating ketone bodies is important for normal metabolic homeostasis. Thanks to the many contributors in the two Cambridges!

Genetic impairment of ketone body signalling is a prevalent contributor to human metabolic dysfunction Emerging evidence that circulating levels of key metabolic intermediates are sensed by a range of G-Protein Coupled receptors (GPCRs) is providing critical new insights into the control of systemic me...

www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1... Working with our great collaborators at Pfizer we have uncovered a common genetic contributor to metabolic ill health/

Cardiac adaptation to endurance exercise training requires suppression of GDF15 via PGC-1α - Nature Cardiovascular Research Khetarpal et al. show that the metabolic regulator PGC-1α is essential in heart muscle cells for exercise-driven cardiac growth, and that suppression of the stress-induced myokine GDF15 is required to enable cardiomyocyte adaptations to training.

nature.com/articles/s44161-025-00712-3

Interesting. But studies of GDF15 on cells used GDF15 made in mammalian cells which is always contaminated by TGFB family members (see PMID: 29161287) some of which are active at fmolar concs. Yeast or bacterially derived is fine. Qkine is good source

Patrick Vallance hits pause on Research Excellence Framework Science minister announces review of controversial changes to research environment assessment

Fantastic news. Processes designed to measure Research excellence should focus on whether research done at our universities is reproducible, represents a significant advance in understanding, and/or is actually or potentially useful. The rest is just prattle.

The @easdnews.bsky.social Novo Nordisk Foundation Prize #Diabetes

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor signaling in oligodendrocytes increases the weight-loss action of GLP-1R agonism Hansford et al. show that GIPR, a target of new weight-loss drugs, is found in brain cells called oligodendrocytes. GIPR helps these drugs access the brain and boosts weight loss. Without GIPR in thes...

Expanding metabolic roles for the GIPR in oligodendrocytes #weightloss www.cell.com/cell-metabol...

So very sad. Davo was a truly great endocrine scientist.

Pre-pregnancy metformin use associated with lower risk of severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum Severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum are associated with adverse maternal, fetal, and child outcomes. The recurrence ris…

sciencedirect.com/science/arti... Great to see further evidence emerging supporting the pressing need for trials of preconceptional GDF15 desensitisation with metformin for prevention of severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy in women with a previous history. Congrats to @drfejzo.bsky.social

Opinion | How the Gay Rights Movement Radicalized, and Lost Its Way

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/o... Amazing to see this article appear in the NYT. I hope many of my fellow endocrinologists are reading it @endocrinesociety.bsky.social

OMG. This looks terrifying.

Mice lacking this amino acid lost 30% of their body weight But eliminating cysteine, which is found in high-protein foods, from human diets would be challenging.

Mice lacking this amino acid lost 30% body weight www.nature.com/articles/d41... Am I missing something? Mice engineered to have a specific and severe defect in amino acid metabolism get sick and lose weight. Might the rush to find new weight loss targets be impairing our critical faculties ?

I did start my talk by showing the photo and saying (with a wry smile, of course) how delighted I was to be in Uppsala….

Had a great time at Lund university attending their Spring Meeting. Amused to see this poster outside the lecture theatre. Those old English universities: it’s hard to tell them apart 😊

Graphic of medicines on a blue background

📢 Job Vacancy! Institute of Metabolic Science
@ims-mrl.bsky.social are looking for a Research Nurse to join their team. Applications open until 30th May!

>>> For more info: bit.ly/4iIkrNo

@cuhnhs.bsky.social @mrcepid.bsky.social @stephenorahilly.bsky.social @cambridgeuni.bsky.social

Indeed. And so ironic that while the new administration says it is very keen to understand the effects of food on health, their actions are resulting in the closure of one the US’s most effective labs in that area @kevinh-phd.bsky.social

Carole Hooven: Why I Left Harvard After I stated banal facts about human biology, I found myself caught in a DEI web, without the support to do the job I loved. The only way out was to leave it.

www.thefp.com/p/carole-hoo.... While I applaud Harvard for standing up to the Trump government, this article is mandatory reading for anyone who doesn’t understand how it got to this point.

UK’s supreme court rules that legal definition of woman is based on biological sex. This is a hugely important decision. Unanimous .I hope it will open up rational debate in other countries.

Thanks so much Brent. I hope I made it clear in my talk that the discovery of the role of GDF15 in pregnancy sickness was very much an international collaborative effort

I really enjoyed recording one of these with you several years ago. Wishing you well with whatever your next venture will be.

Almut Gadow v Open University Almut Gadow Dr Almut Gadow has a personality similar to those I’ve stumbled across a lot whilst talking to people about gender ideology. She’s fiercely intelligent, does not back down a…

Almut Gadow v Open University genderblog.net/almut-gadow-... This piece is from Nick Wallis, the journalist whose doigged research exposed the Post Office Scandal. He is now taking a serious interest in an area that is increasingly affecting UK universities.Worth a read

Come and study with us for a Masters!

Shahrar Ali on X: "Fiery speech @ChrisDaviesLD pulling no punches, calling out impact upon impressionable youth of sex denialism, unfettered social contagion & failure of medical due diligence. Truth will cut through in end, once we've properly dispensed with no debate. https://t.co/SlXvgnn4mx" / X Fiery speech @ChrisDaviesLD pulling no punches, calling out impact upon impressionable youth of sex denialism, unfettered social contagion & failure of medical due diligence. Truth will cut through in end, once we've properly dispensed with no debate. https://t.co/SlXvgnn4mx

x.com/shahrarali/s...

The Observer view on gender data: failure to accurately record biological sex harms us all | Observer editorial A report lays bare the extent of real-world detriment caused by institutions that have caved in to activist pressures

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The absence of data on biological sex is an affront to reality The 226-page report into how official data on sex and gender is recorded, by Professor Alice Sullivan of University College London, exposes shocking gaps in public records due to confusion between

The absence of data on biological sex is an affront to reality

www.thetimes.com/article/7463...

Sorry. That should be the Berthold Lecture!

Honoured to be in Baden-Baden to receive the Berthold Medal from the German Endocrine Society and give the abet gold lecture. Really great questions from a wonderfully engaged and responsive audience. Thanks to #JensBruining for his very kind introduction.

Sex Matters on X: "“Everybody, regardless of their politics, needs accurate data.” @ProfAliceS speaks to @JustinOnWeb @BBCr4today about the #SullivanReview 📻 https://t.co/BSR8ls60pP" / X “Everybody, regardless of their politics, needs accurate data.” @ProfAliceS speaks to @JustinOnWeb @BBCr4today about the #SullivanReview 📻 https://t.co/BSR8ls60pP

x.com/sexmattersor...

This International Women's Day, we celebrate as women advocate for change, equity, & inclusivity paving the way for future generations of women scientists

Meet Agnes Lukasik, Patient and Public Involvement & Engagement Manager @ims-mrl.bsky.social

#IWD2025 #AccelerateAction

@mrcepid.bsky.social