SY28 - The Melanocortin Pathway in Focus: Receptor Biology, Novel Functions, and Targeted Therapies

Symposium Chair(s)

• LM

  Lisa Morselli, MD, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Assistant Professor
  MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
  Milwaukee, WI, United States

  Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
• GL

  Gina Leinninger, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Professor
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, MI, United States

  Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

The melanocortin system is a central regulator of energy homeostasis, appetite, and metabolic function. This session will highlight advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms and tissue-specific actions of melanocortin receptor subtypes, the pathophysiology and clinical consequences of receptor and accessory protein dysfunction, and the translation of these discoveries into therapies targeting rare and common forms of obesity. Presentations will span basic receptor biology, genetic and clinical insights from human disorders, and the therapeutic development of melanocortin agonists such as setmelanotide, offering a comprehensive view of this critical pathway in metabolic regulation.

Presentations:

• 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM CT

  Melancortin-3 Receptors at the Intersection of Feeding and other Motivated Behaviors
  

  Symposium Speaker: Michelle Bedenbaugh, PhD (she/her/hers) – University of Florida
• 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM CT

  Development of Next Generation MC4R Agonists: Basic Science and Therapeutic Opportunities
  

  Symposium Speaker: Roger Cone, PhD – University of Michigan
• 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM CT

  Setmelanotide/therapeutic Targeting of Melanocortin Receptors: From Drug Development to Clinical Application
  

  Symposium Speaker: Peter Kühnen, n/a – Charite Universitaetsmedizin Berlin