Join us on Wednesday 4th December 2024, 19:00-20:00, for a presentation from Dr Elizabeth Forsythe and Dr Luke Boyle. Access to genetic testing technology has improved considerably in recent years, presenting opportunities and challenges. In this webinar we will discuss:
- Our experience of developing a new genetic testing service for rare genetic causes of obesity, within our regional medical obesity clinic
- The clinical features associated with monogenic and syndromic obesity, and when the offer of genetic testing should be considered
This presentation will be followed by a Q+A session chaired by Professor Barbara McGowan.
Dr Elizabeth Forsythe
MBBS BMedSci PhD MRCPCH
Dr Elizabeth Forsythe is a consultant in clinical genetics based at Guy’s Hospital with a specialist interest in rare obesity syndromes, particularly Bardet-Biedl syndrome. Other areas of expertise include ciliopathies and clinical trials for rare disease. She is a passionate advocate for, and actively involved in, developing therapies for rare diseases.
Dr Forsythe has worked across St Thomas’ and Great Ormond Street Hospitals in the national Bardet-Biedl syndrome clinics since 2010 to deliver optimum care for patients of all ages. She led the UK arm of clinical trials for Setmelanotide in patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and is setting up the first treatment clinics for children with Bardet-Biedl syndrome at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Dr Luke Boyle
Dr Luke Boyle is an ST7 Specialist Registrar in Diabetes & Endocrinology, and former Chief Registrar at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Luke is an aspiring obesity physician and was awarded a Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Obesity Fellowship, hosted by the Centre for Obesity at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
During his clinical training he undertook a Wellcome Trust-funded PhD in Cardiovascular Science at the University of Edinburgh, investigating the role of corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG) cleavage in tissue glucocorticoid exposure in humans.
He is a member of the UK Society for Endocrinology Metabolic and Obesity Network, the RCP Advisory Group on Nutrition, Weight and Health and the EASO Early Career Network.
Professor Barbara McGowan
Professor Barbara McGowan is a Consultant Endocrinologist at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital (GSTT) and Professor in Diabetes and Endocrinology at King’s College London. She was awarded a PhD from Imperial College London for investigating ‘The role of relaxin-3 on energy homeostasis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-axis’ and the role of gut hormones and other neuropeptides in appetite control.
She is R&D lead for Diabetes and Endocrinology at GSTT and the South London Specialty lead for the Metabolic and Endocrine research network. She leads the obesity bariatric service at GSTT where she manages patients with severe and complex obesity. Her areas of research interest are in gut hormones and appetite control, pharmacotherapy for obesity and remission of type 2 diabetes post-bariatric surgery. She is an investigator for several clinical trials and was awarded an NIHR/RCP/CRN prize in recognition of outstanding research within the NHS. She is the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Clinical Practitioner Award by the Society for Endocrinology.
Professor McGowan is a Board member for the International Society for Endocrinology, a member of the European Society for Endocrinology Policy and Advocacy Task Force and she co-chairs EASO’s Obesity Management Task Force. She chairs the UK Obesity Management Collaborative, OMC-UK. She has served as Treasurer of the Society for Endocrinology, a Trustee of the Association for the Study of Obesity and on the RCP Advisory Group on Weight and Health.