Wednesday 5th February 2025 19:00-20:00
We are excited to invite you to contribute to an upcoming webinar that will focus on the intricate and clinically significant relationship between Obesity and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). This event will feature a dynamic three-way discussion among leading experts, designed to provide a deep dive into the evidence base and foster interdisciplinary dialogue.
This session aims to explore obesity as a critical factor influencing PCOS, with a broad and comprehensive agenda, including:
- Aetiology: Dissecting the metabolic, hormonal, and genetic pathways underpinning the bidirectional relationship between obesity and PCOS, including insights into adipose tissue dysfunction and its endocrine effects.
- Pathophysiology: Examining the mechanisms by which obesity exacerbates insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism, and chronic low-grade inflammation in PCOS, as well as the reverse impact of PCOS on obesity-related health risks.
- Clinical Presentation: Analysing the implications of obesity on the phenotypic variability of PCOS, particularly in diverse patient populations.
- Management Strategies: Highlighting tailored interventions for the obesity-PCOS overlap, including lifestyle interventions, pharmacotherapy (e.g., GLP-1 receptor agonists, metformin), and surgical approaches.
- Fertility and Reproductive Health: Investigating the impact of obesity on ovulatory dysfunction, assisted reproductive outcomes, and long-term reproductive health in patients with PCOS.
- Emerging Evidence: Presenting cutting-edge research on how obesity modulates PCOS progression and treatment response, as well as identifying gaps for future investigation.
- Future Directions: Exploring the potential of emerging technologies to facilitate faster, more informed, interactive, and multidisciplinary approaches to diagnosis and treatment. These technologies hold promise for delivering holistic, multi-diagnostic health care at an unprecedented level.
In addition to the expert discussion, the webinar will conclude with a dedicated Q&A session, allowing participants to engage directly with the panel.
This webinar is intended for medical professionals, researchers, and clinicians seeking to enhance their expertise in addressing obesity within the PCOS context. The discussion will provide actionable insights for improving diagnostic accuracy, therapeutic outcomes, and long-term patient management.
We look forward to your contributions to this important conversation. Please let us know if there are additional topics or themes you feel should be included.
Our contributors:
Professor Tom Barber
Dr. Barber is an Associate Professor and Honorary Consultant Endocrinologist at University of Warwick and UHCW. Dr. Barber has a research background in the genetic and metabolic features of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome that led to the award of DPhil from the University of Oxford, and the prestigious ‘Society for Endocrinology Clinical Prize Lecture’ and ‘University of Oxford Medical Sciences Divisional Research Prize’ in 2009. He has published 145 papers in leading peer-reviewed journals including the New England Journal of Medicine (h-index 38; i10-index 81; >6,000 citations) and has secured >£875K in external competitive grant funding. Dr. Barber is Editor-in-Chief for ‘Expert Review in Endocrinology and Metabolism’ and leads the INSPIRE program at Warwick Medical School. He presents regularly as an invited speaker at scientific meetings both nationally and internationally as an expert in the fields of obesity and metabolism. He engages regularly with national media on topics relating to human metabolism and Obesity, has appeared on all UK-based terrestrial channels, and has provided interviews for numerous podcasts. As scientific lead for the Human Metabolism Research Unit, his research interests include the impact of human metabolism on the development of Obesity, and novel strategies to prevent and manage Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus within the populace. Clinically, Dr. Barber leads the tier 3 Obesity service at UHCW (since 2010).
Professor Alex Miras
Alex Miras is Professor of Endocrinology at Ulster University. His clinical and research work focus solely on Obesity and type 2 diabetes. He has contributed to the clinical management and research in Obesity over the last 14 years, through his work at a high throughput Obesity Centre. The specialist interests of his research Group are the mechanisms of action of interventions for obesity, focusing on pharmacotherapy, medical devices and obesity surgery.
Professor Bassel H.Al Wattar
Bassel is an Associate Professor of Reproductive Medicine and a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Beginnings Assisted Conception Unit - Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals in London.
He is an RCOG accredited Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and surgery with a specialist interest in endocrine gynaecology, IVF, minimal access surgery and menopause.
He leads the Clinical Trials Unit at Anglia Ruskin University with a special focus on delivering high quality trials that directly address the everyday health needs of patients in the NHS. He also co-leads the EVIE Evidence Synthesis Research group at University College London which is focused on delivering high quality applied clinical research in women’s health with a special focus on PCOS, heavy periods, fibroid management, IVF technology, and menopause (https://rb.gy/7sie). Several of his research outputs have been featured in international news outlets and led to significant improvements in women’s health worldwide.
Prof Wattar has a special interest in the diagnosis and management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and other endocrine gynaecological conditions focusing on offering holistic care for women with this condition. He has published widely on reproductive endocrinology and works collaboratively with several leading women’s health charities to co-produce impactful research that directly address the real health needs of women and their families.
He runs a specialist endocrine gynaecology clinic at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals dedicated for women with ovulatory, endocrine, and menstrual disorders. He also provides advice on the management of complex Menopause and peri menopause issues especially for women with history of cancer and previous clotting disorders.
Further info on:
www.basselwattar.info, www.linkedin.com/in/bassel-