Maintaining energy homeostasis requires a balance between energy consumption and energy expenditure. Excess of food intake switch the energy balance, causing obesity that enhances the risk of type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Obesity is actually recognized as a global epidemic and the most prevalent metabolic disease world-wide. The overall goal of this conference is to provide the most important and up-to-date research in the field of metabolic disease and energy homeostasis. Topics presented will include the signaling pathways that regulate food intake and energy balance at the central nervous system and in peripheral tissues (adipose tissue, muscle and liver).

It is also our objective to highlight the latest discoveries in brown adipose tissue and the relevance of authophagy in energy balance. The role of nuclear receptors and cofactors in the development and in the regulation of metabolic processes will also be addressed. It is clear that immunity and inflammation play a central role in metabolism. For this reason, we will focus on the function of innate immunity in the development of metabolic disease.

The molecular links between altered myocardial metabolism and heart failure will be considered, as well as lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction on the heart. Taken together, we anticipate that this conference will yield novel insights into the mechanisms controlling different aspects of energy homeostasis and metabolism, and draw our attention to potential therapeutic uses of new targets for treatment of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.