FASEB Keynote: Dr. Walther

The Phase of Fat: Physiology and Pathology of Neutral Lipid Storage

Drs. Farese and Walther explain how lipid droplets form in cells and the physiological importance of getting this process right

January 11, 2018— Basic science is at the heart of many of our greatest health advances. And in this week’s episode we speak with two scientists who are asking fundamental questions about how our bodies work. The answers could help crack the secrets of diseases ranging from diabetes to dementia. For the past three-plus years those two scientists, Robert Farese and Tobias Walther, have done something almost unheard of in public health: run a joint lab. Their work largely focuses on understanding how our cells store and then synthesize fat—a process known as lipid metabolism. It’s work that has wide-ranging implications for a variety of diseases. During an in-depth conversation Farese and Walther shared insight on their work, the joys and challenges of running a lab together, and the importance of basic scientific research.