As part of his visit to UM6P Hospitals, the Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) – UM6P had the pleasure of welcoming Prof. Philippe Froguel for a stimulating session of the Mercredis de l’IAS seminar series.

Prof. Froguel—Professor of Endocrinology and Genomic Medicine at the CHU de Lille and Imperial College London—delivered a talk entitled Genomic and Precision Approaches to Obesity Prevention and Care, exploring the complex interplay between genetics, behavior, and environment in obesity.

Held at Salle Laâyoune on the UM6P Campus Benguerir, the seminar distinguished between monogenic forms of obesity—linked to appetite and satiety regulation within hypothalamic circuits—and polygenic forms involving more than 1,000 genomic regions, often associated with reward and addiction pathways. Prof. Froguel also emphasized the role of epigenetics and life-course factors such as sleep, physical inactivity, diet, and socio-economic context.

The discussion highlighted significant findings in pediatric obesity, including insights from cohorts with high consanguinity (notably in Pakistan), which have enabled the identification of “actionable” genes. Prof. Froguel also addressed current therapeutic strategies, noting the limits of bariatric surgery for certain genetic profiles, the growing impact of GLP-1/GIP agonists on reducing “food noise,” and the importance of long-term support combining physical activity, adequate protein intake, and muscle mass preservation.

Looking ahead, the seminar explored the promise of precision medicine and multi-omic artificial intelligence approaches—integrating data from organs such as the liver, muscle, and pancreas—to better stratify risk and tailor prevention and treatment strategies.

The IAS warmly thanks Prof. Philippe Froguel for this rich and enlightening exchange, the UM6P community for the high quality of discussion, and Abdelali Haoudi for facilitating the connection that made this seminar possible.