image: The Pennington Obesity and Metabolic Disease Symposium was held Dec. 6 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Credit: SSEM
Pennington Biomedical Research Center marked a major milestone this past week with the successful launch of its first international scientific symposium: the Pennington Obesity and Metabolic Disease Symposium, held Dec. 6 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event concluded an extraordinary week of high-level partnership building across the Gulf region, further solidifying Pennington Biomedical as a premier U.S. collaborator in support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 health transformation goals.
Pennington Biomedical Executive Director Dr. John Kirwan said that the symposium exceeded expectations, drawing a distinguished audience of senior consultants, clinical department heads and early-career physicians from across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. Attendee engagement led to immediate follow-up requests, new institutional contacts and enthusiastic interest in future scientific and clinical collaborations.
Throughout the week, Pennington Biomedical leadership met with key institutions – including Hevolution Foundation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC), LEAN, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), and the Qatar Metabolic Institute – to advance shared priorities in obesity, metabolic disease, and population health.
A special thanks goes to course directors Dr. Philip Schauer of Pennington Biomedical’s Metamor Institute, Dr. Nasreen Alfaris, and Dr. Afaf Alshammary for their work in setting up and facilitating the symposium.
Pennington Biomedical recognizes the pivotal contributions of Center researchers who presented during the symposium: Dr. Kirwan, Dr. Schauer and Dr. Donna Ryan, Professor Emeritus, whose global reputations and longstanding relationships within the region played a critical role in establishing the symposium and expanding the Pennington Biomedical footprint across the Gulf region.
“We at Pennington Biomedical were honored to team with the Saudi Society for Endocrinology and Metabolism in educating KSA physicians on state-of-the-art treatment for obesity and metabolic disease,” Dr. Schauer said. “Together we can make a difference.”
This landmark event was made possible through the generous support of Lilly and in cooperation with SCOPE and the Saudi Society of Endocrinology & Metabolism (SSEM), whose partnership expanded the program’s reach.
The Pennington Obesity and Metabolic Disease Symposium provided comprehensive knowledge and a clear understanding of current and emerging strategies for the treatment of metabolic diseases and obesity, enabling healthcare professionals to implement these approaches effectively in clinical practice to improve patient care. Ultimately, this initiative aimed to contribute to reducing the prevalence of metabolic diseases and obesity among both children and adults in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“This is just the beginning,” Dr. Kirwan said. “Our work in the Gulf highlights Pennington Biomedical’s commitment to advancing health – locally and globally. From Louisiana to the world, we are building partnerships that will shape the future of obesity and metabolic disease research and care.”
About the Pennington Biomedical Research Center
The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is at the forefront of medical discovery as it relates to understanding the triggers of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and dementia. Pennington Biomedical has the vision to lead the world in promoting nutrition and metabolic health and eliminating metabolic disease through scientific discoveries that create solutions from cells to society. The center conducts basic, clinical, and population research, and is a campus in the LSU System.
The research enterprise at Pennington Biomedical includes over 600 employees within a network of 44 clinics and research laboratories, and 16 highly specialized core service facilities. Its scientists and physician/scientists are supported by research trainees, lab technicians, nurses, dietitians, and other support personnel. Pennington Biomedical is a globally recognized state-of-the-art research institution in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
For more information, see www.pbrc.edu.