University of Adelaide
Leonie’s broad research goal is to understand why having enlarged fat stores (obesity) is so closely linked to a number of metabolic diseases such as Type II diabetes and heart disease. Leonie is also interested in determining the best way to make people healthy again through nutritional interventions and how calorie restriction increases lifespan.
Her research is important as now more than 60% of Australians are overweight or obese. Moreover the incidence of obesity is rapidly increasing in children. This means for the first time in history the next generation may not live as long as the preceding generation. If we can determine why or how adiposity, or obesity, causes these diseases then we may be able to prevent some of these diseases from occurring.