About this module
As our understanding of the contribution of genetics to a range of human disorders grows, so effective screening strategies reveal new insights that will enhance health outcomes. This module will enable you to develop your understanding of the increasing role of genomics in the diagnosis and management obesity and metabolic disease (along with their sequelae) while encouraging you to integrate ideas from across the curriculum. You will learn about common and rare genetic contributors to obesity and metabolic disease, and how this informs decision making by multidisciplinary teams. Equitable access to high-quality care and the impact of living with obesity and metabolic disease will be explored. You will gain practical experience of how genome-wide association studies are performed and the role of polygenic scoring in disease stratification. The introduction of drugs such as GLP-1 agonists has transformed obesity care, and you will learn of the next generation of drugs in development.
Before the module
Suggested preparation
Module-specific materials and instructions are provided through your course Moodle/VLE. These refreshers are optional support, not additional assessment requirements.
What you will study
- Molecular mechanisms underpinning obesity and metabolic disease
- Impact on lipid metabolism and cardiovascular sequelae
- Common clinical presentations and management
- Equity in access to care and the impact of drugs such as GLP-1 agonists
- Patient and family perspective on living with obesity and metabolic disease
- Environmental and socio-economic determinants of health
- The role of MDTs in clinical decision making
- Screening strategies
- The use of genome wide-association studies to identify common and rare contributors to obesity and metabolic disease, and the role of polygenic risk scoring in disease stratification
- Emerging genomic technologies and innovation in drug design
Learning objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
- Explain mechanisms in monogenic and polygenic causes of disease
- Evaluate current approaches to the diagnosis and management of obesity and metabolic disease
- Critically evaluate the contribution of genetics to disease outcomes
- Explain how phenotypic data is integrated with genomic information in diagnostic and treatment pathways
- Analyse large-scale genomic data, interpret variants and generate clinically- relevant insights
- Explain and contrast the contributions of the members of multi-disciplinary teams
- Discuss the contribution of environmental and socio-economic factors to obesity and metabolic disease and evaluate strategies to reduce health inequalities
- Appraise emerging therapeutic targets
Teaching
24–28 May 2027
School of Clinical Medicine, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ
Learning objectives follow the 2026–27 curriculum, including programme-team updates.