Health Professional Education
Supporting leading professional educational programs focused on nutrition and obesity medicine since 1973.
In 1973, the central motivation for creating the organization was the conviction that nutrition deserved a more prominent place in the discipline and practice of medicine. Our founder, George L. Blackburn, MD, PhD was committed to bringing together his fellow clinicians and researchers to share their experience to create the field of nutrition medicine.
As part of this commitment, George played a central role in creating a number of courses and programs which have evolved into some of the leading programs of their type world wide and to which the Foundation continues to provide support.
Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard
The Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH) is based at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. NORCH is one of twelve Nutrition Obesity Research Centers in the United States, funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It serves a large base of nutrition and obesity investigators in the Boston area and beyond by providing services to investigators in the form of statistical support and coordinated Core services. The NORCH fills a unique niche through specific programs and Cores, including an Annual Nutrition and Obesity Symposium at Harvard Medical School, attended by faculty, students, and medical personnel interested in the promotion of research in obesity, nutrition, and metabolism.
In 2024, the symposium will provide a deep dive into novel therapeutics for obesity, mechanisms, clinical utility, and economic and societal implications. There will also be a fascinating talk on the potential for use in a more generalized way for drug addiction, given the effects on reward pathways, which overlap with key food and satiety pathways.
The George L. Blackburn Keynote Lecture will be given by one of George's mentees and a longtime co-director of the Harvard Blackburn Obesity CME, Dr. Caroline Apovian. Her lecture is "State of the Art Summary of Current Pharmacological Strategies for Obesity Management."
The Blackburn Symposium at The Obesity Society
The mission of the Obesity Society is to provide support for the professional development of scientists and clinicians working in this critical area of medical research and to support critical efforts in evidence-based policy development and advocacy.
Founded in 1982, The Obesity Society (TOS) is the leading professional society focused on obesity science, treatment and prevention. Its approximately 2,800 members worldwide range from early career to established members of the field, including basic and clinical researchers, clinicians and care providers, educators, early career investigators, and students.
2024 George L Blackburn Symposium: Safe and Sound: Lessons Learned from Very-Low-Calorie-Diets and Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery for Navigating the Potential Risks with Highly Effective Anti-Obesity Medications.
With next-generation anti-obesity medications (AOMS) emerging, more patients with obesity are able to lose substantial amounts of weight. Prior to these medications, substantial weight loss was typically achievable with bariatric surgery and very low-calorie diets (VLCD), with which there were risks of complications or side effects. In this era of highly effective AOMs, there are potential risks that health care professionals may need to monitor, which can be informed by previous research in bariatric surgery and VLCDs.
American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
The Rhoads Foundation supports exceptional scientific research projects on clinical nutrition and metabolic support, including both basic science-oriented investigations aimed at improving our understanding of the science of nutrient regulation in different disease states, as well as clinical and translational research to determine how the practice of nutrition support can continue to be refined and individualized to optimize clinical outcomes. The vision of the foundation is to promote innovation and research discovery to improve nutrition care and health.
As one of the founding members of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) the George L Blackburn Foundation has been a supporter of the Rhoads Research Foundation. The Rhoads Research Foundation supports the personal and professional development of nutrition researchers throughout their careers.
In addition to the George L Blackburn Research Mentorship Award, the ASPEN Rhoads Research Foundation also announced the establishment of a new grant in honor of Dr. George Blackburn focused on nutrition and metabolism.
The George L. Blackburn Foundation for Nutrition Medicine has pledged an additional $100,000 over the next ten years towards the George Blackburn Research Grant; six of the $10,000 payments have been made to date.
The 2024 award cycle is now closed, and the mentorship award was awarded at the annual meeting held March 2-5, 2024, in Tampa, FL. This year's recipient is Paul W. Wales, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS, FASPEN, Professor of Surgery, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati; Surgical Director Intestinal Rehabilitation Center, Pediatric Surgeon, Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.