# Obesity Genes, Energy Regulation in Response to Weight-Loss Diets

> **NIH NIH R01** · TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA · 2021 · $645,729

## Abstract

Abstract
Considerable interpersonal variability in weight loss exists in diet interventions, likely due to individuals'
inherent factors such as genomic and epigenomic variations; however our currently knowledge on these
factors is extremely poor. The proposed systems study aims to fill this significant research gap. In three
independent, comprehensive comparator trials on weight-loss diets – POUNDS LOST, DIRECT and MACRO,
we propose to perform thus far the most comprehensive epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) using
state-of-the-art capture-based bisulfite sequencing approach (targeting ~5M dynamic CpGs) to identify DNA
methylation (DNAm) associated with long-term (up to 2 years) weight loss in response to diet interventions
(Aim 1a and 1b), and assess the dietary effects on dynamic changes in DNAm (Aim 1c). We will develop joint
DNAm Scores (MeS) integrating methylation information across CpG sites, and analyze their associations with
weight loss (Aim 2). We will also examine the relations between DNAm and markers of energy balance (Aim
3). In addition, we will apply newly-developed multi-omics algorithm to predict weight loss, by integrating
DNAm with genomics, metabolomics, biochemical and clinical measures (Aim 4). We believe that our study
will provide novel insights into the roles of epigenomics and multi-omics in determining weight loss in response
to diet interventions, and contribute significantly to improve efficiency of precision obesity management.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10264786
- **Project number:** 5R01DK091718-09
- **Recipient organization:** TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
- **Principal Investigator:** Lu Qi
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $645,729
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2012-05-01 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10264786

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10264786, Obesity Genes, Energy Regulation in Response to Weight-Loss Diets (5R01DK091718-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10264786. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*