Ana Domingos

Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, University of Oxford

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Title 

Sympathetic neurons in obesity

Biosketch

Ana I. Domingos is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford. Her laboratory discovered the sympathetic neuro-adipose axis mediating leptin's lipolytic effects, providing the first visualization of adipose sympathetic neurons essential for fat mass reduction via norepinephrine signaling. Her team identified Sympathetic neuron-Associated Macrophages (SAMs), contributing to obesity by metabolizing norepinephrine, findings that inspired the development of sympathofacilitators—a novel class of peripheral anti-obesity drugs free from central nervous system side effects. Domingos’ research focuses on the pharmacological regulation of autonomic functions to combat obesity safely, pioneering the emerging field of Neuroimmunometabolism. Her group has extensively reviewed this field (Nature Reviews Endocrinology, Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology, Neuron) and organized dedicated conferences, including the Keystone Symposium (2022). Domingos serves as editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism and holds editorial roles at Cell Metabolism and eLife. Her numerous accolades include the EMBO Installation Award, Human Frontiers Science Program Award, Howard Hughes Medical Institute–Wellcome International Scholar Award, ERC-Consolidator Award, Pfizer Aspire Obesity Award, Carl Ludwig Lectureship, BBSRC Grant, and NIH Opportunity Pool Award. She has been invited to speak at over 70 international conferences.