Harvard Researcher Secures $39M from Turkish Investment Group for Obesity Research Amid U.S. Funding Cuts

In a significant development for obesity and metabolic disease research, Harvard University researcher Gökhan Hotamışlıgil, M.D., Ph.D., has secured approximately $39 million in funding from İş Private Equity, a subsidiary of Turkey's İşbank Group. This substantial investment comes at a crucial time as U.S. federal funding for scientific research faces extensive cuts under the Trump administration.

Turkish Investment Breathes New Life into Metabolic Disease Research

The 10-year funding commitment will support Dr. Hotamışlıgil's groundbreaking work on new antibodies targeting obesity and other metabolic disorders. İşbank CEO Hakan Aran expressed pride in supporting the research, stating, "Alongside academic research, the newly established biotechnology venture, Enlila, will work to turn academic discoveries into potential therapies that support healthier living and improve quality of life."

This international collaboration was born out of a chance encounter at İşbank's centennial celebration last September, where Dr. Hotamışlıgil spoke about his research and the challenges of securing biomedical funding. The resulting agreement represents a culmination of decades of work on FABP4 (also called aP2), a hormone secreted by adipose tissue that plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism.

Harvard Faces Funding Challenges Amid Political Climate

The investment comes at a critical juncture for Harvard University, which has been grappling with significant cuts to federal funding. Dean Andrea Baccarelli of the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, where Dr. Hotamışlıgil is based, has encouraged faculty to pursue "direct and purposeful industry engagement" as an alternative source of research funding.

Dr. Hotamışlıgil himself has felt the impact of these cuts, with a training grant canceled and a research grant left in limbo. While appreciative of the private sector support, he emphasized that it cannot fully replace federal funding for basic science, especially for early-stage research.

Looking Ahead: Enlila and the Future of Obesity Treatment

Once the antibodies are ready for human testing, a new U.S.-based biotech company called Enlila is poised to license them from Dr. Hotamışlıgil and begin clinical development. This move represents a significant step towards translating academic discoveries into potential therapies for chronic conditions related to aging and obesity.

The research builds upon Dr. Hotamışlıgil's team's 2015 breakthrough, which identified an antibody targeting aP2 that could reduce blood glucose levels and fat mass in obese mice. With the new funding, the team aims to pursue a more comprehensive preclinical characterization of their large collection of antibodies.

As the pharmaceutical industry watches closely, this international collaboration may serve as a model for future research funding strategies in an increasingly challenging financial landscape for academic institutions.