Saltiel Life Sciences Symposium 2026: Decoding GLP-1s

The 2026 Saltiel Life Sciences Symposium will explore the basic science behind the new generation of GLP-1 therapeutics targeting diabetes and obesity. Speakers will describe the discoveries and fundamental cellular mechanisms behind the drugs, as well as ongoing efforts to improve them.

Schedule

• 9:05 a.m. | Welcome
  Roger Cone, Ph.D. 
  Mary Sue Coleman Director, Life Sciences Institute; Tadataka Yamada Distinguished University Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Medical School; Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan
• 9:15 a.m. | To be GIP or not GIP: That is the question
  Randy Seeley, Ph.D.
  Henry King Ransom Professor of Surgery, Professor of Surgery and Internal Medicine, Medical School; Professor of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan
• 9:55 a.m. | Neural mechanisms for GLP-1-based drugs
  Amber Alhadeff, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Monell Chemical Senses Center, University of Pennsylvania
• 10:35 a.m. | Morning break
• 10:50 a.m. | Hindbrain mechanisms of action for anti-obesity medicines
  Martin Myers, M.D., Ph.D.
  Marilyn H Vincent Professor of Diabetes Research, Professor of Internal Medicine and of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, Medical School, University of Michigan
• 11:30 a.m. | The network control of body weight
  Kevin Williams, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center
• 12:10 p.m. | Lunch break
• 1:10 p.m. | Single-cell and genetics-driven mapping of anorectic pathways in the hindbrain
  Tune Pers, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor and Program Coordinator, Human Variation & Functional Genomics, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research
• 1:50 p.m. | Hormonal control of metabolism by GIP and incretin-based polyagonists
  Timo Müller, Ph.D.
  Director, Institute for Diabetes and Obesity; W3 Professor, Walther-Straub Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology; Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
• 2:30 p.m. | Poster session (view poster session details)
• 3:45 p.m. | Introduction of the Mary Sue and Kenneth Coleman Lecturer
  Thomas Wang, M.D.
  Dean and Josiah Macy, Jr. Professor, Medical School; Chief Academic Officer, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan
• 3:50 p.m. | Mary Sue and Kenneth Coleman Life Sciences Lecture: Modern GLP-1 medicines—How do they work?
  Dan Drucker, M.D.
  Professor of Medicine and Banting and Best Diabetes Centre-Novo Nordisk Chair in Incretin Biology, University of Toronto; Senior Investigator, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health
• 4:50 p.m. | Closing remarks
  Alan Saltiel, Ph.D.
  Professor and Director, Institute for Diabetes and Metabolic Health, University of California San Diego School of Medicine; former Director, U-M Life Sciences Institute