A chemist in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences has received a federal grant to study the oral administration of PYY3-36, a peptide that inhibits food intake by naturally switching off one's appetite. The project is said to have major implications for people struggling with obesity and associated diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Robert Doyle, associate professor of chemistry, has been awarded $221,000 by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. His project will last for two years, with the option of a third, and will involve Christian L. Roth, a pediatric endocrinologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

The award comes on the heels of a landmark decision by the American Medical Association to categorize obesity as a disease requiring a “range of interventions,” including weight-loss counseling, medication, and surgery.

“Obesity is one of today’s leading health challenges—not only in North America and Europe, but also in Asia and Australia,” says Doyle, whose expertise spans chemistry and biology. “The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents is of particular concern, despite public health education and initiatives.”

At the heart of Doyle's project is PYY3-36, a gut hormone that presumably supports the long-term benefits of bariatric surgery—currently, the only effective long-term exogenous treatment for obesity.

Doyle plans to utilize vitamin B12, which supports functioning of the brain and nervous system, to help protect and carry PYY3-36 through the gastrointestinal tract.