Dietary and metabolic threats to anxiety and depression prevalence

Mathieu Lupien, PhD
Professor
Department of Medical Biophysics
University of Toronto

Senior Scientist
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

This conference is hosted by Martin Sauvageau, PhD. This conference is part of the 2024-2025 IRCM conference calendar.

About this conference
The centrality of mental health to overall wellbeing has never been more apparent. Depression and anxiety disorders are prevalent and disabling mental health conditions and their incidence is compounded by obesity. The interchange between metabolic and mood dysfunction can perpetuate a cycle of despair, overeating and physical inactivity that enhances obesity severity and numerous associated health risks. Mounting evidence reveals an important influence of internal, biological stressors resulting from alterations in energy metabolism on motivation and mood states. Several findings reveal that some of the psychological consequences of obesity stem from poor diet and associated immune responses and highlight a role for neuroinflammation and neuroplastic adaptations in underlying brain circuits. Dr. Fulton will discuss findings regarding the contribution of dietary, metabolic and neurobiological effectors to depression and anxiety development and progression.

About Mathieu Lupien
Dr. Mathieu Lupien is a Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and a Professor at the University of Toronto, with a cross-appointment at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. He serves on both the Research Executive and the Research Council on Oncology at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Dr. Lupien’s research posits that cancer is fundamentally a disease of the chromatin. Among his key discoveries, Dr. Lupien’s research revealed a new type of genomic variation, known as chromatin variants, to pioneer the identification of cancer drivers in the non-coding cancer genome. His work has also demonstrated that cancer-specific chromatin variants can promote oncogenesis independently of genetic mutations. Furthermore, Dr. Lupien’s research highlights the efficacy of epigenetic therapies targeting chromatin variants to inhibit cancer development and progression.

In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Lupien has received numerous honors, including the Allan Slaight Collaborator Award, the Mona Gauthier Award, and the Canadian Cancer Society Bernard and Francine Dorval Award for Excellence. He is a three-time recipient of the Investigator Award from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, a two-time recipient of the Till and McCulloch Discovery of the Year Award, and a co-founder of CoBE. Additionally, Dr. Lupien is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Dr. Lupien earned his PhD in Experimental Medicine at McGill University under the mentorship of Dr. Sylvie Mader. He completed postdoctoral training in Medical Oncology as an Era of Hope Fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, under the guidance of Dr. Myles Brown, and he has completed executive education (PLDA) at Harvard Business School. Dr. Lupien joined the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the University of Toronto in 2012.

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