The Physiology Of the WEight Reduced State (POWERS) study: strategies for the analysis of biological specimens
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Study Protocol
Abstract: The Physiology Of the WEight Reduced State (POWERS) study is a multi-center clinical trial designed to understand the physiological basis for observed variability in weight regain following intentional weight loss among US adults. The primary dependent variable is weight regain over one year following a 7% or greater supervised weight loss. The overarching design and study organization, along with rationale and history of the POWERS study and outcomes measures are described in accompanying papers. This paper provides the rationale for and description of biospecimens samples that will ultimately inform on the molecular and cellular basis of the physiological variability that contributes to the regulation of energy balance in the weight reduced state. Participants will be 205 healthy adults ( n = 205), aged 25–59 years, with body mass index (BMI) 30- ≤ 40 kg/m 2 . Biospecimens will be collected prior to weight loss (baseline, BL), immediately following weight loss via lifestyle intervention (T0), and then four (T4) and twelve (T12) months after weight loss. Blood will be collected in the fasting state and following a meal challenge designed to induce hormones related to satiety. Weight change from T0 to T12 will be the primary outcome variable. Biospecimens to be collected include plasma, serum, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), DNA, urine, feces, adipose and skeletal muscle tissue. All samples will be biobanked at each site. This manuscript describes the rationale for the biospecimens chosen to assess contributors to homeostatic mechanisms that drive observed variability of weight regain after weight loss.
Source: International Journal of Obesity
Authors: Michael Rosenbaum, Kelly C. Allison, Maren R. Laughlin, Stephanie S. Kelley, Joel Nunez-Matos, Michael Rickles, Lillian Chau, Gary Wu, Payman Zamani, Kathryn J. Whyte, Rudolph L. Leibel, Matthew R. Hayes, Dympna Gallagher, Rudolph Leibel, Laurel Mayer, Michael Rosenbaum, Maxine Ashby-Thompson, Giada Benasi, Karin Foerde, Rochelle Goldsmith, Michio Hirano, Charles LeDuc, Christina Roberto, Heather Seid, Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Kathryn Whyte, Yiying Zhang, Alexis O. Aparicio, Daaimah Dratsky, Jingrui Gu, Michelle Horowitz, Susan Xiaoqin Lin, Arden McMath, Cynthia Mikula, Joel Matos Nunez, Martin Picard, Janet Schebendach, Yifei Sun, Agnes Wong, Wen Wen Yu, Bret Goodpaster, Susan B. Roberts, Michael Lowe, Alexis Gomez, Sophie Meierovich, Rachel Saks, Mars Scharf, Edward Williams, Anna Zhou, Olive Zhu, Kelly C. Allison, Matthew R. Hayes, Michael Rickels, David Roalf, Gary Wu, Payman Zamani, Lillian Chau, Adam Czernuszenko, Cassandra Demastus, Melissa Fernando, Kubarah Ghias, Gabrielle Grosso, Lindsay Herman, Nathaniel Holmes, Christina Mastracchio, Varsha Sayana, Nicholas Wellman, Sai Das, Roger Fielding, Andrew Howland, Kyle Burger, John Speakman, Catherine Hambly, Steven H. Belle, Wendy C. King, David Hallam, Tamara Haller, Stephanie S. Kelley, Christopher E. Kline, Kelsey R. Leonard, Andrew J. Pelesko, Matthew Zourelias, Panayiotis V. Benos, John M. Jakicic, Abdus S. Wahed, Kirk I. Erickson, NIH, Maren R. Laughlin, Susan Yanovski, Bramaramba Kowtha, Deborah Young-Hyman
Institutions: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Columbia University, AdventHealth Orlando, AdventHealth, Dartmouth College, Drexel University, Tufts University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Aberdeen, University of Florida, University of Kansas Medical Center, University of Rochester, Office of Disease Prevention
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,790
Funders: U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of Pennsylvania, National Institutes of Health, Agricultural Research Service, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Office of Naval Research, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Center for Research Resources, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Awards: G1133076894, G2095942735, G2498788065, Interpretable graphical models for large multi-modal COPD data (R01HL159805), G305037560, Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award, G471519714, G5341173930, G645702072, G6978208629, G7153522333, G8852914737, G9000003246, G9000047280, G9000090439, G9000108834, G9000208770, Boston OAIC: A Translational Approach to Function Promoting Therapies, The Physiology of the Weight Reduced State Data Coordinating Center, Predictors of Recidivism to Obesity in Weight-Reduced Individuals, Support Mentoring of Early Career Clinical Researchers , University of Pennsylvania Diabetes Research Center, Obesity Research Center Training Grant, Predicting Weight Regain Following Weight Loss Using Physiological Measures of Appetite and Energy Expenditure
OpenAlex ID: W7127917803