2024 Winner — Dr. Taniya Nagpal, PhD

The most recent recipient is Dr. Taniya Nagpal, who has made tremendous strides in the world of obesity research, especially when it comes to pregnancy. Her work has shed light on how we approach this crucial area, all with a focus on making healthcare more inclusive and caring.

Right from the start, Dr. Nagpal's been challenging the norms around obesity, especially during pregnancy. She's delved deep into how weight stigma affects pregnant women—before, during, and after pregnancy—digging into how it impacts health, behaviors, and even access to healthcare.

Dr. Nagpal is innovative: She developed a pregnancy-specific weight bias internalization scale, which has totally leveled up how healthcare providers support pregnant people dealing with obesity. Plus, she created training tools for medical professionals, helping them spot and tackle weight bias in prenatal care. It's all about making healthcare interactions better for everyone.

Dr. Nagpal has been a force within Obesity Canada – volunteering since her grad school days, lending a hand in a variety of ways, from heading up scientific committees to driving educational projects. And she's been right at the heart of organizing big national summits, leading some crucial conversations that are shaping the future for new professionals and students in the field. Her work is a sign of where research on obesity and pregnancy is headed. Dr. Nagpal's dedication is inspiring, and TOPS is pleased to recognize her successes, and all the advancements she's made so far in our understanding and handling of obesity.

2022 Winner – Dr. I. Sadaf Farooqi

Dr. I. Sadaf Farooqi is a Clinician Scientist and Wellcome Principal Research Fellow at the Wellcome–MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, in the United Kingdom. Dr. Farooqi is distinguished for her discoveries in what exactly controls weight regulation in the human body. Along with colleagues, she discovered the first genes whose disruption causes severe obesity.

“She is an articulate, brilliant and creative member of the obesity research community,” said George A. Bray, MD, from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in a letter nominating Farooqi for the TOPS award. “I have known Dr. Farooqi since the early 1990s, when her classic work on (a) leptin-deficient Pakistani family was published, and have admired her work ever since.”

Dr. Farooqi’s work in this arena has spanned more than two decades. She has been published extensively in leading journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature, Science, and Cell Metabolism.

Partner Spotlight

The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) is a national nonprofit dedicated to elevating and empowering those affected by obesity through education, advocacy and support. Find more about the OAC here.