CPH Seminar series
1st Adjunct Faculty Seminar
Friday, 7th August, 2026 at 3:00 pm
Centre for Public Health
Dr. Padmanabhan, Biochemistry, CMC, Vellore
Topic “Leveraging Deep Learning and Novel Description of Body Composition Traits to Study the Genomics of Body Fat Distribution in the UK Biobank.”
The study investigates the genetic determinants of how body fat is distributed across different regions of the body. Using DEXA imaging data from the UK Biobank, deep-learning models were developed to substantially increase the available sample size for body composition traits.
The study examined measures including leg, trunk and visceral fat, as well as ratios describing regional fat distribution. The analysis identified 140 independently significant loci and 43 novel variants, demonstrating a substantial genetic contribution to local adiposity. Heritability estimates indicated that approximately 20–30% of variation in several local adiposity traits could be explained by genetic factors.
The findings suggest that genetic variants associated with local adiposity are enriched in genes expressed in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, rather than acting primarily through systemic mechanisms. The study also explored the relationship between regional fat distribution and metabolic diseases, finding that local adiposity is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease, with insulin resistance playing a major role.
Overall, this work demonstrates the value of combining DEXA imaging, deep learning and genomics to better understand body fat distribution and its relationship with cardiometabolic disease.
2nd Adjunct Faculty Seminar
Friday, 21st August, 2026 at 3:00 pm
Centre for Public Health
Dr. Beena Koshy, Developmental Paediatrics, CMC, Vellore
Topic: “Early childhood diarrhoea and neurocognition and brain volumetry outcomes: Evidence from Vellore birth cohorts“
This session highlights findings from longitudinal birth cohorts in Vellore examining the interplay between early childhood growth, nutrition, home environment, resilience and neurodevelopment. The studies examine secular changes in childhood growth and stunting, the influence of early home environment on resilience and cognition, and the associations between persistent stunting, catch-up growth and cognitive outcomes at nine years. More recent work examines brain morphometry and executive functions, including differences in brain volumes and executive function across children with different stunting trajectories. Together, these studies provide insights into the relationship between early childhood conditions and cognitive, behavioural and neurological outcomes in later childhood.
Related publications:
1. Koshy, B., Thilagarajan, V. V., Berkins, S., Banerjee, A., Srinivasan, M., Livingstone, R. S., Mohan, V. R., Scharf, R., Jasper, A., & Kang, G. (2025). Childhood brain morphometry in children with persistent stunting and catch-up growth. PLOS ONE, 20(2), e0306500. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0306500
2. Koshy, B., Karthikeyan, A. S., Mohan, V. R., Bose, A., John, S., & Kang, G. (2022). Secular Growth Trends in Early Childhood-Evidence from Two Low-Income Birth Cohorts Recruited over a Decade in Vellore, India. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 107(1), 45–51. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.21-0886
3. Koshy, B., Srinivasan, M., Gopalakrishnan, S., Mohan, V. R., Scharf, R., Murray-Kolb, L., John, S., Beulah, R., Muliyil, J., & Kang, G. (2022). Are early childhood stunting and catch-up growth associated with school age cognition?-Evidence from an Indian birth cohort. PloS one, 17(3), e0264010. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264010
4. Koshy, B., Thilagarajan, V.V., Livingstone, R.S. et al. Executive functions and associated brain volumetry in children with persistent stunting and catch-up growth. Sci Rep 15, 13845 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98238-y
5. Koshy, B., Srinivasan, M., Gopalakrishnan, S., Mohan, V. R., Scharf, R., John, S., Beulah, R., Muliyil, J., & Kang, G. (2022). Early Childhood Stimulating Environment Predicts Later Childhood Resilience in an Indian Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 9(11), 1721. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9111721
Upcoming series
3rd Adjunct Faculty Seminar
Friday, 4th September, 2026 at 3:30 pm
Centre for Public Health
Dr. Nihal Thomas, Senior Professor and Head, Centre for Stem Cell Research (CSCR),
Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, CMC, Vellore
Topic: “Undernutrition and the evolution of diabetes in South Asia- genes, environment and low birthweight- differential diagnosis and stories from Vellore.”
4th Adjunct Faculty Seminar
Friday, 18th September, 2026
Centre for Public Health
Dr. Anu Oommen, Professor, PhD scholar at the Melbourne University,
Community Medicine, CMC, Vellore
Topic: “Implementation research hybrid study designs.”
5th Adjunct Faculty Seminar
Friday, 16th October, 2026
Centre for Public Health
Dr. Nitin Kapoor, Professor,
Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, CMC, Vellore
Topic: “What I know now that I didn’t know then – Tips and tricks while doing PhD in CMC.”