Guided by Global Experts
ISO's founding Scientific Advisory Council represents 25+ countries across six continents — bringing together the world's most distinguished clinicians, researchers, and advocates in obesity medicine, endocrinology, and metabolic health.
ISO Co-Founders
The International Society of Obesity was co-founded in 2026 by two individuals whose combined expertise spans clinical endocrinology, medical publishing, HCP education, and global health advocacy.
Dr. Sanjay Kalra
Dr. Sanjay Kalra is one of the world's most prolific endocrinologists, with a career spanning over three decades in clinical medicine, medical education, and scientific publishing. He serves as Consultant Endocrinologist at Bharti Hospital, Karnal, Haryana, India.
The author of more than 2,000 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Kalra has been instrumental in shaping diabetes and obesity medicine practice across South Asia and globally. He has served in leadership roles with the Endocrine Society of India, the Association of Physicians of India, and numerous international endocrine societies, and is a long-standing member of the International Society of Endocrinology (ISE) leadership.
As Co-Founder and President of ISO, Dr. Kalra brings unmatched scientific credibility and a deep personal commitment to advancing obesity medicine as a distinct, evidence-based clinical specialty — particularly in low- and middle-income countries where the burden is rising fastest.
Dr. Nitin Kapoor
Dr. Nitin Kapoor is Professor and Head of the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism at Christian Medical College, Vellore, and a practising Bariatric Physician. He holds a PhD in the clinical and genetic indicators of obesity from the University of Melbourne.
He has been ranked among the world's top 2% most influential researchers by Stanford University in both 2023 and 2024, and is the recipient of the AR Seth Gold Medal from the Endocrine Society of India (2020). Dr. Kapoor is the author of more than 400 PubMed-indexed publications spanning endocrinology, obesity, and metabolic health.
As Founding Secretary General of ISO, Dr. Kapoor brings deep clinical and research expertise in obesity medicine, along with a strong track record of international scientific collaboration, to lead the Society's day-to-day operations and scientific direction.
Founding Advisory Board
ISO's Founding Advisory Board brings together senior endocrinologists and obesity medicine specialists from across Asia, Europe, and North America to guide the Society's scientific direction.
Dr. Jeremy Robles
Past President of the Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PCEDM) and the Philippine Thyroid Association. NIH-trained in medical neuroendocrinology, with a strong record of advocacy for digital engagement in endocrinology across ASEAN and active leadership within the International Society of Endocrinology (ISE).
Prof. Hiroshi Arima
Professor in the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Nagoya University, where he also earned his PhD before completing post-doctoral training at the NIH in the United States. Past President of the Japan Endocrine Society, his research centres on hypothalamic-pituitary disorders and the neural systems regulating energy balance, and he holds a leadership role within the International Society of Endocrinology (ISE).
Dr. Dimpi Desai
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Stanford, triple board certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine. Her clinical and academic focus is on diabetes and obesity and preventing their long-term complications, with a strong commitment to patient education and shared medical decision-making. She currently serves on the Endocrine Society's guideline panel for the pharmacological management of obesity.
Dr. Vivien Lim
Endocrinologist with subspecialty training from the Mayo Clinic, USA, under Singapore's Health Manpower Development Plan Scholarship. Immediate Past President of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies and former President of the Endocrine and Metabolic Society of Singapore, with prior service as an executive committee member of the International Society of Endocrinology and as Singapore's Peer Coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières.
Prof. Mustafa Cesur
Professor and Head of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at Ankara Güven Hospital. Vice President of the Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism of Turkey (SEMT), with an active publication record in obesity pharmacotherapy and metabolic disease, including co-authorship of Türkiye's national consensus report on multidisciplinary obesity treatment in adults.
Scientific & Clinical Advisory Council
The SAC is ISO's primary scientific body, overseeing all clinical guidelines, position statements, and educational content. It spans endocrinology, bariatric medicine, metabolic research, and public health across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa.
Prof. Magdy Megallaa
Professor of Diabetes Medicine and Head of the Unit of Diabetes & Metabolism at Alexandria University, where he has practised as Consultant Diabetologist since 2008. A Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, he co-founded Alexandria University's Diabetic Foot Care Centre and its Continuous Glucose Monitoring Research Centre, and holds honorary academic appointments at Cardiff University and the University of Leicester in the UK.
Dr. Robin Maskey
Professor and Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, where he also chairs the institute's Fellowship in Endocrinology. A Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, he is a Past President of the Diabetes and Endocrinology Association of Nepal and currently serves as Chief Editor of the Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Association of Nepal.
Dr. Sambit Das
Professor and Head of the Department of Endocrinology at Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar. He currently serves as Vice President of the Endocrine Society of India (ESI) and as an Executive Committee member of the South Asian Federation of Endocrine Societies (SAFES), and is a contributing author of the ESI Obesity Guidelines and Editor of the ESI Yearbook 2025.
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Obesity Pharmacotherapy Working Group
Responsible for ISO clinical guidelines and position statements on GLP-1 receptor agonists, dual/triple agonists, oral obesity agents, and emerging pharmacological treatments across diverse populations and health systems.
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Obesity in LMICs & Global Equity Working Group
ISO's most geographically diverse working group — spanning 12 countries across Africa, South Asia, Central Asia, and the Caribbean — focused on the research priorities, access challenges, and clinical realities of obesity management in low- and middle-income country settings.
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Population Health & Policy Council
Bridges clinical science and public health policy. Works with governments, health ministries, and international bodies to translate ISO's scientific positions into national obesity policies, access frameworks, and anti-stigma legislation worldwide.
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Education Committee
Oversees all ISO educational programs — including eLearning, webinars, CME accreditation, fellowship programs, and the annual Congress scientific program. This committee is also responsible for ISO's Early Career program and mentorship framework.
Dr. Ankia Coetzee
Senior Lecturer in the Division of Endocrinology at Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, and a former Chairperson (President) of the Society for Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes of South Africa (SEMDSA). A widely published researcher with over 45 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters spanning diabetes, metabolic bone disease, and obesity, she holds SCOPE certification from the World Obesity Federation and is an internationally invited speaker and faculty member.
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Join the ISO Leadership Community
ISO is actively building its founding governance bodies. We welcome internationally recognised clinicians, researchers, and public health experts to join our working groups, councils, and committees.