Public scholar: Muhammad Ilyas
How do obesity and Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) independently affect the characteristics of fat tissue in the upper and lower body and how does weight loss in obese individuals without T2DM and those with T2DM affect regional fat tissue characteristics?
Muhammad Ilyas is a doctoral candidate in Health and Exercise Science investigating regional variations in subcutaneous adipose tissue, inflammation and weight loss responses in obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. With a bachelor’s (Hons) in physiotherapy and a master’s in rehabilitation and molecular medicine, he has more than seven years of experience in research, clinical practice and academia. His work spans neurorehabilitation, molecular medicine and genetics, aiming to understand the heterogeneity of obesity, specifically, the underlying mechanisms that contribute to differences in the pathology and treatment outcomes of obesity between individuals.
Muhammad Ilyas is also an advocate for underserved communities and graduate student wellbeing. He chairs the Graduate Student Association council, represents Concordia at the Canadian Nutrition Society, and serves on the Academic Freedom Committee and Graduate Curriculum Committee at Concordia. Additionally, he is an editorial team member and international advisor for the Journal of Health and Rehabilitation.