Aaron S. Kelly

Aaron S. Kelly is a Professor of Pediatrics and the Minnesota American Legion and Auxiliary Chair in Children's Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School, serving as Co-Director of the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine with over 20 years of experience in pediatric obesity research and more than 150 peer-reviewed publications.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Exercise/Applied Physiology from the University of Minnesota
• MS in Exercise Physiology from the University of Montana
• Postdoctoral Training in Vascular Medicine at St. Paul Heart Clinic

As a physiologist and clinical trialist, Dr. Kelly specializes in intervention studies for pediatric and adolescent obesity, with continuous NIH funding since 2011. His research focuses on developing and evaluating anti-obesity medications, contributing directly to FDA and EMA approvals for adolescent treatments through leadership in major clinical trials. He actively shapes national and international pediatric obesity initiatives through The Obesity Society and NIH workshops.

His scientific honors include:

• Physical Education/Exercise Science Major of the Year Award, Seattle Pacific University (1998)
• Fellow of the American Heart Association (2013)
• Fellow of The Obesity Society (2013)
• Team Science Award, University of Minnesota (2017)
• Oded Bar-Or Award for Excellence in Pediatric Obesity Research (2021)
• Outstanding Mentor Award (2021)
• Clinical and Translational Paper of the Year Award (2021)

Dr. Kelly serves as Principal Investigator for multiple NIH grants and industry-sponsored clinical trials, including the Novo Nordisk Saxenda and Vivus Qsymia trials that led to FDA approvals for adolescent obesity treatments. His mentorship excellence is recognized through the Outstanding Mentor Award, and he collaborates extensively through the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine while engaging in unpaid consulting for pharmaceutical companies including Novo Nordisk, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Eli Lilly.

The Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine, which he co-directs, functions as a national hub for innovative research, clinical care development, and policy initiatives addressing childhood obesity through multidisciplinary team science.