Geneva University hospitals Strengthens Obesity & Bariatric Surgery Center Leadership
the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) have announced a leadership shift at their Center of Obesity and Bariatric Surgery, effective August 1, 2025. Pre Laurence Genton Graf, currently head of the HUG Nutrition unit and an Associate Professor at theโ University of Geneva Faculty ofโฃ Medicine, willโ join Dr. Minoa Jung as co-director of the center, succeeding Professor Zoltanโ Pataky.
Pre Genton Graf brings extensive โคexpertise in clinical nutrition, especially in addressing both undernutrition and the complexities of obesity, focusing on โpreserving muscle mass and improving patient quality of life. Her work spans clinical practice and applied โฃresearch, and she is deeply committed to medical education, having served โas President of the Swissโ Society ofโ Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (SSNC) and holding a key role within the Europeanโ Society of Clinical Nutrition and โคMetabolism (ESPEN).She is a โคprolific author of scientific publications in her field.
Dr. Minoa Jung, an attending physician associated with the HUG’s Visceral Surgery service, already leads โฃthe HUG bariatric surgery program. This program isโ a nationally accreditedโฃ reference center and the soleโค mandated center for highly specialized bariatric surgeryโ within the Canton of Geneva. Dr. Jung is a pioneer in minimally invasive and robotic bariatric surgery, having performed over 1,000 โฃRoux-en-Y gastric bypass procedures robotically. She is actively involved in training โฃsurgeons in this โคadvanced technique,hosting colleagues from across Switzerland and internationally. Dr. Jung also serves on the Swiss Surgery Committee (SSC-SGC) with a focus on training and is a published author in โspecialized surgical literature. She has โco-led the center since its inception in 2022.
Addressing a Growing โฃPublic Healthโข Crisis
The leadership change comes at a critical time, as obesity rates in Switzerland have more than doubled since 1992, now affecting 12% of adults andโ a combined 43% when including those who are overweight.This rise is directly โขlinked to an increase in chronic diseases like cardiovascular issues, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, solidifying obesity as a major public health challenge of the 21st century.
The HUG Center of Obesity and โBariatric Surgery,โข inaugurated in April 2022, โฃaims to combat this trend โby fostering collaboration betweenโค various HUG services. The center provides a complete,multidisciplinary approach to obesity prevention and treatment,tailored to individualโ patient needs and encompassing medical,nutritional,psychological,and physical therapy support. The center’s goal is to guide patients through a personalized clinical โpathway to the appropriate specialists and care programs.
