When asked if blocking the gene increases metabolism, McManaman replied, “We think that’s a possibility.”

More than one-third of adults and 17 percent of children in the U.S. are obese.

Humans have the same plin 2 gene.

“It could lead to a potential cure,” said McManaman.

He said it’s too early to tell but it may be possible to replicate this research in humans.

“We don’t know what the long term consequences of deleting this gene would be for mice or humans but this is a step in the right direction,” said McManaman.

The two-year study on plin 2 was funded by a federal grant. Eight people were on the team of researchers. McManaman already has people volunteering to be guinea pigs for the human study.

He said any results are 15 years away.