Dr. Thaler obtained his bachelor's degree at Harvard University and MD/PhD degrees at the University of California, San Diego. After postgraduate medical training at the University of Washington in internal medicine and endocrinology under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Schwartz, he has been an Assistant Professor in the division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Nutrition since 2011. For his work on the role of hypothalamic inflammation and gliosis in obesity and diabetes pathogenesis he has received widespread recognition including a Young Investigator Award from the Endocrine Society, a Pathway award from the American Diabetes Association, and the Fialkow scholarship from the University of Washington.