Our laboratory has been interested in studying the effects of ethanol on the neuroendocrine control of male rodent growth and reproduction. The growth investigations involve male rats varying in age from puberty to adulthood. The animals are exposed to ethanol either acutely or chronically via a permanently placed gastric cannula. In vivo studies are complemented by in vitro work with primary cultures and relevant cell lines.
Studies also involve ethanol-induced perturbations in intracellular signal transduction.
The second major area of active investigation involves examination of interactions of the endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. Specifically we are studying the gene regulation, processing, and roles of LHRH and its receptor in cells of the rat and human immune system.