Title: Discovering Bioactive Peptides and Characterizing the Molecular Pathways that Control Their Activity
Description: Bioactive peptides constitute a major class of signaling molecules in animals and have been shown to play a role in diverse physiological processes, including hypertension, appetite and sleep. As a result, knowing the identity of these molecules and understanding the mechanisms by which they are regulated has basic and medical significance. In this dissertation, I describe the development and application of novel methods for discovering bioactive peptides and the molecular pathways that control their activity.