Endocrine Abstracts

Neuroendocrinology has astonishingly progressed since its inception, grounded on seminal findings of Prof. Geoffrey Harris in mid-20th century. A fascinating aspect of Neuroendocrinology for a young medical student as myself was the sophistication of the interactive neurohormonal mechanisms connecting key body functions, as metabolism, growth and reproduction. After 30-years in the field, I remain thrilled by these sophisticated systems. My research group is interested in dissecting the key pathways whereby our brain controls reproduction and energy balance, and how it decodes nutritional/ metabolic information to precisely integrate these fundamental bodily functions. Our focus is primarily basic research. In this domain, my team has actively analyzed the roles of kisspeptins and related neuropeptide systems in the control of puberty and fertility, and their interplay with metabolic signals and energy sensors, explaining the impact of conditions, such as obesity or subnutrition, on reproductive health. Despite our strong drive for basic research, my team has recently embraced more translational projects, aiming to exploit the potential applicability of our basic findings. This is illustrated by multiple research lines at my group, including the identification of novel molecular markers of metabolic health in pubertal children, and the search of new mechanisms and targets of intervention in common reproductive-metabolic disorders, as polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity-induced hypogonadism. These lines will be briefly overviewed in my presentation, also as a means to vindicate the value of translational neuroendocrinology, at the intersection between reproduction and metabolism, to tackle prevalent conditions, from obesity to pubertal disorders and infertility.