Neuroendocrine control of fertility

• Research
• Current projects
• Diseases related to this field of research
• Processes and functions relevant to this work
• Techniques in routine use
• Equipment in routine use
• Grants and funding
• Collaborations
• Teaching
• Post-graduate supervision
• Members of the group

Research

My research focuses on the neuroendocrine regulation of fertility. The specific aim is to identify the signal transduction pathways and the neural, cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the control of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotrophin secretion during naturally occurring temporal changes in fertility. To this end, my team has developed two complementary lines of research to investigate the regulation of GnRH neuronal networks within the hypothalamus, on one hand, and the paracrine interactions within the pituitary gland that may modulate the response of gonadotroph cells to GnRH stimulation on the other. The link between these two research lines is the participation of prolactin, a hormone that, in addition to its role during lactation, has been shown to negatively regulate the reproductive axis. We have employed in vivo and in vitro strategies in an integrated manner using immortalised cell lines and four experimental animal models i.e. rat, sheep, horse and rhesus monkey. Overall, this inter-disciplinary, multi-animal-model, integrated strategy has allowed us to investigate the topic from its molecular basis to whole animal systems.

In addition to our main research line, I have developed two separate equine projects with institutions within and outside the UK, to assess: i) the neuroendocrine mechanisms that mediate the effects of transmeridian flying on equine physiology and performance; and ii) meiotic segregation in equine hybrids.

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Current projects include:

• Signal transduction pathways and neuronal mechanisms underlying the effects of prolactin on the control of fertility.
• IIntra-pituitary regulation of gonadotrophin secretion.
• Jetlag in horses: neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the effects of transmeridian flying on equine welfare and performance.
• Fertility in equine hybrids.

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Diseases related to this field of research

• Infertility
• Hyperprolactinaemic amenorrhea
• Precocious puberty
• Jetlag

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Processes and functions relevant to this work

• Reproduction
• Biological rhythms

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Techniques in routine use

• Immunohistochemistry
• Northern analysis
• PCR
• Radioimmunoassay
• Tissue culture
• Western analysis

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Equipment in routine use

• High-speed treadmill
• Gamma-counter
• Microscopes
• PCR machines

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Grants and funding

• BBSRC
• HBLB
• The Wellcome Trust

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Collaborations

• Prof WR (Twink) Allen, TBA Equine Fertility Unit, University of Cambridge, UK. Projects: 1) Fertility in equine hybrids; 2) Neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the effects of transmeridian flying on equine welfare and performance.
• Dr Gustavo Alvarez, Comando de Remonta y Veterinaria, Ejército Argentino, Argentina. Project: Fertility in equine hybrids.
• Dr Amelia Gomez-Brunet, Departamento de Reproducción INIA, Madrid, Spain. Project: Genetic basis for seasonal breeding.
• Prof Alan McNeilly MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, Edinburgh, UK. Project: Intrapituitary regulation of fertility.
• Dr Michael Norman, Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrated Neuroscience and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Bristol, UK. Project: Signal transduction pathways underlying the effects of prolactin in the rat hypothalamus.
• Prof Roger V Short, Royal Women's Hospital, Victoria, Australia. Projects: 1) Neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the effects of transmeridian flying on equine welfare and performance; 2) Fertility in equine hybrids.
• Dr Henryk Urbanski, Division of Neuroscience, Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, Beaverton OR, USA. Project: Ontogeny of primate pituitary gonadotrophs.
• Dr Jon Wakerley, Department of Anatomy, University of Bristol, UK. Project: Signal transduction pathways underlying the effects of prolactin in the rat hypothalamus.

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Teaching

• Veterinary Science programme
  i)  Level 2 BVSc, VETS 20020 Topographical Anatomy unit, locomotor apparatus module
  ii) Level 2 BVSc, VETS 20020 Topographical Anatomy unit, Anatomy Directed Self Education module
  iii) Level 2 BVSc, VETS 20020 Topographical Anatomy unit, Integrated Directed Self Education module
  iv) Level 1 BVSc, VETS 10020 Topographical Anatomy unit, thorax module
• Anatomical Science programme
  v) Level 3 Anatomical Science, ANAT 30100 unit, neuroendocrinology and fertility regulation
  vi) Level 2 Anatomical Science, ANAT 20100 unit, endocrinology and reproduction module
• Anatomical Science with Veterinary Anatomy programme
  vii) Level 2 Anatomical Science with Veterinary Anatomy, ANAT20303 unit, topographical veterinary anatomy module

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Post-graduate supervision

Currently two PhD students

Members of the group

• Miss Helen Henderson
• Mr David Hodson
• Dr Cathy Wyse
• Dr Julie Townsend