We are interested in the neural control of reproductive function, particularly how the brain regulates the release of hormones that control the gonads, both in healthy conditions and in response to stress. The main advantage of this technique is that it is relatively simple and rapid. Delivering drugs into the lateral ventricle is a great way to cast a wide net in testing a signaling pathway to support more detailed follow-up experiments.
There's still much to be learned about the neuroendocrine control of reproduction, including the molecular mechanisms for luteinizing hormone pulse generation, mechanisms for modulating pulse frequency during stress, and generation of the preovulatory LH surge. In the future, we are particularly interested in integrating disparate findings into models.
