Joseph A. Majzoub, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Harvard Medical School/Children's Hospital
Department of Pediatrics (Endocrinology)

MRRC Project(s)

R01 DK50511-04
Neuroendocrine, Immune and Behavioral Actions of CRH

P50 HL56398-04
SCOR: Response of the Perinatal Lung to Injury; Prj 1 - The Role of Glucocorticoids in Pulmonary Maturation

The focus of this laboratory is the molecular endocrinology of the mammalian stress response. In particular, the regulation and physiologic role of the neuropeptides, corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and vasopressin, during fetal and postnatal life are studied. The major hypothesis under investigation is that these and related neuropeptides have important functions to regulate the endocrine and behavioral responses to stress. As such, abnormal regulation of these molecules likely contributes to disease states, and conversely, these neuropeptides and their receptors are attractive drug targets to modify disease. The specific aims of these studies are to determine the impact of CRH and vasopressin deficiency on regulation of the neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to stress and to identify other neuropeptides related to CRH which may have similar functions.