The Central Role of Hormones in Health and Disease

(BIO 71)

This course takes a close look at the central role of our hormones, focusing on the endocrine system, how it functions under normal circumstances, the many common diseases (diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, and so on) that develop when hormone function goes awry, and how advances in medical research and treatment can help put things back in balance. Each week will be devoted to examining a unique hormone system, and we will touch on the following topics: mechanisms of hormone action; pituitary abnormalities and disturbances of growth; thyroid excess and deficiency; adrenal function and hypertension; male reproduction; sex hormones; steroid abuse by athletes; female reproduction (menstrual cycling, contraception, pregnancy, and menopause); calcium, vitamin D, and osteoporosis; insulin, diabetes, and its complications; the metabolic syndrome, cholesterol, and heart disease risk; and hormone-dependent cancer of the breast and prostate. Illustrative clinical material will be used to highlight the physiology.

David Feldman, Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology, Gerontology and Metabolism), Emeritus

David Feldman is both a basic science investigator and a clinical endocrinologist. Feldman’s laboratory focuses on the steroid hormones and their role in health and disease with a particular interest in the prevention and treatment of prostate and breast cancer. He is a member of several scientific societies, and reviews for and has served on the editorial boards of several medical journals. He has authored more than 250 medical research articles, and he edits two major textbooks.