Research

Our division's research encompasses:

  • Bone and mineral metabolism.
  • Cellular and molecular endocrinology.
  • Diabetes.
  • Lipids.
  • Nutrition.
  • Pituitary, gonad and adrenal diseases and conditions.
  • Thyroid diseases and conditions, including cancer.
  • Transplantation.

Bone and mineral metabolism research

The bone and mineral metabolism research group in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition conducts basic and clinical research on a wide range of skeletal and soft tissue conditions. These conditions include:

  • Bone development conditions.
  • Hyperparathyroidism.
  • Osteomalacia and osteoporosis.
  • Paget's disease of bone.

We also research bone loss related to secondary conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, organ transplantation and cancer, and bone loss related to medications, such as glucocorticoids and other immunosuppressive agents. In addition, we investigate osteogenesis imperfecta and heterotopic osseous heteroplasia.

Our team investigates basic mechanisms of skeletal development and age-related bone acquisition and loss. We collaborate on these studies with researchers in:

  • Biochemistry and molecular biology.
  • Health sciences.
  • Orthopedic surgery.
  • Nuclear medicine.

Cellular and molecular endocrinology research

The cellular and molecular endocrinology research group in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition investigates a broad group of endocrine-related conditions.

These areas of research include:

  • Amyloid formation in type 2 diabetes and regulation of growth hormone gene expression.
  • Autoimmune thyroid disease.
  • Bone metabolism.
  • Calcium in atherogenesis.
  • Growth factor regulation.
  • Molecular medicine approaches in cancer treatment.
  • Muscle metabolism and aging.
  • Thyroid cancer.

Our team emphasizes methods of cell biology, molecular biology and recombinant DNA technology. Our team's primary goal is to promote and disseminate the latest methodologies and developments within the broad disciplines of molecular and cellular biology and apply them to the study of the endocrine system.

Diabetes research

The diabetes research team in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition focuses its research on diabetes and diabetes-related transplant.

Our group studies:

  • Diabetes complications.
  • Epidemiology of diabetes.
  • Islet function.
  • Islet transplant.

Lipids research

The lipids research team in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition focuses its research on clinical trials.

Our lipids-related clinical trials have included studies of:

  • Cereals that contain oats and plant sterols to lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
  • Homozygous sitosterolemia.
  • New superstatins.
  • Safety and efficacy of an apolipoprotein A analog to selectively raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
  • Weight-reducing drugs.

We also conduct kinetic studies of lipid metabolism and physiology-based studies of lipid lowering by drugs and LDL apheresis to determine their effects on vascular endothelial function and nitric oxide production.

Nutrition research

The nutrition research group in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition studies diseases and conditions related to nutrient intake and nutrient processing.

One of our main research areas is obesity, including:

  • Clinical trials of weight-loss medications.
  • Fatty acid processing by skeletal muscle.
  • Pathophysiology of obesity and regulation of physical activity.
  • Prospective assessment of outcomes in bariatric surgery.
  • Regulation of adipose tissue.

We also study hospital nutrition assessment and the use of novel nutritional interventions for patients experiencing malnourishment.

Our nutrition research group also conducts clinical research in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams in such specialties as:

  • Surgery.
  • Obstetrics and gynecology.
  • Anesthesiology.
  • Radiology.

Pituitary, gonad and adrenal research

The pituitary, gonad and adrenal research team in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition focuses its work on diseases and conditions of the pituitary gland, the gonads and the adrenal glands.

Our basic science research includes studies of the structure and function of growth hormone-related genes and control of placental growth hormone gene expression. Our clinical research activities include investigating new medications to treat acromegaly, hyperaldosteronism and growth hormone deficiency.

We also study hypogonadism in men who have had a transplant. Our group also has amassed a large amount of data on the clinical presentation, biochemical diagnosis and therapy of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. We are establishing a large database of patients with Cushing syndrome and expanding our basic science research to study the role of molecular genetics in the development of tumors arising from pituitary gland and chromaffin tissues.

Thyroid research

The thyroid research group in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition includes endocrinologists, clinical researchers, basic science researchers, and experts in the related fields of nuclear medicine and laboratory medicine. Our investigators have clinical expertise in all areas of thyroid and eye disease. Our research has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to Mayo Clinic grants.

Thyroid cancer

Within the area of thyroid cancer, our basic science research group studies oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and the identification of other genes involved in the initiation or spread of malignancy. We also study novel approaches to treat thyroid cancer and other endocrine and nonendocrine cancers using targeted gene therapy.

Supporting our research is a database on thousands of patients with thyroid cancer who have been treated at Mayo Clinic since 1940. Ongoing analysis of information in the database has been used to identify high-risk groups, establish prognostic scoring systems and study the impact of primary management on patient outcomes.

Graves' disease

Our basic studies related to Graves' disease include immunobiology of the thyrotropin receptor and thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies, and the pathogenesis and treatment of Graves' ophthalmopathy.

Studies are aimed at determining the role of orbital antigens, including the thyrotropin receptor, in initiation and propagation of autoimmune thyroid eye disease. Our group is also exploring the relationship between thyrotropin receptor expression and adipogenesis in orbital fibroblasts and the recognition of this antigen by orbital T cell clones and autoantibodies.

Other work by our thyroid research group includes investigation of new and better treatment for Graves' ophthalmopathy, orbital radiotherapy, the effect of hyperthyroidism on skeletal muscle structure and function, and the treatment and natural history of thyroid dermopathy.

Thyroid eye disease research and care

In Mayo Clinic's Thyroid Eye Disease Research Clinic and embedded Thyroid Eye Disease Research Program, experts in otolaryngology, endocrinology and ophthalmology work together to develop and apply better medical and surgical treatments for patients with thyroid eye disease.

Transplant research

The Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition studies transplant in the setting of endocrine and metabolic disorders. Among other ongoing transplant-related research, our transplant research group studies:

  • Islet transplant.
  • Medications and treatments to prevent fractures after transplant.
  • Outcomes in patients with diabetes after liver transplant.
  • Post-transplant diabetes.