Cultural Mission

The main areas of research relate to endocrinological aspects of adaptive responses to motor and sports activities, doping, relationships between motor and sports activities and human reproduction, and translational endocrine-metabolic pathophysiology related to the osteo-muscular system.

Main lines of research

• Analysis and evaluation of endocrine responses to muscle activation in active/sedentary subjects and through in vitro studies on muscle cells;
• Effects of pre- or postprandial exercise on endocrine-metabolic responses to the meal in volunteer subjects;
• Effects of nutritional supplementation on the synthesis and secretion of hormones useful in repairing exercise-induced muscle damage (i.e., GH, IGF1, IGF2, Testosterone, etc.);
• Role of motor activity and sedentary lifestyle in noncommunicable diseases;
• In vivo studies of the effects of substances not prohibited by the World Anti Doping Agency, (i.e., phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, etc.) on performance;
• In vitro evaluation of gender differences on endocrine-metabolic responses of human skeletal muscle cells;
• Evaluation of immune-modulatory, antioxidant, anti-fibrotic and replicative effects of drugs on cell cultures of healthy subjects and those with diseases that interfere with the musculoskeletal system (i.e., rheumatic diseases, systemic sclerosis);
• In vivo and in vitro assessment of muscle endocrine activity (i.e., steroid hormone production, enzyme activities, etc.) under baseline conditions and after appropriate stimulation.