College contact person: Prof. Paolo Sgrò

Evaluation and characterization, in healthy subjects or those with endocrine-metabolic diseases, of endocrine, immunological, and metabolic parameters involved in the phenomena of adaptation to different motor and sport activities, related to specific endocrine organs (e.g, hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal, -thyroid, -surrenal axes) and target tissues (e.g., bone, muscle, adipose); at different stages of the individual’s life and also after exogenous substance intake (e.g., use and abuse of nonbanned and banned substances, nutritional supplements). The above, also in collaboration with external research facilities, with a focus on the prevention of endocrine disruption (e.g., reproductive appartatus, metabolisms) and the maintenance and/or restoration of individual well-being in non-communicable endocrine-metabolic disorders. Understand the role of exercise in the control/correction of hormonal (i.e., endocrine and paracrine) and inflammatory mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of endocrine-metabolic diseases, also related to sedentary and motor activities. Evaluation and characterization in experimental cellular models (e.g., skeletal muscle, etc.), also with translational purposes, of possible biomediators and cellular and molecular mechanisms (e.g., endocrine-metabolic, inflammatory, etc.) involved in adaptive processes to motor and sport activities and/or in the etiology of noncommunicable diseases correlated to sedentariness and some diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Methodologies: Cycloergometer, Metabolimeter, Body composition analysis (e.g., impendenziometry, adipometry), Extraction, purification and analysis of DNA, RNA and Protein (e.g., electrophoresis, western blot, PCR); Analytical testing by ELISA and Luminex Multiplatform (BIOPLEX).