Ricerc@Sapienza

Our institution has a long-standing tradition in andrological research, with the first academic position being established in Rome in 1981. We have contributed to writing pioneering meta-analyses and national and international guidelines on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in male hypogonadism, infertility, and sexual dysfunction. In the past decade, we have focused on developing advanced imaging techniques for testicular disorders. We established the first International School of Ultrasound in Andrology for the European Academy of Andrology.

All glands are created equal, but some glands are more equal than the others. Understanding the complications and the development of new treatments for pituitary and adrenal disorders has exploded in the past decades. We have contributed to investigating and systematically analyzing the available evidence. Our favorite condition is the most difficult of them all, Cushing's syndrome. Nonetheless, the international community has also appreciated our research on obesity, the metabolic effect of GH, and the treatments used to manage its excess.

Cardiologists have taught us how to conduct large and rigorous clinical trials, but now cardiologists are using our endocrine tools! The beta-adrenergic signaling or the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and more recently the SGLT2 inhibitors, are examples of how neuroendocrine control is central to cardiovascular function. In 'endocrine hands', we are taking back such tools to reveal the molecular players involved.

Rhythm rules everything in our lives, and we believe that circadian biology can offer a key to understanding the unexplained or puzzling evidence in the complexity of endocrine feedback loops. The metabolic consequences of the disruption of clock genes are well-known. We are now adding a further level of complexity, showing how circadian rhythms of the immune system are tightly linked to the endocrine rhythms, especially that of glucocorticoids. The big picture we are in now is that of "neuro-immuno-endocrinology." We love it!