madman
Super Moderator
Research Portal - Free steroid hormones in health and disease (FRESH-HD)
In routine clinical practice, diagnosis and treatment of endocrine diseases rely mostly on total steroid hormone levels. However, these hormones typically bind to specific proteins and albumin in circulation, with only a small fraction circulating freely. The 'free hormone hypothesis' proposes...
research.kuleuven.be
Project summary
In routine clinical practice, diagnosis and treatment of endocrine diseases rely mostly on total steroid hormone levels. However, these hormones typically bind to specific proteins and albumin in circulation, with only a small fraction circulating freely. The 'free hormone hypothesis' proposes that this free fraction is responsible for the biological activity of hormones. Unfortunately, measuring free steroid hormone levels is technically challenging, limiting their implementation in clinical practice. In this research project, we aim to enhance the clinical applicability of free steroid hormone concentrations in patients with specific conditions and endocrine diseases, by using state-of-the-art methodology, particularly mass spectrometry, to investigate the clinical relevance of free steroid hormones. The main objectives of this PhD research project will be: - Development, optimization, and validation of methods to measure free steroid hormones - Investigating binding protein-hormone interactions - Studying the interplay between health parameters and free hormones.
