Current Research:  

Dr. Padmanabhan's research is translational and centers on understanding the fetal origin of pubertal and adult reproductive and metabolic disorders and the impact of steroids and estrogenic environmental pollutants in programming such defects. Utilizing integrative approaches ranging from cell and molecular biology as well as in vitro systems to whole animal physiology the emphasis is to understand the fundamental processes controlling reproductive cyclicity in the female, the mechanisms by which environmental / hormonal influences in early fetal life program reproductive failures and insulin resistance such as that seen in hyperandrogenic disorders like Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and to identify prevention and treatment strategies.

Research also centers on understanding the neuroendocrine mechanisms involved in the control of follicle-stimulating hormone, a key regulator of ovarian follicular development and fertility in women, its structure function relationships and the neuroendocrine and paracrine mechanisms controlling ovarian folliculogenesis, delineation of which will aid in overcoming infertility problems as well as in developing contraceptive approaches.

Representative Publications:

West CR, Carlson NE, Lee JS, McNeilly A, Sharma TP, Ye W, Padmanabhan V. 2002 Acidic mix of FSH isoforms are better facilitators of ovarian follicular maturation and estradiol production than the less acidic. Endocrinology 143:107-116

Sharma TP, Herkimer C, West C, Ye W, Birch R, Robinson J, Foster DL, Padmanabhan V 2002 Fetal programming: prenatal androgen excess disrupts positive feedback actions of estradiol but has no effect on timing of onset of puberty in female sheep. Biol Reprod 66 924-933

Padmanabhan V, Battaglia D, Brown MB, Karsch FJ, Lee JS, Pan W, Phillips DJ, VanCleeff J 2002 Neuroendocrine control of follicle-stimulating hormone Secretion: II. Is follistatin-induced suppression of follicle-stimulating hormone secretion mediated via changes in activin availability and does it involve changes in GnRH secretion? Biol Reprod 66:1395-1402.

Padmanabhan V, Brown M, Dahl G, Evans NP, Karsch FJ, Mauger DT, Neill JD, Van Cleeff J 2003 Neuroendocrine control of FSH secretion; III. Is there a GnRH-independent component of episodic FSH secretion in ovariectomized and luteal phase ewes? Endocrinology 144: 1380-1392

Manikkam, M, Crespi EJ, Doop, DD, Herkimer C, Lee JS, Yu S, Brown MB, Foster DL, Padmanabhan V. 2004 Fetal Programming: Prenatal Testosterone Excess Leads to Fetal Growth Retardation and Postnatal Catch-up Growth in Sheep. Endocrinology 145:790-798.

Savabieasfahani M, Lee JS, Herkimer C, Sharma TP, Foster DL, Padmanabhan V. 2005 Fetal Programming: Testosterone exposure of the female sheep during mid-gestation disrupts the dynamics of its adult gonadotropin secretion during the periovulatory period. Biology of Reproduction 72:221-229

Steckler T, Wang J, Bartol F, Roy SK, Padmanabhan V.  2005  Fetal programming: prenatal testosterone treatment causes intrauterine growth retardation, reduces ovarian reserve and increases ovarian follicular recruitment.  Endocrinology 146:3185-3193

Sarma HN, Manikkam M, Herkimer C, Dell’Orco J, Foster DL, Padmanabhan V.  2005 Fetal programming:  excess prenatal testosterone reduces postnatal LH, but not FSH responsiveness to estradiol negative feedback in the female.  Endocrinology 146:4281-4291

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