Research interests
Founding director of the CNE Prof Allan Herbison's research focused upon understanding the properties and functioning of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. These neurons are responsible for the initiation of puberty and the subsequent maintenance of reproductive function in adult males and females.
Allan was particularly interested in defining how:
- GnRH neurons generate pulsatile LH secretion
- Gonadal steroid hormones regulate the activity of GnRH neurons
- GnRH neurons become activated at puberty
Allan has now taken up a position at the University of Cambridge, UK.
Publications
Clarkson, J., Han, S. Y., Piet, R., McLennan, T., Kane, G. M., Ng, J., Porteous, R. W., Kim, J. S., … Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2017). Definition of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator in mice. PNAS, 114(47), E10216-E10223. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1713897114
Herbison, A. E. (2016). Control of puberty onset and fertility by gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 12, 452-466. doi: 10.1038/nrendo.2016.70
Han, S. Y., McLennan, T., Czieselsky, K., & Herbison, A. E. (2015). Selective optogenetic activation of arcuate kisspeptin neurons generates pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion. PNAS, 112(42), 13109-13114. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1512243112
Campos, P., & Herbison, A. E. (2014). Optogenetic activation of GnRH neurons reveals minimal requirements for pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion. PNAS, 111(51), 18387-18392. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1415226112
Kirilov, M., Clarkson, J., Liu, X., Roa, J., Campos, P., Porteous, R., … Herbison, A. E. (2013). Dependence of fertility on kisspeptin—Gpr54 signalling at the GnRH neuron. Nature Communications, 4, 2492. doi: 10.1038/ncomms3492
