Endocrinology
Endocrinology is loosely defined as the study of hormone secretion and the action
of hormones on their target cells. Hormones are secreted by specialized cells and
concentration levels are controlled by complex feedback mechanisms, some of which
are understood and many of which are still a mystery. The secretion of hormones come
in many different "flavors”: Some are oscillatory in nature, others pulsatile or follow
a diurnal rhythm, and others are controlled through a menstrual or seasonal or developmental
rhythm. Concentration levels can be assayed through blood or urine samples. Investigators
at the University of Michigan are interested in many aspects of normal and abnormal
control of hormone concentration levels and the complex feedback mechanisms that control
these levels. Statistical methods that have been used to study hormone secretion are
time series (classical and dynamic models), Bayesian statistics, biomathematical models
and nonparametric statistics.
Faculty: M. Banerjee, M. Boehnke, P. Song, W. Ye