Recent discoveries in basic and clinical sciences provide exciting new opportunities to advance our knowledge and understanding of metabolism and endocrinology. These efforts require a sophisticated mix of multidisciplinary skills and expertise all of which are available in the CCIR and the MIR. 

A variety of investigators possessing diverse backgrounds and strengths use the CCIR facilities to study a wide range of areas that include: diabetes, steroid hormone biosynthesis and action, lipid disorders, diabetes mellitus and fatty liver disease. Other research interests probe complex questions aimed at understanding issues like:  how obesity contributes to metabolic diseases; gaining knowledge about growth factors, the thyroid/pituitary/adrenal glands; signal transduction; molecular genetics; reproductive endocrinology; endocrine therapy; and, bone/mineral metabolism.  

The CCIR employs ultrasonography and PET as the primary imaging techniques in these research areas. Both provide valuable evaluation tools in qualitative and quantitave assessment of anatomy and function.  One example is the increasing use of PET imaging  in the diagnosis and management of thyroid cancer, which is the most common malignancy of endocrine tissues.  Another example is the use of PET and micro-PET imaging as well-validated radiotracer tools perfectly designed to assess how estrogen modulates myocardial substrate metabolism and the mechanism responsible for effects on myocardial fatty acid metabolism.

As we enter a new age of research focused on endocrine and metabolism disorders, the CCIR will provide an environment rich in imaging expertise to the physician-scientists in this field.