Growth is an inherent property of life. Normal somatic growth requires the integrated function of many of the hormonal, metabolic, and other growth factors involved in the hypothalamo-pituitary- growth axis. One of the major aims of our research is to focus on the complexity as well as on the variety of this event called growth. Therefore, the pituitary gland and its development is one of the topics, which is and has been studied within our institution.
In the field of Diabetology we are focusing on the set-point of euglycaemia. We strongly feel that this set-point is clinically of high importance as many patients are suffering from side-effects of hyperglycaemia when they are getting older. Having found and defined such a most important threshold of glycaemia we could be in the position to suggest a specific glucose-lowering treatment at a very early stage of disease. Further in the sub-division of Metabolic Disorders we are focusing on mitochondrial disorders diagnosed in childhood. As we are not only scientists but also clinicians we are in the position to see and define many disorders being just a bad experiment of mother Nature which we try to pin down at the molecular level with many local, national and/or international collaborations. In addition, we are building up again our scientific collaboration with the adult endocrinologists focusing on the clinical impact of GH on various situations in adults.
