BHSI Members - Profile of Bender, Michael

Hormones play important regulatory roles during development of all higher organisms. My laboratory carries out basic research focused on the function of the insect steroid hormone that controls metamorphosis in the fly Drosophila. We are also investigating the function of a pro-hormone convertase that regulates simple behaviors in the fly. This family of proteins is responsible for proteolytic cleavage and activation of neuropeptide hormones. As with many basic biological mechanisms, the molecular details of hormone function are remarkably conserved between organisms as distant as insects and man. We study hormone function in Drosophila because it is a simple system and offers excellent molecular and genetic tools. The long term importance of our work lies in understanding the molecular mechanisms of hormonal influences on growth, development and medicine.

PubMed
Department Profile

bender@uga.edu

steroid hormone, nuclear receptor, ecdysone, hormone signaling, prohormone convertase, neuropeptide processing, Drosophila, metamorphosis, oogenesis, behavior