Wednesday, 13 January 2016
Dr Rod Mitchell, Wellcome Trust Clinical Fellow at the University of
Edinburgh; and Professor Lee Smith, Chair of Genetic Endocrinology, MRC Centre
for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh discuss the
hormone testosterone and its importance for male health and wellbeing.
Development of the male reproductive system, secondary sexual
characteristics and male fertility all depend on testosterone. A combination of genetic and
environmental influences that result in a failure of testosterone production,
or its ability to work in a baby before it is born, may make a man more likely
to experience a reproductive health disorder. These conditions can arise from
birth or become apparent later in life. Problems with testosterone during
puberty or in adult life can impact male fertility and wider male health.
Recently, a number of environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals have been
implicated in the development of these disorders; we will discuss current
evidence for how chemical exposure might influence male reproductive health.
The talk will also cover the science behind production and action of
testosterone and how this knowledge might be used to develop strategies improve
male health.