COS Expertise Profile

Mary Lee Vance

University of Virginia
School of Medicine
Internal Medicine
Professor Appointed: 1994

Mailing Address

Box 601
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
United States

Contact Information

Phone: (804) 984-2284
Fax: (804) 982-3213
mlv@Virginia.EDU

Qualifications

B.S., Loyola University of the South, 1968
M.A., University of Virginia, Biology, 1973
M.D., Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Medicine, 1977

Expertise and Research Interests

Research Interests:Growth Hormone Physiology:The regulation of growth hormone (GH) secretion and the physiology of the decline in GH secretion with aging is a major focus of my research. Growth hormone has pivotal role in influencing protein, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in adults. This hormone has an anabolic effect by increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat mass in adults with GH deficiency (usually a result of a pituitary gland tumor) and in older adults. Current research aims are to determine the reasons for the decline in GH secretion association with aging, the effects of GH replacement in GH-deficient adults and evaluation of novel new peptides which stimulate GH secretion in GH deficient adults and in older adults with diminished GH secretion. The other areas of research involves studies in patients with pituitary tumors. These studies involve administration of new medical therapies to treat specific types of pituitary tumor, i.e., GH secreting and prolactin secreting tumors. Recently developed drugs are effective in reducing excessive GH and prolactin secretion by these tumor types. These medications are an effective treatment for patients, either as primary therapy or in the setting of persistent hormone hypersecretion after surgery and/or radiation therapy. Additional studies involve the administration of hypothalamic hormones (GHRH, CRH) to determine the prevalence of GH deficiency and the need for chronic steroid replacement therapy in patients with known pituitary disease, primarily those treated with surgery and/or radiation therapy.Expertise:All of my research studies are conducted in adults, patients and normal volunteers. These groups are the ultimate test of scientific hypotheses and treatment strategies. Studies in human beings require particular precautions and safeguards as well as a testable hypothesis. In essence, these studies do not allow for discarding a study group and selecting another. Thus, the design of human studies requires attention to not only the hypothesis and study design to to issues of safety and efficiency. In evaluating the effects of growth hormone treatment, the administration of stable (non-radioactive) isotopes is used to determine the effects of GH on protein, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. This methodology is used to the metabolic effects of GH therapy. Other methods of assessing treatment effects includes monitoring and interpreting exercise studies, oxygen consumption and strength studies.

Other Expertise

The studies of growth hormone in adults are very relevant to the potential widespread use of this hormone to counteract some of the effects of aging to promoting more rapid recovery for severe catabolic illnesses and to providing GH replacement in adultswith GH deficiency.Expert witness:Medical malpractice cases (3) involving patients with Cushing's syndromeConsultancies: Serono Pharmaceutical Co.;Sandoz Pharmaceutical Co.;Sensus Drug Development Corp.;Wyeth Ayerst Pharmaceutical Co.

Keywords

COS Keywords: Growth Hormone; Human Physiology; Neurosurgery

Memberships

Albemarle County Medical Society
American Federation for Medical Research
American Medical Women's Association
Endocrine Society
Southern Society for Clinical Investigation
The Pituitary Society
Women in Endocrinology
Women's Faculty and Professional Association, University of Virginia

Previous Positions

1990-1994, University of Virginia, Associate Professor
1986-1990, University of Virginia, Assistant Professor
1983-1986, University of Virginia, Research Assistant Professor

Funding Received

Determination of the Effects of Physiologic Growth .., Eli Lilly and Company, $105,837, 6/88 - 7/94

Diagnosis and Therapy of Carcinoidtumor with (MIBG).., U Va Cancer Cener, $3,500, 1/88 - 1/94

Metabolic Effects of Continuous, Continuous, Intermittent & Single, Genentech, $83,310, 4/93 - 3/95

General Clinical Research Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), 12/90 - 11/95

A Doulbe placebo controlled, randomized......, Wyeth-Ayerst, $42,955, 3/95 - 12/95

Publications

Newman CB, Melmed S, Synder PJ, Young WF, Boyajay LD, Stewart WN, Klibanski A, Molitch ME, Boyd AE, Sheeler, Cook D, Malarkey WB, Jackson IMD, Vance ML, Thorner MO, Ho J, Jaffe CA, Frohman LA, Kleinberg DL 1995 Safety and efficacy of long-term octreotidetherapy

Vance ML. Medical Progress: Hypopituitarism. 1994 Ne Eng J. Med 330: 1651-1662

Atuk NO, Hanks, JB, Weltman J, Bogdonoff DL, Boyd DG, Vance ML. 1994 Circulating dihydroxyphenylglycol concentrations during sympathetic nervous system activation in patients with pheochromocytoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 79:1609-1614

Veldhuis JD, Iranmanesh A, Evans WS, Lizarralde G, Thorner MO, Vance ML. 1993 Amplitude suppression of the pulsatile mode of innumo-radiometric luteinizing hormone release in fasting-induced hypoandro-metric in normal men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 765:587-593

Hartman ML, Pincus SM, Johnson ML, Marrhews DH, Faunt LM, Vance ML, Thorner MO, Veldhuis JD. Enhanced basal and disorderly growth hormone (GH) secretion distinguish acromegalic from normal GH release. J Clin Invest

Profile Details

Last Updated: Aug 3 1998.

COS Expertise ID #324474
Reference this profile directly: http://myprofile.cos.com/vancem74

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