Laura Hernandez

The overall goal of our laboratory is to understand how autocrine/paracrine factors in the mammary gland regulate mammary gland development, as well as milk synthesis and secretion.  We utilize a combination of in vitro and in vivo models, with a variety of mammalian species (mice, cattle, humans) to understand how the mammary gland and the mother adapt to lactation.  We also utilize a combination of molecular and whole animal physiological techniques to understand mammary gland physiology.

Our laboratory is focused on mammary gland biology and lactation.  In particular our area of research is centered around how serotonin made in the mammary gland affects mammary gland development and lactation.  In particular, one major area of focus for our laboratory is how serotonin regulates the mother’s ability to regulate calcium homeostasis at the onset of lactation.  Calcium is critical to milk formation and is the most abundant mineral in milk, but is also an important mineral that governs many of the mother’s physiological processes.  We are interested in the role serotonin plays in modulating calcium between the mother and the milk during lactation.  Every mammal must mobilize a certain portion of their skeleton to maintain adequate circulating calcium levels in addition to supporting the formation of milk.  We currently have two areas of research regarding this topic.  One focuses on developing a novel method to prevent hypocalcemia in dairy cows, and the other focuses on how the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy and lactation can exacerbate bone lose, resulting in decreased bone mineral density later in life. We are investigating the use of SSRIs during pregnancy and lactation on long-term maternal bone health, as well as fetal health.  Our laboratory recently received funding from NICHD to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms regulating communication between mammary gland and bone tissue during lactation and how serotonin regulate this mechanism.