Professor Raff, Biography
My clinical research has two major areas of interest. The first is the development of new methods in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome. We have developed and championed the use of bedtime salivary cortisol measurement to diagnose endogenous hypercortisolism. My laboratory also helped develop the inferior petrosal sinus sampling for ACTH technique to differentiate pituitary from ectopic ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome. We also developed the method to verify catheter placement using prolactin measurements. Finally, our translational research is evaluating the biochemistry and molecular biology of human steroidogenic adrenal tumors. Laboratory Research: The major interest of my laboratory is to evaluate the endocrine and metabolic adaptations of the fetus, neonate, adolescent, and adult rat to perinatal hypoxia. We have studied the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis showing a non-ACTH mediated increase in steroidogenesis apparently mediated by a novel neural pathway to the adrenal cortex via sympathetic nerves.
Interview with Hershel
1. Can you tell us about the major themes in your research program?
a. Using salivary cortisol in the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome and adrenal insufficiency.
b. Measuring salivary cortisol and alpha amylase in human stress research.
2. If you had to pick 1 publication in the past 5 years as the "best of your best", what would it be and why?
I couldn't decide between these two. They are comprehensive reviews of salivary cortisol as a diagnostic tool.
Raff H. Utility of salivary cortisol measurements in Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal insufficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 94:3647-3655, 2009
Raff H. Cushing’s syndrome: diagnosis and surveillance using salivary cortisol. Pituitary 15:64-70, 2012
3. How did you get interested in using saliva in your research? In the mid-1990s, we were looking for a way to do late-night cortisol sampling in patients, and blood sampling was not viable. We saw some earlier papers (from the 1980s) that suggested saliva might work and decided to try it. It resulted in this highly cited paper; Raff H, Raff JL, Findling JW. Late-night salivary cortisol as a screening test for Cushing's syndrome. J Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 83:2681-2686, 1998
4. Which salivary analytes are you working with? Cortisol and Alpha-amylase
5. How has working with saliva changed the direction of your research plans? It made doing human stress research MUCH easier and MUCH better.
6. What analyte is not measured in saliva now that you would hope could be measured in the future? There are suggestions in the literature that some small polypeptides (e.g. oxytocin, leptin and even insulin) may be worth looking at.
7. What advice would give young investigators who might be considering working with saliva in their research? READ THE LITERATURE!
8. Tell us something about you (a hobby or special interest) that we would be surprised to know? I have been a musician my whole life and play several instruments (guitar, piano, etc).
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