Allan E. Herbison

Department of Physiology
Development and Neuroscience,
University of Cambridge, UK

Short Bio: Professor Dr. Allan’s research work focused upon understanding the properties and functioning of the key neural populations controlling fertility in mammals; the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons and the kisspeptin neurons. Together, these cells generate the “pulse” and “surge” patterns of hormone secretion that are responsible for the initiation of puberty and the subsequent maintenance of reproductive function in adult males and females.

Keynote Topic: Advances in Understanding the Neural Control of Fertility.

The brain has a key role in driving and regulating the fertility of all mammals. This occurs through a neural network located in the hypothalamus. This network is comprised primarily of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons and two different episode generators: the arcuate nucleus pulse generator and the preoptic area surge generator. Amazingly, both of these episode generators use the neuropeptide kisspeptin to control the activity of the GnRH neuron. Many new neuroscience techniques are now available to interrogate the functioning and activity of the different neuronal cell types involved in the fertility network. This talk will focus on the use of GCaMP fiber photometry approaches that enable the activity of specific cell populations to be monitored in vivo in real time in freely behaving mice.