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Glucocorticoid Receptors in Health and Disease

John A. Cidlowski, Ph.D.
John A. Cidlowski, Ph.D.
Deputy Chief, Molecular & Cellular Biology Laboratory;
Senior Investigator
Tel 984-287-3545
Fax 919-541-1367
[email protected]
NIH Intramural ProfileJohn A. Cidlowski, Ph.D.
P.O. Box 12233
Mail Drop F3-06
Durham, NC 27709

Research Summary

The illustration depicts an overview of the research performed by members of Molecular Endocrinology
The illustration depicts an overview of the group’s research.

John A. Cidlowski, Ph.D., is Deputy Chief of the Signal Transduction Laboratory and head of the Molecular Endocrinology Group.

The group studies steroid hormones, which regulate tissue-specific gene expression in animals via receptor dependent intracellular signal transduction pathways.

A second major interest of the laboratory focuses on evaluating the mechanisms involved in the regulation of apoptosis in normal and neoplastic cells. Research is aimed at the identification and cloning of genes that are responsible for both the initiation and execution of apoptosis.

Major areas of research:

  • Glucocorticoid receptors and their actions on the inflammatory response
  • Regulation of apoptosis in normal and neoplastic cells
  • Genetically modified animal models for studying glucocorticoid actions

Current projects:

  • The role of glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation in signal transduction
  • The transcriptional and translational regulation of glucocorticoid receptor gene expression
  • The involvement of the glucocorticoid receptors in inflammation and innate immunity
  • Defining tissue and cell type specific roles for glucocorticoids in health and disease
  • The role of cell volume regulation and ion channels in apoptosis

Cidlowski received his Ph.D. in 1975 from Medical College of Georgia in Endocrinology. He has published over 350 peer-reviewed articles in leading biomedical journals, as well as several book chapters.  He served as Professor of Physiology and Biochemistry at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before joining the NIEHS in 1995.