After 65 years, research is still fun

Annu Rev Anim Biosci. 2013 Jan:1:1-20. doi: 10.1146/annurev-animal-031412-103722. Epub 2012 Dec 13.

Abstract

In 1946, at the end of World War II, I entered graduate school at Cornell University, where I remained for 44 years. During that time, my laboratory produced more than 300 publications in the field of reproductive biology, including studies on nutrition and reproduction, the role of the hypothalamus in pituitary gonadotropin release, corpus luteum formation and function, hormone assays, and estrous cycle synchronization. At age seventy, I retired from Cornell and accepted the Gordon Cain Endowed Professorship at Louisiana State University, where I continued my work on the bovine corpus luteum and added research on the collection, maturation, in vitro fertilization, and culture of bovine oocytes. In 1994, I moved to the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and soon thereafter started the research that led to development of the lytic peptide-gonadotropin conjugates, which target and destroy cancer cell membranes. I am continuing my work on the development of targeted cancer cell drugs and, yes, research is still fun!

Keywords: Autobiography; cancer; corpus luteum; hypothalamus; pituitary; progesterone.

Publication types

  • Autobiography
  • Historical Article
  • Portrait
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Nutrition Sciences / history*
  • Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Animals
  • Biomedical Research / history*
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, 21st Century
  • Reproductive Physiological Phenomena
  • United States

Personal name as subject

  • William Hansel