Our research focuses on human adrenal disorders and tumors. We conduct human physiology studies, deep phenotyping protocols, and prospective studies to gain insights into adrenal hormone biology. Our major efforts have focused on characterizing the syndrome of primary aldosteronism, the distribution of clinically relevant adrenal hormone excess that imparts adverse health effects, the pathogenesis and treatment of adrenal tumors, and improving quality of life for patients with adrenal insufficiency.

Our lab is part of the Center for Adrenal Disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Recent Lab Updates

 

2024: In this EJE study, we show that the saline-suppression test, used to exclude or confirm primary aldosteronism, induces hypocalcemia. Since calcium is critical for the production of aldosterone, these findings highlight how this test may confound interpretations of the results.

 

2024: In this JCEM study, we show that low-renin hypertension manifests as a spectrum of primary aldosteronism pathophysiology that is prominently regulated by ACTH. The findings have implications for the treatment of low-renin hypertension and the use of diagnostic tests for primary aldosteronism.

2023: The HYPERTENSION Webinar Series on Primary Aldosteronism is now available on YouTube. Featuring Drs. Turcu, Vaidya, Luther, Cohen, Bhalla.

2023 Mid- and End-of-Year Lab Brunches!

2023 Update: In this comprehensive review published in Endocrine Reviews,  we highlight evidenced-based approaches to optimize medical therapy for primary aldosteronism.

2022 Update: The lab publishes a state-of-the-art review on primary aldosteronism in American Journal of Hypertension.

2022 Update: Lab outing!

2022 Update: Our review in Nature Reviews Endocrinology highlighting primary aldosteronism as a multi-dimensional syndrome.

2022 Update: Ashish Verma shows that pathogenic aldosteronism is associated with a higher risk of CKD progression and ESKD in patients with CKD. Providing mechanistic support for the reno-protective effects of MR antagonists. In European Heart Journal.

2022 Update: Jenifer Brown shows that primary aldosteronism pathophysiology is associated with subclinical structural heart disease in Hypertension.

2022 Update: Jenifer Brown demonstrates that LC-MS/MS assays for aldosterone report substantially lower values than immunoassays that may influence decision making in Journal of the Endocrine Society.

2022 Update: The Center for Adrenal Disorders is recognized as a PheoPara Center for Clinical Excellence.

2022 Update: Wasita Parksook shows that morphologically normal appearing adrenal glands frequently harbor the source(s) of primary aldosteronism in American Journal of Hypertension.

2021 Update: Nick Yozamp demonstrates the  clinical implications of the variability of aldosterone production in primary aldosteronism in Hypertension and American Journal of Hypertension, and highlights how ACTH-stimulation during adrenal venous sampling can influence interpretations (in Hypertension).

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.2021 Update: Our multi-site studies, in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic, focused on better understanding determinants of quality of life, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in patients with adrenal insufficiency, were published in JCEM.

2020 Update: A pathophysiology-based approach to the diagnosis and treatment of the primary aldosteronism syndrome published in JCEM and EJE.

2020 Update: Jen Brown's study characterized the unrecognized prevalence of the primary aldosteronism syndrome. This multi-site study in Annals of Internal Medicine redefines primary aldosteronism as a common syndrome that can manifest across a broad continuum of severity. Editorial by Prof. John Funder.

2020 Update: Omar Bayomy's study in JCEM disentangles the relationships between sodium, volume, RAAS activity, and calcium physiology. Findings provide potential evolutionary and practical evidence affirming the link between dietary sodium intake and kidney stones.

2020 Update: Angela Chen's study in Clinical Endocrinology highlights how variability in dietary sodium intake can influence the interpretation of cortisol measurements. 

2019 Update: Our case-based overview on the management of Incidentally Discovered Adrenal Masses for AACE.

2018 Update: Our comprehensive and contemporary review on the Expanding Spectrum of Primary Aldosteronism was published in Endocrine Reviews.

2018 Update: Greg Hundemer's cohort studies evaluating the efficacy of currently recommended treatments for primary aldosteronism were published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, JAMA Cardiology, and Hypertension.

2018 Update: Our international collaborative published new findings implicating EPAS1 mutations in paragangliomas of patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease in the New England Journal of Medicine

2017 Update: A review article on Aging and Aldosterone Production published in collaboration with the Rainey Lab at the University of Michigan.

2017 Update: The Vaidya Lab publishes new studies on primary aldosteronism pathophysiology and treatment in Annals of Internal Medicine and The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.