Biographical Information: James Janik is a neuroendocrinologist whose primary interest is regulatory control of anterior pituitary hormone secretions. He is particularly interested in the neuroregulatory role played by the Endogenous Opioid Peptides and the recently discovered, novel neuropeptide, Orphanin FQ. Using the rat as their primary research model, students in his laboratory investigate mechanisms of hormonal control under several different physiological conditions at both the in vivo and in vitro levels. A major thrust of the work is determining the impact of gender and reproductive state, in particular lactation, on hormonal control mechanisms. Dr. Janik often works in collaboration with Dr. Phyllis Callahan, another neuroendocrinologist in the Department of Zoology. Students in his laboratory learn a wide variety of investigative techniques including: radioimmunoassay (RIA) to quantify hormone concentrations; electrochemical detection of catecholamines following high pressure liquid chromatographic separation to quantify neurotransmitter content in specific brain regions; analgesia testing as a behavioral index of opiate activity and pain perception; immunocytochemistry to determine peptide localization and neural activation; perfusion of isolated tissues, such as hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to investigate cellular control mechanisms; and small animal surgery including stereotaxic surgery.