Research Centers of Excellence
Faculty laboratories and offices are housed in a modern 20,000 square feet building, The Walter P. Martin Research Center, designed specifically to meet the research needs of the investigators and trainees.
Center of Men’s Health and Male Reproductive Biology Laboratories
A Multi-disciplinary Center with a faculty of basic scientists, clinical investigators, psychologists, nutritionists, clinical trials experts, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, and biostatistician from the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynecology, and Psychiatry
Basic research on germ cell regulation, pharmacologic interference of spermatogenesis, mechanisms of reproductive aging, animal models of genetic diseases, and male infertility
Clinical research on androgen metabolism, androgen replacement in hypogonadal men, and androgen deficient older men, male contraceptive development studies, effects of environmental, pharmaceutical and chemical toxicants on sperm production and function in men, brain structure and function studies in patients with sex chromosome disorders, diet and exercise modulation of sperm epigenomics, exosomes, and microbiome
Certified Center for the training of andrologists for the European Academy of Andrology. Ronald Swerdloff MD, Director; Christina Wang MD, Co-Director; Wei Yan MD, PhD Co-director
NIH, NICHD Contraceptive Clinical Trials Center (Male) Â at The Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA is one of two NIH supported Centers of Excellence to identify and test new candidates for male contraception. Ronald S. Swerdloff, M.D., Director, Christina Wang, MD Co-Director and PI
Male Reproductive Epigenomic Laboratory- Wei Yan
The Yan lab studies the genetic and epigenetic control of fertility and the epigenetic contribution of gametes to fertilization, early embryonic development, and adulthood health. Specific projects are as follows: 1) Regulation of spermatogenesis and male fertility. 2) Development of non-hormonal male contraceptives. 3) Mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance, with a focus on the roles of paternal/sperm-borne or maternal/oocyte-borne RNAs in the transmission of epigenetic information. 4) Physiological roles of reproductive tracts, with a particular interest in the functions of motile cilia in efferent ductules and oviduct/uterine tube/Fallopian tube
Southern California Thyroid Cancer Consortium (SCThyCC)
Dr. Gianoukakis is a co-founder and member of the
Southern California Thyroid Cancer Consortium ; a network of thyroid cancer centers serving the large, ethnically and socially diverse thyroid cancer population in Southern California . The consortium is comprised of major academic, public and private institutions represented by physician-investigators with a clinical and research focus on thyroid cancer.
The International Thyroid Oncology Group (ITOG)
Dr. Gianoukakis is a past board member and membership committee chair ofÂ
ITOG ; an international organization whose mission is to catalyze a cure for the most challenging thyroid cancers through the collaborative efforts of its unique multidisciplinary team of leading physicians, scientists, and advocates to design, coordinate, and prioritize state-of-the-art clinical trials and correlative science. ITOG members have led paradigm changing clinical trials for thyroid cancer patients. These trials have resulted in FDA approvals, and to innovative new approaches for treating differentiated thyroid cancer. The organization is comprised of doctors, scientists, and patients whose lives and careers are focused on identifying new therapies for thyroid cancer. ITOG is building on the success of its members by forging collaborative efforts that can accelerate drug discovery and clinical trials.
Gene Expression and Metabolism Laboratory-Eiji Yoshihara
The overarching goal of the Yoshihara Lab is to understand the origins of life and physiology through utilizing state-of-the-art biomedical technologies. Dr. Yoshihara studies spatial genes and metabolic regulation during development, applying novel findings towards the creation of therapeutics for diabetes and other related medical complications. To this end, the Yoshihara Lab employs a multidisciplinary approach using a pluripotent stem cell and tissue specific adult stem cell model system for human organogenesis as well as multiomics analysis, which includes genomic, proteomic, and biochemistry methods. To further investigate pathophysiology, the lab utilizes a genetic animal model. Additionally, the Yoshihara Lab is interested in developing biotechnology to improve human health and society.
Diabetes Research Group
A full spectrum of diabetes research is taking place at Harbor-UCLA under the leadership of Dr. Rajesh Garg. Research projects include clinical and translational research as well as quality improvement projects related to diabetes.  The diabetes program participates in CDC and NIH sponsored research. Investigators are also performing research that requires highly precise glucose monitoring using a YSI machine (including glucose-insulin clamp studies and development of new CGM devices). We are also a part of the UCSD-UCLA Diabetes Research Center which is one of the nineteen NIDDK-supported Diabetes Research Centers, an integrated program of diabetes and metabolism research.
Sleep-Metabolic Health Group
Dr. Liu’s research focuses on how sleep and hormones influence metabolic and reproductive health throughout life. This work includes understanding how circadian misalignment (as occurs with shiftwork or jet lag) or insufficient sleep (as occurs with the 24/7 lifestyle) causes obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus. The hope is that understanding the mechanisms by which this occurs could lead to novel methods to prevent the ill-effects of poor quality, insufficient or misaligned sleep on metabolic health without requiring modification of sleep
