We are primarily conducting translational research, some of which is in conjunction with a colleague in anthropology, Dr. Gillian Bentley. We have studied hormone differences between populations of women in the developing countries of Bolivia and Bangladesh and the Western countries, US and UK. Salivary progesterone concentrations are significantly lower in women of developing countries, and migrant studies show that the age of the migrants is critical in the adaptation of the Western hormone patterns. Adult migrants do not adapt to the higher progesterone levels. Salivary estradiol is not significantly different between these population groups. We are interested in the relation of hormone levels to fertility and to breast cancer incidence. Other studies involve Dr. Seema Khan, Department of Surgery. We are studying hormone and products of hormone action in nipple aspirate fluid and breast random fine-needle aspirates from women with different levels of breast cancer risk to ascertain the associations of hormones with the potential for breast cancer development. The very small samples obtained make the procedure more acceptable than other biopsy procedures but the amount of biomarkers in the samples are limiting. For this purpose we are working with Dr. Chad Mirkin and others in the Nanotechnology Program to develop assays with several-fold greater sensitivities than the current immunoassays. We are also funded to study the potential for transdermal application of the biologically active metabolite of tamoxifen to the breast as an alternative to oral administration of tamoxifen. We are working with Dr. Dean Ho of the Bioengineering Faculty to develop more efficient delivery systems for this application. Potentially, this will eliminate some of the undesirable side-effects of tamoxifen that cause a majority of women to reject the prophylactic use of tamoxifen.