Shlomo Melmed, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, USA

Pituitary tumours account for around 15% of intracranial tumours. However, their investigation is often impeded by tissue availability, access to tumour sites and lack of differentiated cell lines. The genetic understanding of these tumours is limited and most of our understanding has been derived from mechanisms for pituitary trophic activity. Transgenic models have provided a better understanding of the multistep progression of pituitary growth, hyperplasia and neoplasia, and several factors that mediate tumorigenesis have been identified. This has enabled the cell directed therapeutic strategies for the treatment of these endocrine neoplasms.