SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF REPRODUCTION HONORS UCSC RESEARCHER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA CRUZ, CA--Frank Talamantes, professor of biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has received the 1993 "SSR Research Award" from the Society for the Study of Reproduction. The award, which recognizes outstanding research during the past six years, is one of the top honors for scientists who study the hormones involved in the reproductive process.

Talamantes was chosen for his laboratory's pioneering work on a family of hormones that includes growth hormones and placental lactogens. These substances play key roles in several vital processes during pregnancy, including the growth of the fetus and the development of the mother's mammary glands. Using progressively more complex studies involving mice, Talamantes's group has earned an international reputation for identifying the stuctures of the hormones and many of their functions. This basic research has applications to studies of health problems during and after human pregnancy, such as miscarriages and inability to nurse.

In the last six years, Talamantes and his colleagues have published more than 60 scientific articles. "Studies from Dr. Talamantes' laboratory have been comprehensive, spanning the entire realm of modern reproductive endocrinology work," states the award citation. "The significance of his accomplishments is not only in the volume of work, but also in its quality."

The society also praised the mentoring skills that Talamantes has displayed in training numerous young scientists, both at the graduate and undergraduate level, and his special contributions to fostering the research careers of students from ethnic minority groups.

Talamantes received his B.A. from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, his M.A. from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, and his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. He joined the UCSC faculty in 1974.

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