Dr. Meikle’s major research interests are focused on male reproductive endocrinology, prostatic and thyroid neoplasia and laboratory techniques for hormonal assays. The objective of the studies in male twins has been to determine the influence of hereditary and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Studies are planned to do linkage analysis of susceptibility genes to the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The goal of studies in thyroid neoplasia is to assess the influence of radioactive exposure on the development of autoimmune thyroiditis and thyroid neoplasia. In human prostate cancer cell lines, studies have focused on hormonal and non-hormonal mechanisms that regulate growth and apoptosis of this common neoplasm in aging men. A wide range of endocrine assays has been developed at ARUP.

The experimental techniques used in the laboratory include radioimmunoassay of steroid hormones, growth factors, markers of apoptosis and LC/MS/MS methodology for hormonal assays. Molecular biology techniques include PCR, mRNA analysis and gene sequencing.