Research Areas

Our clinical and translational research connects pituitary disease mechanisms with treatment and outcomes. We study acromegaly, growth hormone deficiency, pituitary tumors and hormone dysfunction associated with cancer immunotherapy.

We investigate treatments for acromegaly through multicenter clinical trials of oral and long-acting therapies. Dr. Labadzhyan has served as principal investigator for studies of oral octreotide capsules, paltusotine, the 12-week octreotide formulation Debio 4126, and therapies targeting the growth hormone receptor. These studies assess efficacy and safety, with the goal of expanding treatment options and reducing the burden of long-term therapy.

Labadzhyan A, et al. Oral octreotide capsules for the treatment of acromegaly: comparison of 2 phase 3 trial results. Pituitary. 2021;24:943-953.

Our outcomes research examines survival and disease characteristics in patients with acromegaly using the Pituitary Tumor Registry and multicenter cohorts. Related work includes the Management of Acromegaly (MACRO) Registry and development of patient-reported measures of treatment satisfaction. We also investigate the effects of a low-carbohydrate and low-gluten diet on disease progression, symptoms, complications and treatment outcomes. Together, these projects address both long-term prognosis and the patient experience of treatment.

Cuevas-Ramos D, Labadzhyan A, et al. Impact of acromegaly subtypes on survival: results from a large multicenter cohort. J Endocr Soc. 2026;10(6):bvag111.

We study growth hormone replacement strategies for adults with growth hormone deficiency. Dr. Labadzhyan has led clinical trials comparing once-weekly lonapegsomatropin with placebo and daily somatropin, and has participated in studies of long-acting somavaratan. This work evaluates the efficacy and safety of replacement therapies and explores alternatives to daily injections. His scholarly work also addresses the risks and benefits of growth hormone replacement in older adults.

Our research examines the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 infection and pituitary function. Dr. Labadzhyan served as site principal investigator for the NIH-funded study of mechanisms for post-COVID pituitary damage. The research combines evaluation of autopsy-derived pituitary tissue, assessment of biobank samples and prospective studies of pituitary function and clinical findings after COVID-19. The aim is to clarify mechanisms of possible pituitary injury and characterize associated hormone dysfunction.

We investigate endocrine adverse events associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, including therapies directed at CTLA-4, PD-1 and PD-L1. Our retrospective and prospective studies examine predictive markers, endocrine autoantibodies, hormone changes and clinical outcomes in patients receiving immunotherapy for advanced cancers. This work seeks to improve understanding of treatment-related endocrinopathies and identify patients at risk of these complications.

Labadzhyan A, et al. Endocrine Autoantibodies Determine Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-induced Endocrinopathy: A Prospective Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022;107:1976-1982.

In collaboration with investigators in the Cedars-Sinai Pituitary Center, we study pituitary tumor biology and outcomes of treatment. Work includes DNA damage and growth hormone hypersecretion in somatotroph adenomas, evaluation of compounds in primary human pituitary tumor cultures, and genetic and phenotypic characterization of nonfunctioning tumors. Clinical collaborations address endocrine management around pituitary surgery, delayed hyponatremia and hospital readmissions, and the relationship between cabergoline exposure, prolactinoma fibrosis and surgical outcomes.

Ben-Shlomo A, Deng N, Ding E, Yamamoto M, Mamelak A, Chesnokova V, Labadzhyan A, Melmed S. DNA damage and growth hormone hypersecretion in pituitary somatotroph adenomas. J Clin Invest. 2020 Nov 2;130(11):5738-5755.

Cooper O, Lis R, Bonert V, Labadzhyan A, Liu NA, Ben-Shlomo A, Ljubimov V, Krutikova V, Mamelak AN. Fluid Restriction Reduces Delayed Hyponatremia and Hospital Readmissions After Transsphenoidal Surgery. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023 Jul 14;108(8):e623-e633.

Mamelak AN, Fox R, Rosenberg Y, Gomez D, Cui Y, Ben-Shlomo A, Labadzhyan A, Liu NA, Bonert V, Cooper O. Long-term cabergoline use does not predict degree of prolactinoma fibrosis nor significantly impact surgical outcomes. Pituitary. 2026 Jan 12;29(1):27. doi: 10.1007/s11102-025-01628-8.