Stephen R. Hammes

Stephen R. Hammes, M.D., Ph.D. is the Louis S. Wolk Professor of Biomedical Research and Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the University of Rochester Medical Center's School of Medicine and Dentistry. He holds multiple professorial appointments across the Department of Medicine (as Executive Vice Chair), Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Pharmacology and Physiology.

• Cornell University - B.A. in Chemistry (1985)
• Duke University - M.D. and Ph.D. in Pathology - Medical Microbiology (1992)
• University of California, San Francisco - Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine (1993-1995)
• University of California, San Francisco - Fellowship in Endocrinology (1995-1999)

Dr. Hammes pioneered research on rapid, extranuclear ('nongenomic') steroid signaling, demonstrating how these rapid responses initiate at cell membranes and are critical for subsequent steroid-mediated nuclear effects. His laboratory studies steroid signaling and production with focus on fertility regulation and hormone-sensitive cancers including prostate cancer and lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). His work has established that androgen signaling in ovarian granulosa cells (both nuclear and extranuclear effects) is critical for normal follicle development and ovulation, with implications for polycystic ovary syndrome.

Analysis of Dr. Hammes' recent publications reveals a strong focus on lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), prostate cancer, and the intersection of inflammation with hormone-sensitive cancers. His research demonstrates how estrogen promotes tumor growth in LAM through neutrophil production, how neutrophil elastase contributes to prostate cancer progression, and how paxillin regulates genomic networks in cancer. These studies consistently bridge basic molecular mechanisms with clinical applications.

As Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Dr. Hammes leads a multidisciplinary team providing clinical care to tens of thousands of patients annually, with subspecialty clinics for diabetes, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, pituitary disorders, and transgender care. He also oversees a robust fellowship program training academic endocrinologists.

The Hammes Laboratory maintains active research programs focused on four main areas: Paxillin in Prostate Cancer Progression, Inflammation and Prostate Cancer, Estrogen/Inflammation in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, and Androgen-Mediated Regulation of Ovarian Function. The laboratory has developed a metastatic mouse model for LAM that has provided critical insights into this rare disease's pathogenesis.