Endocrine Technologies Core
Our mission
The Endocrine Technologies Core (ETC) provides essential endocrine assay services and specialized expertise to investigators in order to advance a wide array of research in a number of species, with a focus on nonhuman primates (NHP).
The ETC provides the following routine services to both intra- and extramural scientists:
- Immunochemiluminescence assays using a Roche cobas e411 automated clinical platform for measurement of hormones in NHP and humans
- Commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and radioimmunoassays (RIA)
- Multiplex assays on a Luminex platform using antibody-coated beads for protein and cytokine/chemokine analysis
- Liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) using Shimadzu Nexera-LCMS-8050 and Shimadzu Nexera-LCMS-8060 instruments
- Traditional RIA for gonadotropins
- Extraction RIA for steroid hormones
About us
The Endocrine Technologies Core (ETC) at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) has been providing analysis of protein and steroid content in blood to intra- and extramural investigators for over 40 years. Our sample sources include academic institutions, zoos, and veterinary clinics, as well as pharmaceutical, biotech, and translational research companies.
Principal support functions include routine assays for most naturally occurring steroid and protein hormones involved in the regulation of reproduction, metabolism, and the central nervous system. We also develop, validate, and optimize new assays when requested by investigators.
Contact us
External users must contact Dr. David Erikson, ETC Director erikson@ohsu.edu, 503-346-5078 before initiation of services.
Lab Contact for ETC assay request and sample shipment: endoreq@ohsu.edu, 503-346-5066
Sample Shipping Address:
Dr. David Erikson
Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC)
Endocrine Technologies Core
505 NW 185th Avenue
Beaverton, OR 97006
The ETC team
David Erikson, Ph.D., is the Director of the ETC. He has been at ONPRC in this capacity since 2014. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Erikson held appointments at several academic institutions, where he gained extensive experience in multiple areas including endocrinology, reproductive biology, and assay technologies. As the Director, Dr. Erikson collaborates with investigators, analyzes and reports data, initiates new technology development, and manages all operations and direction of the ETC.
Steven Blue is a Senior Research Associate in the ETC. He has worked in the ETC since 2006 and performs a number of steroid and protein assays, including LC-MS/MS.
Andrea Winchell is a Senior Research Associate. She has worked in the ETC since 2009 and performs RIA, ELISA, and Luminex analyses.
Kristopher Fecteau, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Associate. Kris has worked in the ETC since 2019 and performs LC-MS/MS analyses.
Francis K.-Y. Pau, Ph.D., is a consultant to the ETC. Dr. Pau worked at the ONPRC for 30 years in endocrinology, neuroscience, and stem cell biology with years of experience in RIA and other assays, and is the former Director of the ETC.
David Hess, Ph.D., is a consultant to the ETC. Dr. Hess is the founder of the ETC and served as its Director for over three decades before his retirement.
ETC Services
The ETC has a Roche cobas e411 automated immunoassay platform that currently offers 40 assays for human serum and/or plasma. A number of these assays have been validated for use in NHP serum and/ or plasma samples: estradiol-17ß, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, ACTH, prolactin, total T3, free T3, total T4, free T4, insulin, C-peptide, DHEAS, ferritin, serum beta-CrossLaps (CTX), growth hormone, osteocalcin, AMH, and vitamin D. We also offer daily STAT testing of estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone in NHP and human subjects for ONPRC and OHSU investigators for the purpose of monitoring menstrual cycles in these subjects.
Assays for proteins or peptides without extraction are available as in-house assays or from commercial sources. In-house assays include NHP LH, NHP FSH, and NHP CG. Routine commercial assays include inhibin-B, AMH, growth hormone, prolactin, leptin, ghrelin, glucagon, IGF-1, and total or high molecular weight adiponectin. The ETC will validate additional commercial assays and perform analysis as requested by investigators.
We offer a Luminex LX-200 for simultaneous measurement of multiple hormones in a single, small-volume sample. This platform is excellent for quantifying cytokines, cell signaling molecules, and disease markers. The most commonly requested assays are 29-plex and 37-plex NHP cytokine panels. We also offer custom cytokine panels designed specifically for your experiment.
The ETC has Shimadzu Nexera-LCMS-8050 liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and Shimadzu Nexera-LCMS-8060 LC-MS/MS systems for steroid, small molecule, and peptide quantitation. By combining ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with next-generation triple quadrupole technology offered by the LCMS-8050 and the LCMS-8060, we can provide unparalleled sensitivity, precision, and throughput for our clients. We currently provide routine, affordable assays for over 15 analytes, including steroid hormones and nicotine metabolites, and will develop methods for other targets at investigator's request. Please contact us for more information on LC-MS/MS methods and pricing.
Many steroid hormones in serum or plasma can be extracted either by ethanol or ether for RIA. While many of our extraction RIAs for steroids have been replaced with LC-MS/MS assays, we still offer this platform for analysis of deoxycorticosterone and corticosterone in multiple species.
Recent Publications from the Endocrine Technologies Core
1: Avenant C, Moliki JM, Bick AJ, Dlamini S, Singata-Madliki M, Hofmeyr GJ, Chen PL, Storbeck KH, Africander DJ, Erikson DW, Hapgood JP. Serum norethisterone (NET) levels in NET-enanthate (NET-EN) injectable contraception users substantially interfere with testosterone immunoassay measurements and confound interpretation of biological outcomes. Contracept Reprod Med. 2025 Aug 19;10(1):51. doi: 10.1186/s40834-025-00388-x. PMID: 40830906; PMCID: PMC12363054.
2: Patel RC, Ndlovu N, Maheria P, Kgoa R, Kew L, Kapa LD, Reddy K, Govindasami M, Matswake N, Sigcu N, Seedat M, Shale L, Yongo N, Hassan SA, Williams TL, Erikson DW, Scarsi KK, Palanee-Phillips T. Pharmacokinetic and Clinical Associations Between Doravirine-Containing Antiretroviral Therapy and Injectable and Implantable Hormonal Contraceptive Methods Among Women Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in South Africa. J Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 30;232(1):79-89. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf196. PMID: 40261052; PMCID: PMC12447852.
3: Urbanski HF, Appleman ML, Fecteau KM, Erikson DW, Kohama SG, MacKinnon R, Lomniczi A. Pituitary gonadotropin-releasing hormone II as a possible mediator of positive estrogen feedback. J Neuroendocrinol. 2025 Apr;37(4):e13498. doi: 10.1111/jne.13498. Epub 2025 Feb 9. PMID: 39924866; PMCID: PMC11975487.
4: Zallar LJ, Rivera-Irizarry JK, Hamor PU, Pigulevskiy I, Rico Rozo AS, Mehanna H, Liu D, Welday JP, Bender R, Asfouri JJ, Levine OB, Skelly MJ, Hadley CK, Fecteau KM, Nelson S, Miller J, Ghazal P, Bellotti P, Singh A, Hollmer LV, Erikson DW, Geri J, Pleil KE. Rapid nongenomic estrogen signaling controls alcohol drinking behavior in mice. Nat Commun. 2024 Dec 30;15(1):10725. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-54737-6. PMID: 39737915; PMCID: PMC11686278.
5: Sunagawa SW, Winchester LC, Wichman CS, Avedissian SN, Erikson DW, Kernan M, Marzinke MA, Mykris TM, Nandakumar R, Nolin TD, Podany AT, West RE 3rd, Chen BA, Chappell CA, Scarsi KK. Comparison of etonogestrel bioanalytical assay results in plasma and serum within and across laboratories. Contraception. 2025 Feb;142:110720. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2024.110720. Epub 2024 Oct 2. PMID: 39362338; PMCID: PMC11756928.
6: Edelman A, Hennebold JD, Bond K, Lim JY, Cherala G, Blue SW, Kraft SP, Erikson DW, Archer D, Jensen J. Double dosing ulipristal acetate emergency contraception for individuals with obesity: a randomised crossover trial. BMJ Sex Reprod Health. 2025 Jan 6;51(1):27-35. doi: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2024-202401. PMID: 39004442; PMCID: PMC11703681.
7: Fecteau KM, Shnitko TA, Grant KA, Erikson DW. Sensitive detection of oxytocin in nonhuman primate plasma using a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2024 Aug 30;38(16):e9839. doi: 10.1002/rcm.9839. PMID: 38887805; PMCID: PMC11608090.
8: Fecteau KM, Winchell AJ, Blue SW, Appleman ML, Urbanski HF, Erikson DW. Comparison of assay methods for quantifying sex hormone concentrations across the menstrual cycle in rhesus macaques†. Biol Reprod. 2024 Aug 15;111(2):463-471. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioae063. PMID: 38685627; PMCID: PMC11327312.
9: Doty N, Beckley E, Garg B, Maristany S, Erikson DW, Jensen JT. Changes in hair cortisol concentration in intrauterine device initiators: A prospective cohort study. Contraception. 2023 Dec;128:110142. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2023.110142. Epub 2023 Aug 24. PMID: 37633589; PMCID: PMC10842525.
10: Blue SW, McEvoy CT, Spindel ER, Shorey-Kendrick LE, Davies MH, O'Sullivan SM, Erikson DW. Analysis of nicotine in plasma, brain, and hair samples with the same liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2023 Sep 15;37(17):e9613. doi: 10.1002/rcm.9613. PMID: 37580504; PMCID: PMC10671054.
11: Jensen JT, Waites BT, Boniface ER, McCrimmon S, Blue S, Erikson DW. Development and validation of an expanded panel of progestins using liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry to monitor protocol compliance in hormonal contraceptive pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies. Contraception. 2023 Oct;126:110130. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2023.110130. Epub 2023 Jul 25. PMID: 37499736; PMCID: PMC10528587.
12: Mugo NR, Mudhune V, Heffron R, Thomas KK, McLellan-Lemal E, Njoroge B, Peacock S, O'Connor SM, Nyagol B, Ouma E, Ridzon R, Wiener J, Isoherranen N, Erikson DW, Ouattara LA, Yousefieh N, Jacot TA, Haaland RE, Morrison SA, Haugen HS, Thurman AR, Allen SA, Baeten JM, Samandari T, Doncel GF. Randomized controlled phase IIa clinical trial of safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of tenofovir and tenofovir plus levonorgestrel releasing intravaginal rings used by women in Kenya. Front Reprod Health. 2023 Jun 13;5:1118030. doi: 10.3389/frph.2023.1118030. PMID: 37383290; PMCID: PMC10293630.
13: Potretzke S, Zhang Y, Li J, Fecteau KM, Erikson DW, Hibert M, Ryabinin AE. Male-selective effects of oxytocin agonism on alcohol intake: behavioral assessment in socially housed prairie voles and involvement of RAGE. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2023 May;48(6):920-928. doi: 10.1038/s41386-022-01490-3. Epub 2022 Nov 11. PMID: 36369481; PMCID: PMC10156683.
14: Thurman AR, Brache V, Cochon L, Ouattara LA, Chandra N, Jacot T, Yousefieh N, Clark MR, Peet M, Hanif H, Schwartz JL, Ju S, Marzinke MA, Erikson DW, Parikh U, Herold BC, Fichorova RN, Tolley E, Doncel GF. Randomized, placebo controlled phase I trial of the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and acceptability of a 90 day tenofovir plus levonorgestrel vaginal ring used continuously or cyclically in women: The CONRAD 138 study. PLoS One. 2022 Oct 10;17(10):e0275794. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275794. PMID: 36215267; PMCID: PMC9550080.
15: Erikson DW, Blue SW, Kaucher AV, Shnitko TA. LC-MS/MS measurement of endogenous oxytocin in the posterior pituitary and CSF of macaques: A pilot study. Peptides. 2021 Jun;140:170544. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170544. Epub 2021 Mar 31. PMID: 33811949; PMCID: PMC8462972.
16: Scherman A, Spindel ER, Park B, Tepper R, Erikson DW, Morris C, McEvoy CT. Maternal Prenatal Hair Cortisol Is Associated with Child Wheeze among Mothers and Infants with Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Who Face High Socioeconomic Adversity. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 9;18(5):2764. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052764. PMID: 33803272; PMCID: PMC7967280.
17: Erikson DW, Blue SW, Fecteau KM, Edelman AB, Jensen JT, Blithe DL. Simultaneous assay of segesterone acetate (Nestorone®), estradiol, progesterone, and estrone in human serum by LC-MS/MS. Contraception. 2020 Nov;102(5):361-367. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2020.08.006. Epub 2020 Aug 21. PMID: 32828731; PMCID: PMC7606573.
18: Lee MR, Shnitko TA, Blue SW, Kaucher AV, Winchell AJ, Erikson DW, Grant KA, Leggio L. Labeled oxytocin administered via the intranasal route reaches the brain in rhesus macaques. Nat Commun. 2020 Jun 3;11(1):2783. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-15942-1. PMID: 32494001; PMCID: PMC7270110.
19: Patel RC, Stalter RM, Thomas KK, Tamraz B, Blue SW, Erikson DW, Kim CJ, Kelly EJ, Nanda K, Kourtis AP, Lingappa JR, Mugo N, Baeten JM, Scarsi KK; Partners PrEP Study Team. A pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenetic evaluation of contraceptive implants and antiretroviral therapy among women in Kenya and Uganda. AIDS. 2019 Nov 1;33(13):1995-2004. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000002308. PMID: 31306173; PMCID: PMC6774811.
20: Bishop CV, Reiter TE, Erikson DW, Hanna CB, Daughtry BL, Chavez SL, Hennebold JD, Stouffer RL. Chronically elevated androgen and/or consumption of a Western-style diet impairs oocyte quality and granulosa cell function in the nonhuman primate periovulatory follicle. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2019 Jul;36(7):1497-1511. doi: 10.1007/s10815-019-01497-8. Epub 2019 Jun 11. PMID: 31187329; PMCID: PMC6657409.
21: Heffron R, Stalter R, Pyra M, Nanda K, Erikson DW, Hladik F, Blue SW, Davis NL, Mugo N, Kourtis AP, Lingappa JR, Baeten JM; Partners PrEP Study and Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study Teams. HIV risk associated with serum medroxyprogesterone acetate levels among women in East and southern Africa. AIDS. 2019 Mar 15;33(4):735-744. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000002123. PMID: 30585845; PMCID: PMC6399047.
22: Pyra M, Lingappa JR, Heffron R, Erikson DW, Blue SW, Patel RC, Nanda K, Rees H, Mugo NR, Davis NL, Kourtis AP, Baeten JM; Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study and Partners PrEP Study Teams. Concordance of self-reported hormonal contraceptive use and presence of exogenous hormones in serum among African women. Contraception. 2018 Apr;97(4):357-362. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2018.01.011. Epub 2018 Feb 17. PMID: 29408422; PMCID: PMC5840024.
23: Blue SW, Winchell AJ, Kaucher AV, Lieberman RA, Gilles CT, Pyra MN, Heffron R, Hou X, Coombs RW, Nanda K, Davis NL, Kourtis AP, Herbeck JT, Baeten JM, Lingappa JR, Erikson DW. Simultaneous quantitation of multiple contraceptive hormones in human serum by LC-MS/MS. Contraception. 2018 Apr;97(4):363-369. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2018.01.015. Epub 2018 Jan 31. PMID: 29407362; PMCID: PMC5840044.
24: Edelman AB, Cherala G, Blue SW, Erikson DW, Jensen JT. Impact of obesity on the pharmacokinetics of levonorgestrel-based emergency contraception: single and double dosing. Contraception. 2016 Jul;94(1):52-7. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2016.03.006. Epub 2016 Mar 18. PMID: 27000996; PMCID: PMC4944814.