John Kenneth Amory, MD, MPH
Photo: John Kenneth Amory

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Elected 2013

Dr. John Amory’s research is focused on 1) the development of safe, effective forms of oral testosterone therapy, 2) the development of reversible forms of male contraception, and 3) new approaches to the treatment of male infertility. Dr. Amory has demonstrated that it is possible to maintain normal serum testosterone concentrations after the oral administration of testosterone. This work has led to a phase III trial of oral testosterone, which, if approved, will represent a vast improvement over currently available methods of treating testosterone deficiency. In his male contraceptive work, Dr. Amory has demonstrated that a bisdichloroacetyldiamine compound that suppresses spermatogenesis (WIN 18,446) functions via inhibition of retinoic acid biosynthesis by the testicular enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase–1a2 (ALDH1a2). Dr. Amory’s work is now focused on the development of novel, specific inhibitors of ALDH1a2 as reversible, non-hormonal male contraceptives. Last, Dr. Amory has demonstrated that intratesticular retinoic acid is reduced in men with abnormal spermatogenesis, suggesting the retinoid therapy may be a potential novel approach to the treatment of male infertility.