Research at Metabolic Center for Wellness:
Advancing Endocrine and Metabolic Medicine Through Research
About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
At Metabolic Center for Wellness, research is an important extension of our commitment to thoughtful, evidence-informed patient care.
Led by Angela D. Mazza, DO, our research and scholarly work focuses on areas where endocrinology, metabolism, women’s health, mitochondrial biology, and healthy aging intersect. Our goal is to help bridge the gap between emerging science and meaningful clinical application—while recognizing that promising biological findings must be carefully evaluated before they become clinical practice.
Our work includes peer-reviewed publications, clinical reviews and perspectives, collaborative research projects, and practice-based pilot studies designed to explore important questions arising from everyday patient care.
Areas of Research Interest
Our current areas of research and scholarly interest include:
Thyroid Health and Thyroid Hormone Physiology
Thyroid hormone signaling, T3 physiology, emerging thyroid hormone metabolites, thyroid nodules, thyroid autoimmunity, thyroid hormone replacement, and the relationship between thyroid function and aging.
Metabolic and Mitochondrial Health
The relationship between hormonal signaling, mitochondrial function, inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and metabolic health.
Women’s Health Across the Lifespan
Perimenopause, menopause, metabolic health, hormonal transitions, and the evolving understanding of polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), historically known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Obesity and GLP-1 Biology
The physiology of hunger and satiety, incretin-based therapies, metabolic adaptation, body composition, and the clinical implications of GLP-1–based treatment.
Thyroid Autoimmunity and Emerging Therapies
Exploration of complementary approaches to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, including an ongoing practice-based pilot evaluating low-level laser therapy (LLLT).
The Gut–Endocrine Connection
Investigation of relationships among the gut microbiome, metabolic health, inflammation, and thyroid autoimmunity.
Healthy Aging and Longevity
The interconnected roles of endocrine function, mitochondrial resilience, metabolic health, inflammation, muscle, bone, and other physiological systems in healthy aging.
Current and Ongoing Research
Our current research activities include practice-based pilot studies and collaborative projects exploring questions relevant to endocrine and metabolic health.
Low-Level Laser Therapy and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
We have completed an initial five-week pilot exploring the feasibility and potential biological effects of low-level laser therapy in individuals with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
The pilot included clinical assessments, thyroid laboratory markers, patient-reported outcomes, and thyroid imaging. Findings from this preliminary work are helping inform potential next steps and future study design.
Thyroid Autoimmunity Research
We are developing retrospective research examining clinical patterns and outcomes among patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis seen in our practice. This work is intended to help identify clinically meaningful relationships that may warrant further prospective investigation.
Gut Microbiome and Thyroid Autoimmunity
Through collaborative pilot research, we are exploring potential relationships among gut microbial patterns, gastrointestinal symptoms, dietary factors, and markers of thyroid autoimmunity.
These early findings are hypothesis-generating and may help guide future research into the gut–immune–thyroid relationship.
Selected Publications and Scholarly Work
Dr. Mazza has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed publications addressing thyroid physiology, thyroid hormone replacement, thyroid nodules, aging, metabolic health, and emerging concepts in endocrine medicine.
Recent work includes research and clinical reviews examining:
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3,5-Diiodothyronine (3,5-T2) and its emerging role in mitochondrial thyroid hormone signaling
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Thyroid hormones and aging, including the complex relationship between thyroid physiology and longevity
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Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and evolving access and reimbursement considerations
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Thyroid hormone resistance
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TSH interpretation and the balance between over-reliance and over-avoidance
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Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) and metabolic health across the female lifespan
Where available, links to the published manuscripts can be provided so patients, clinicians, and researchers can explore the work directly.
From Clinical Questions to Research Questions
Some of the most important research questions begin in the clinic.
Patterns that emerge across patients can reveal gaps in our current understanding and generate questions that deserve more systematic investigation. Practice-based research provides an opportunity to examine these observations while maintaining an important distinction between clinical experience, hypothesis generation, and established scientific evidence.
Our goal is not simply to adopt what is new, but to help determine what is meaningful.
Collaboration
Scientific progress is collaborative.
Metabolic Center for Wellness welcomes opportunities to collaborate with academic investigators, clinicians, research organizations, diagnostic and imaging specialists, and industry partners whose work aligns with our areas of research interest.
For research or academic collaboration inquiries, please contact Metabolic Center for Wellness.
Our Commitment
Research is a process of asking better questions.
As endocrine and metabolic science continues to evolve, we remain committed to contributing to that process through careful observation, scientific collaboration, peer-reviewed scholarship, and responsible clinical investigation.
Our ultimate goal is simple: to better understand the biology behind endocrine and metabolic health—and translate that understanding into better care.