In recent years, my research has centred on steroid hormones, which have long been known to enter the central nervous system to influence its development and function. Some steroids have also been shown to be present in brain tissue independently of peripheral endocrine sources, the so-called neurosteroids. My laboratory focused on identifying and measuring the actual steroid content of brain and studying the enzymes responsible for catalysing steroid activation and inactivation in this tissue. Some of these enzymes have been found to be targets for clinically important drugs. I have now retired from active laboratory research.