EFES PRIZES - CALLS FOR NOMINATIONS See the Grants and Prizes section below for information on the new calls for nominations for two EFES grants, the Geoffrey Harris Prize and the European Journal of Endocrinology prize.

PROPOSAL TO FORM A EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
The Executive Committee of EFES wishes to propose the formation of a European Society of Endocrinology to promote scientific excellence and improve patient care in endocrinology within Europe, to strengthen the quality of endocrine publications, to improve communication between endocrinologists and to create favourable conditions for scientific and medical exchanges.

Consultation with every European National Endocrine Society and the affiliated endocrine-related societies is essential for the success of this plan and consultation documents have been sent to the Presidents and Secretaries of all Full and Affiliated Members Societies of EFES.

It is proposed that a consultation meeting is held on Saturday 13 November 2004 in Brussels and that, after circulation of a draft constitution, a vote will be taken at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Goteborg in September 2005.

The questions we want your national society to answer by 1 October 2004 are:  
1 In principle, do you support the formation of a European Society of Endocrinology?  
2 Are you prepared to attend a consultation meeting on 13 November in Brussels?
3 Do you support the proposal for an annual meeting of the European Society of Endocrinology?
4 Do you have a preference for the timing of this annual meeting - April/May or September/October?
5 Do you have any further comments or suggestions?

This document is available on the EFES web site at http://www.euro-endo.org/news/news.htm

EFES NEWS - ARE YOU GETTING YOURS?
If you are a member of any of the European national endocrine societies, you should receive a free copy of EFES News (http://www.euro-endo.org/news.htm) each spring and autumn. If you are not receiving this and would like to, please send your full name and address to: jane.shepley@endocrinology.org

The latest issue of EFES news (Spring 2004) is now available on the EFES website at: http://www.euro-endo.org/news/newsletter/Issue10.pdf

EFES WEBSITE
Please add the EFES website home page to your favourites http://www.euro-endo.org. Navigate through the pages and give us your feedback and suggestions. Please send any websites you would like to see added to EFES Links to: jane.shepley@endocrinology.org

The EFES Executive Committee sincerely appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you.

EFES CONTACT DETAILS
EFES have recently established offices in Brussels and in Bristol, UK. Full addresses are at http://www.euro-endo.org/site/default.htm. This means that for all membership and general enquiries you should contact Helen Gregson at info@euro-endo.org or call +32 2 517 71 07 or +44 1454 642247. Alternatively use the online contact form at http://www.euro-endo.org/site/contactform.htm

Circumstances of discovery of pheochromocytoma: a retrospective study of 41 consecutive patients
J-P Baguet, L Hammer, TL Mazzuco, O Chabre, J-M Malliom and P Chaffanjon
Grenoble University Hospital, France

European Journal of Endocrinology 150(5) pp681-686
http://www.eje.org/eje/150/eje1500681.htm

The incidence of phaeochromocytoma, a tumour of the chromaffin cells, is rare but could be increasing. The symptoms of phaeochromocytoma are relatively unspecific, with the most common clinical sign being hypertension. Bearing in mind the lack of diagnostic symptoms, yet a reported increase in incidence, Baguet and co-workers carried out a retrospective study of 41 cases of phaeochromocytoma to determine the circumstances of their discovery. They found that hypertension led to the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma in only 51% of participants, and that amongst these six patients had severe hypertension that was resistant to treatment. Hypertension can be cured after surgical excision of the tumour but persists in one third of such patients.

In almost half the patients the phaeochromocytoma was diagnosed by ultrasonography, CT scan or MRI. The present study suggests that although the incidence remains rare, the increase could be attributed to changes in the methods used to detect it. As this study shows, imaging techniques led to diagnosis of half the cases' tumours - a significant proportion considering the lack of symptoms for diagnosis.

Human Growth Foundation. Small grants program announced
HGF will only consider topics relevant to human growth and development, including but not limited to areas of biology, psychosocial, and nutrition, with special consideration given for the chondrodystrophies.

An NIH type biographical sketch and two-page letter of intent should be submitted to the HGF by 15 May 2004 if you wish to apply.

More details and information can be found at: http://www.hgfound.org/smallgrants.html

Supporting visionary research in the EU
New and emerging science and technology (NEST) is a new activity within the 6th Framework Programme, supporting unconventional and visionary research with the potential to open new fields for European science and technology. It will also support research on new potential problems uncovered by science and help to consolidate European efforts in emerging fields of research.

A distinctive feature of NEST is its flexibility: researchers will be given the freedom to develop and prove their idea within the broadest limits.

For more information visit: http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/nest/htm

Program announcement: Non-invasive Methods for Diagnosis and Progression of Diabetes, Kidney, Urological, Hematological and Digestive Diseases
Call for the application of imaging and other non- or minimally-invasive technologies to detect, characterize, diagnose, identify persons with predisposition to, or monitor tremtne of diseases of interest to the National Insititute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Also needed are new, robust surrogate markers for clinical trial endpoints, and new ways to characterize normal and pathological tissues in vivo. 

Diseases of interest include type 1 and 2 diabetes, obesity, and kidney, liver, urologic, hematologic, digestive, endocrine and metabolic diseases and their complications.

Deadline for applications is 1 June 2004. For more information go to http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-088.html

NIH call for submissions: Bone anabolic hormones, their receptors and signal transduction pathways details
The objective of this initiative is to elicit grant submissions that focus on systemic hormones, local growth factors and bone-active cytokines with potential bone anabolic effects. The signal transduction pathways recruited by the receptors of these hormones and growth factors are of particular interest. Although the primary focus is on basic research, the long-term objective is to identify potential targets of therapeutic value in the treatment of diseases that adversely affect bone including, but not limited to, osteoporosis due to loss of gonadal steroids, aging, use of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive drugs, hyperparathyroidism, excessive thyroid hormone replacement, or tumour metastasis to bone. Grant ref: PA-03-008

Next deadline for applications: 1 June 2004
For further information and instructions for application go to the grant webpage at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-008.html

NIH call for submissions: Complex formation in hormonal regulation of gene expression
This initiative aims to expand research addressing the fundamental underlying mechanisms by which nuclear accessory proteins (such as coactivators and corepressors) mediate signaling through hormone receptors at the level of the regulation of gene expression. It also encourages research in other related areas and refinement of the role of higher order complex formation in effecting hormonal regulation of gene expression.

Next deadline for applications: 1 June 2004
For further information and instructions for application go to the grant webpage at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-100.html

NIH programme announcement: Biology of the menopausal process and associated health conditions during and after menopause details
This award aims to support research that elucidates molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the menopausal process, and the pathophysiologic connections of that process with various health problems and conditions of the peri- and postmenopausal women.
Next deadline for applications: 1 June 2004

For further information and instructions for applications go to the grant webpage at:
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-01-067.html

Other current NIH grants
Ubiquitin and Ubiquitin-like modifications regulating disease processes
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-145.html

Emerging technologies for the study of reproductive neuroendocrinology
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-079.html

Proteomics in diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic diseases
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-052.html

Geoffrey Harris Prize
We have pleasure in announcing the 2005 Geoffrey Harris Prize generously sponsored by Ipsen.  This important prize, worth 12,000 Euros is designed for established researchers in the field of neuroendocrinology and is the first of its kind in Europe.  Please contact the EFES Secretary:
 
Prof. Dr. J. Köhrle
Institut für Experimentelle Endokrinologie und Endokrinologisches Forschungs-Centrum
Charité - Hochschulmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte
Schumannstr. 20/21
D-10098 Berlin
Germany
Email: josef.koehrle@charite.de

The deadline for entries is 31 December 2004 and the award will be presented at the 7th European Congress of Endocrinology which takes place from 3-7 September 2005 in Göteborg, Sweden. More information will follow shortly on: http://www.euro-endo.org

European Journal of Endocrinology Prize
The EJE Prize is awarded to a candidate who has significantly contributed to the advancement of knowledge in the field of endocrinology through publication.

The prize consists of a certificate and Euro 7,250 plus travelling expenses and will be presented during the 7th European Congresss of Endocrinology to be held in Goteburg, Sweden, 3-7 September 2005

The deadline for entries is 31 December 2004. More information on the prize and nomination process will shortly be available on http://www.euro-endo.org

Jobs and Grants Forum on the EFES website
Attention jobseekers! Post your details on the site.
Attention employers! Advertise jobs or search for suitable candidates online.
Attention funders! Add your grant to the EFES forum.

Go to: http://www.euro-endo.org/jobs.htm

Reproduction now with HighWire
Reproduction is now online with HighWire via: http://www.reproduction-online.org where full text of all review articles and material over a year old (and all articles of its predecessors: Reviews of Reproduction and Journal of Reproduction and Fertility) is FREELY available to all.

Reproduction offers no page charges, free colour and online submission and peer review.  Author guidelines, online submission and subscription details are also all at http://www.reproduction-online.org

Reproduction is the official journal of the Society for Reproduction and Fertility and is now published by BioScientifica Ltd.

http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/press/2004/pr0204en.cfm

Health statistics - Key data on health 2002
An updated version of this document has recently been published by the European Commission as part of the new programme of Community action in the field of public health, adopted in September 2002. The first strand of the programme stresses the importance of dissemination of health information and knowledge to Member States.

Open access to scientific data
At a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) committee for scientific and technological policy on 29 and 30 January, ministers representing 34 countries, as well as the EU, adopted a declaration on access to research data from public funding aimed at enhancing the quality of science systems worldwide.

Ministers recognised that open access to data, information and knowledge "contributes decisively to the advancement of scientific research and innovation" and "maximise[s] the value derived from public investments in data collection". They therefore concluded that open and transparent methods for accessing research data should be created, either by strengthening existing instruments, or by establishing new mechanisms for collaboration. Achieving this aim whilst ensuring the protection of intellectual property and trade secrets was highlighted as a priority.

The full OECD report is available at:
http://www.oecd.org/document/15/0,2340,en_2649_34487_25998799_1_1_1_1,00.htm

US study tracks development of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in people who received human-derived growth hormone
The largest multicentre study of its kind, published in the April issue of Journal of Pediatrics, shows that in the States 26 out of the 7,700 people that received growth hormone from human pituitary glands have so far developed CJD. More (59) have died from adrenal crisis.    Of the approximately 7,700 people who received the hormone from the National Hormone and Pituitary Program, 6,107 took part in the study. Of these, 1,419 required therapy to replace their adrenal hormones. The deaths from adrenal crisis were in this group. http://www.nichd.nih.gov

Get involved!
The EFES website has a discussion forum facility, please feel free to share your views, comments, and interests with others. To join visit:
http://www.euro-endo.org/discuss.htm