 European Federation of Endocrine Societies |
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| November 2004 News Alert | http://www.euro-endo.org |
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Proposal to form a European Society for Endocrinology Earlier in the year EFES member societies submitted their responses to the proposal to form a European Society for Endocrinology. To discuss the proposal further, an Extraordinary General Council Meeting was held in Brussels on 13 November 2004. Discussions were very fruitful and positive and the outcomes were as follows:
The first vote requires a change to the statutes and thus needed to be approved at a meeting where two-thirds of the Full Member societies were represented, and by at least two-thirds of the votes. The attendance of 24 out of 35 Full Members met the first criterion and gaining 46 votes out of a possible maximum of 60 met the second. The other votes required a simple majority. This was an historic event and we look forward to endocrinology in Europe gaining in strength over the coming years. The next steps will be to set up a legal seat in Brussels and to draft statutes. It is hoped that the statutes will be finalised in Gothenburg in September 2005. For more information please visit 'Creating a European Society
of Endocrinology' on the EFES website http://www.euro-endo.org/news/europeansociety/default.htm |
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New! Website for EJE Please bookmark its new address: http://www.eje-online.org/ This new arrangement means that readers will benefit from an increased level of functionality including full-text html and toll-free linking from the reference list to the full text of articles in other journals also hosted by HighWire. Perhaps most
importantly, each article on HighWire features a list headed "This article has been cited by...".
These features should increase EJE authors' visibility as HighWire
also hosts the Endocrine Society's journals. |
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Register for the EFES Postgraduate Course in Turkey The programme will cover lectures and practical meet-the-expert sessions on pituitary diseases and tumors, Ghrelin, neuroimmunology, thyroid and pituitary incidentalomas, molecular and clinical aspects of thyroid cancers, hirsutism, insulin resistance in PCOS, pheochromocytoma, current management of primary hyperparathyroidism, combination therapies of type 2 diabetes, hyperaldosteronism and male osteoporosis. The venue is Bilkent Hotel at Bilkent Center outside the city
of Ankara, which has a very relaxed |
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New announcements about future ECE meetings!! Co Chairing the Programme Organising Committee are Dr P Bouloux (London) and Dr J Köhrle (Berlin). Further information
will be available on line at: http://www.ece2006.com soon. |
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| EFES News Issue 12 of EFES News is out now and available online at: http://www.euro-endo.org/news/newsletter/Issue12.pdf 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 |
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New
Commissioner for science and research Mr Potočnik’s
impressive hearing, earlier this year, on his suitability for
the task of Commissioner for Science and Research can be read
here: http://www.europarl.eu.int/hearings/commission/2004_comm/pdf/speech_potocnik_en.pdf |
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Communicating
science in Europe It has been recognised by the EU that in order to achieve its long-term scientific goal – to become a knowledge powerhouse by 2010 – it is important to narrow the gap between science and society. Effective communication by scientists is essential for success. To help, the Commission has produced a publication called Guide to successful communications, which is available both as hard copy or online at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/science-society/science-communication/index_en.htm. |
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Assisting
European researchers across the Atlantic An online survey has been launched to help the European Commission and the European Embassies in Washington understand how the service should be developed to be most useful to researchers working abroad. You can find the survey at: http://www.evaluationpartnership.com/surveys/eralink.htm |
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EC
aims to promote development of paediatric medicines The Commission has proposed a regulation for the research and development of pharmaceuticals specifically designed to meet specific paediatric needs, whilst enabling continuing competitiveness within the pharmaceutical industry. Key elements in the proposal include: a new expert committee within the European Medicines Agency to assess and agree companies’ testing plans; a requirement at the time of marketing authorisation applications for data on the use of the medicine in children; and a reward for studying medicines for children of 6-months extension to the supplementary protection certificate - in effect, six-month patent extension. The full text of the proposal is available at: http://pharmacos.eudra.org/F2/home.html |
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| LATEST
EJE IMPACT FACTOR 2.941 Novel modalities of somatostatin actions S Krantic,
I Goddard, A Saveanu, N Giannetti, J Fombonne, A Cardoso, P Jaquet
and A Enjalbert In the last two decades some novel physiological actions have been discovered for the natural peptides, such as somatostatin, and in their informative article, Krantic and co-workers review the current knowledge about the endocrine and neuromodulatory actions of this neuropeptide family. They discuss their biological actions, exerted according to endocrine, paracrine and autocrine modes of action, and consider a recently introduced concept concerning a juxtacrine mode of action by somatostatins. This refers to their involvement with cytokines and growth factors in direct, cell-to-cell communication. The evidence in favour of juxtacrine actions of somatostatin is explained by this review, which also illustrates Krantic and co-workers’ own results on macrophage-lymphocyte T interactions in the immune system and spermatogonia-Sertoli cell interactions in mammalian testis. Another phenomenon - ligand-induced somatostatin receptor homo- and hetero-dimerization resulting in ‘poly’-receptors - is at the origin of a novel mode of somatostatin action. The review illustrates this action with the data obtained on human pituitary adenomas with somatostatin analogs specific for either ‘poly’-receptor or relevant individual receptors. In addition, somatostatin is able to negatively regulate cell proliferation and trigger cell death – features that are currently used therapeutically to control tumour growth. This is effective in, for example, neurendocrine, gastro-entero-pancreatic, breast and prostate cancers, which express somatostatin receptors. The authors refer to this with the anticipation that with a better understanding of somatostin modalities, similar modalities of action for other natural peptides may make new therapeutic treatments available. |
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| WADA
funding available for research into insulin abuse The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is the international body that investigates the use of drugs in sport. It is interested in sponsoring research into "Methods to distinguish exogenous and endogenous insulin in biological material". If
you have specific expertise in this area, please contact Ann-Muriel
Steff (ann-muriel.steff@wada-ama.org) for more information. |
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| Geoffrey Harris
Prize We have pleasure in announcing the 2005 Geoffrey Harris Prize generously sponsored by Ipsen. This prestigious prize 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 Tel: +49 30 450524021 Fax: +49 30 450525922 Email: josef.koehrle@charite.de or elke.abdel-karim@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 is available on: http://www.euro-endo.org/about/harrisprize.htm |
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European
Journal of Endocrinology Prize Nominations
should be submitted to:- The deadline for entries is 31 December 2004. More information on the prize and nomination process is available on http://www.eje.org/eje/ejeprize.htm |
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| National
Institute on Aging planning project for testosterone trials in aging
men The National Institute on Aging (NIA) invites applications for planning and protocol development of a coordinated set of clinical trials of efficacy and safety of testosterone treatment in older men for specific symptomatic conditions that may be related to low testosterone levels, and of effects of testosterone treatment in middle-aged men on outcomes and risk factors possibly related to low testosterone levels. The NIA intends to commit up to $700,000 in total costs in FY 2005 to fund one award. The award will support planning activities, biostatistical and other data analyses needed for trials design, and protocol development. Deadline
for expressions of interest is 10 December 2004. Deadline for applications
is 11 January 2005 http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-05-005.html For more information go to: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-AG-05-001.html |
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| ASCO
Foundation International Travel Grants (ITG) American Society of Clinical Oncology will be awarding 20 travel grants to oncologists from countries of limited resources that meet the eligibility requirements. The monetary award is designed to cover expenses (coach airfare, hotel, and meals) in order to attend the ASCO Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, May 2005. Grant recipients will also receive complimentary meeting registration, some tickets to sessions, and invitations to special ITG events (such as, a tour of a comprehensive cancer center, opening reception, etc.) The deadline for applications is 14 January 2005. To review criteria and apply for the 2005 ITG Program visit http://www.asco.org/itg |
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| Serono
Foundation 2005 Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology Since 1997, the Serono Foundation has granted two to three fellowships every year to promising young scientists. The fellowships' laureates receive USD 45,000 every year for two years to fund research for a full-time postdoctoral training programme. In 2005 fellowships will be awarded by the Serono Foundation for postdoctoral training pertaining to the research area of reproductive endocrinology. The 2005 Fellowship will be awarded on or before 15 July 2005. Deadline for applications is 28 February 2005. For more information go to: http://www.serono-foundation.org/fellowships.htm |
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| EMBO
Science Writing Prize 2005 The European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) Science & Society Programme has announced its fourth annual Science Writing Prize. The EMBO Science Writing Prize is awarded annually for an outstanding piece of science writing that effectively and innovatively communicates a life sciences topic to a general audience and entries are welcomed from European life scientists under 40 years of age. The theme for the 2005 competition is ‘Genes and Behaviour’ and all entries must relate to a topic within this theme. The science itself may be a scientist's own research; an interesting topic currently in the public eye; or simply a piece of appealing pure research. The winner will receive an award of €1500, one year's free subscription to EMBO reports and an invitation to the EMBO Media Workshop for scientists (Heidelberg, Germany, 18 June 2005) to talk about his/her motivation for writing the article and communicating the topic to the public. Deadline for entries is 15 April 2005. For more information go
to: |
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| Fourth
IOF-SERVIER Young Investigator Research Award The IOF-SERVIER Research Award is a grant of 40 000 Euros awarded every 2 years to a project within the field of osteoporosis. The award is aimed at encouraging young scientists and therefore is limited to applicants up to 40 years of age. The Award is officially granted during the IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis to which the winner is invited. Deadline
for submission of completed applications: 1 December 2005 |
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| Current
NIH grants Occupational Exposure Risk on Reproduction/Development http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OH-05-003.html Exploratory grant program in diabetes endocrinology and metabolism http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-137.html Ubiquitin and Ubiquitin-like modifications regulating
disease processes Emerging technologies for the study of reproductive
neuroendocrinology Proteomics in diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic
diseases |
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| 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/jobsgrants/jobs.htm |
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| Serono and Nautilus Biotech to develop improved growth hormone
drug Serono and protein evolution company Nautilus Biotech have announced that they have signed an agreement under which Serono and Nautilus will work together to develop the next-generation of human growth hormone, with improved biological, pharmacological and clinical profiles. This improved version of human growth hormone would allow less frequent injections of this therapeutic protein which is currently administered daily. |
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| New
indication for Novo Nordisk’s Norditropin® In early November the USA’s Food and Drug Administration approved the use of somatropin [rDNA] injection, Norditropin® in adults with severe growth hormone deficiency. In 1997 it was approved for use in children and this action new means that treatment with Norditropin® can continue into adulthood. It also allows for treatment of adults with conditions that result in a deficiency of growth hormone. |
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