ESE Elections for President and Executive Committee Members

The Evote will open on 25 June 2007 and will close on Tuesday 31 July 2007 at midnight (00:00hr) Greenwich Mean Time. Full instructions on how to vote will be sent to all eligible voters when the vote opens.

Prize Lectures of the 9th European Congress of Endocrinology are now available as online virtual presentations

The ESE are pleased to announce that audio material of the Geoffrey Harris Prize and European Journal of Endocrinology Prize lectures are now available on the website. The Geoffrey Harris Prize for 2007 was awarded to Professor Hubert Vaudry (France). Professor Vaudry's lecture at the ECE 2007 was entitled "Neuroendocrine control of steroid biosynthesis within the hypothalamus". The European Journal of Endocrinology Prize for 2007 was awarded to Professor Brian Walker (UK). Professor Walker's lecture at the ECE 2007 was entitled "Cortisol and cardiovascular disease". Both lectures are now available to view at the link below. We would like to thank the sponsors of this initiative, Ipsen and the Society of the European Journal of Endocrinology (SEJE), for their generosity.

Prize winning lectures from ECE 2007

ECE 2008

The 10th European Congress of Endocrinology will be hosted by the German Endocrine Society and will be held at the ICC in Berlin, 3 - 7 May 2008. Further details will be available at the link below.

ECE 2008

Report of the High Level Group on Science Education

The European Commission has conducted a report into ways to combat the falling levels of interest in science studies among young people across Europe. A copy of the report can be downloaded from the link below.

The Rocard Report on Science Education

EU firms 'flagging on research' (BBC News Online, 11 June 2007)

The European Union needs to increase spending on research and development in order to keep up with its competitors.

Article

Adjuvant Mitotane Treatment for Adrenocortical Carcinoma (New England Journal of Medicine, 7 June 2007)

Researchers have found that adjuvant mitotane may prolong recurrence-free survival in patients with radically resected adrenocortical carcinoma.

Abstract

'96 Tour de France Winner Riis Admits Using EPO, Other Drugs (Washington Post, 26 May 2007)

Bjarne Riis, who won the Tour de France in 1996, has admitted using performance-enhancing drugs including erythropoietin, cortisone and human growth hormone.

Article

Uncovering the molecular basis of obesity (AlphaGalileo, 4 June 2007)

Researchers have discovered a molecule called Bsx that links spontaneous physical activity and food intake in mice.

Article

Europe races ahead of US in university-industry collaboration (AlphaGalileo, 18 May 2007)

A Europe-wide survey has found that collaboration within Europe between industry and universities exceeds that found in the USA.

Article

ELSF and ESF Conference on Research Infrastructures for the Life Sciences

The European Life Sciences Forum and the European Science Foundation are holding a conference on research infrastructures for the life sciences at the European Parliament, Brussels from 13-14 September 2007. More information is available from the link below.

Conference website

Low testosterone 'death risk' (BBC News, 5 June 2007)

Research presented at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting suggests that low levels of testosterone may increase the risk of death in men over the age of 50.

Article

Second Revised Draft of the World Anti-Doping Code

The World Anti-Doping Agency has released the second revised draft of the World Anti-Doping Code for review and comment. For more information, please click on the link below. All feedback should be sent to code@wada-ama.org by Tuesday 31 July 2007.

World Anti-Doping Agency

AIP mutations in sporadic acromegaly

In recent studies, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) gene has been shown to be mutated in both familial and sporadic pituitary tumours, suggesting that AIP mutations could indicate low-penetrance susceptibility for GH-secreting adenomas. In their paper, Cazabat et al study the mutations of this gene in apparently sporadic incidences of GH-secreting adenomas in a mainly (80%) French Caucasian population, and document their clinical characteristics. After excluding patients with a family history of pituitary abnormalities, 154 (84 female, 70 male) patients who were considered to have sporadic acromegaly were enrolled, alongside 270 controls. The mean adenoma size was 18.8mm. DNA from patients and controls was analysed, as were the clinical, biochemical and radiological data where applicable. Four different AIP mutations truncating the gene product were identified in five patients. Mutated patients tended to be younger and to present with gigantism. One known missense mutation was also identified. Mechanisms of tumourigenesis are likely to involve lowered expression of AIP or reduced binding capacity of AIP for target proteins. The authors note that there is a gender bias though this does not reach significance. They suggest that younger patients with acromegaly could be screened for AIP mutations to identify those at high risk of developing pituitary adenomas. Cazabat, L., Libč, R., Perlemoine, K., René-Corail, F., Burnichon, N., Gimenez-Roqueplo, A-P., Dupasquier-Fediaevsky, L., Bertagna, X., Clauser, E., Chanson, P., Bertherat, J., Raffin-Sanson, M-L. Germline-inactivating mutations of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein gene in a large cohort of sporadic acromegaly: mutations are found in a subset of young patients with macroadenomas. European Journal of Endocrinology 2007 157 1-8.

EMBO Award for Communication in the Life Sciences. Call for entries 2007

This award is for scientists who have, while remaining active in laboratory research, risen to the challenge of communicating science to a non-scientific audience. The winners of the EMBO Award are nominated for the EU Descartes Prize for science communication. Deadline for applications: 30 June 2007. For more information, please click on the link below.

EMBO Award

Clinical Neuroendocrinology Research Position

A position for a Spanish-speaking MD is available in a University hospital in Barcelona, Spain, commencing autumn 2007. Candidates will have to register in the Barcelona College of Physicians and validate their University degree according to the regulations of the Spanish Health Ministry. Subject: clinical research with patients suffering from pituitary diseases (pathophysiology, epidemiology, morbidity-mortality, prognosis, treatment, quality of life, etc.). Duration: Initially 1 year, extendable if interested. The possibility of a Ph.D thesis is feasible. Please send applications to Susan Webb at swebb@santpau.es or phone +34-93-5565661.

CIBERER

European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Visiting Fellowship

The ESPE Visiting Scholarship offers financial support to members of the Society or to their collaborators with the aim of gathering information and experience on a specific research issue OR on a laboratory technique in the field of paediatric endocrinology. The ESPE Visiting Scholarship is awarded on the basis of nominations made by an ESPE member. Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate how they intend to bring important knowledge and/or techniques back to their home institution. Closing date: 31 July 2007.

ESPE Grants

Postdoctoral Research Scientist

Via www.jobs.ac.uk. A post doctoral position is available in the Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Ireland. The successful candidate will work on a Science Foundation Ireland-funded project investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the excretion of salt by gamma-melanocyte stimulating hormone in the kidney. The post will commence on 1 September 2007. Application deadline: 20 July 2007. For more information, please click on the link below.

Link

If you have any feedback on the content of the alert, email: jo.thurston@endocrinology.org

Please feel free to pass this email alert on to anyone you think may be interested.