Society for Endocrinology

Artificial pancreas hope for children with diabetes (BBC News Online, 5 February 2010)

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Cambridge scientists have combined a glucose sensor with an 'insulin pump' in a closed loop system in vivo to create an artificial pancreas that reacts to changes in blood glucose levels. The researchers report that in trial patients with type 1 diabetes, the device keeps blood glucose levels within the 'normal' range 60% of the time, and prevents hypoglycaemic events.

Full article

Trust Grade in Diabetes and Endocrinology

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Added via HealthJobsUK.com

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is looking to appoint a Trust SHO Grade in Diabetes and Endocrinology for a six month period. Based within the Diabetes and Endocrinology wards at the Queen's Medical Campus, the post includes opportunities for out-patient work, and attendance at general medicine and speciality training events will be encouraged.

The deadline for applications is 17 February 2010. For more information please follow the link below.

Further details

Diabetes, Supporting TrAnslational Research and Twinning (D-Start) grant program

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is now welcoming proposals for a large-scale, multi-centre project centred on translational research projects on the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes in Low and Middle income Countries. D-START (Diabetes - Supporting TrAnslational Research Twinning) will see an established research centre provide support and training to two smaller centres that show promise yet have had difficulty accessing funds from their own economies.

The first phase - submission of framework study design by international experts - is open until April 15 2010. Please follow the link below for more information.

D-START home

The Naked Scientists - Internship available

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Cambridge-based Naked Scientists are offering an 8-week internship to budding young scientists who want to gain experience in science communication, making science radio programmes and podcasts, web development, science writing and video editing and production.

The successful applicant will help to write, produce and present live radio broadcasts and podcasts, compile science news stories and write articles that will be published online at www.thenakedscientists.com. There may also be an opportunity to gain funding for this placement through the Amgen Scholars Programme, which is open to undergraduate students in Europe.

If you’re eligible and interested, please send your CV along with details of your experience and why you want to join the Naked Scientists to Ben Valsler: Ben@thenakedscientists.com.

The Naked Scientists home

Amgen scholars program

International Diabetes Federation awards US$2 million to 9 global diabetes research projects

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has announced the winners of the second round of its BRIDGES (Bringing Research In Diabetes to Global Environments and Systems) funding program. The BRIDGES program is designed to promote translational research in the field of diabetes globally, converting established therapeutic interventions and clinical practice into improved care and treatment for diabetics. Research groups from Austria, China, Colombia, Haiti, India, the Philippines, South Africa and the US will now carry out their proposed projects with funding made possible by a US$10,000,000 educational grant from Eli Lilly and co.

For further details on the BRIDGES program, please follow the links below. Proposals for a third round of funding will be welcomed later this year.

Press release

BRIDGES home

Royal Society Industry Fellowships

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Royal Society offers a number of industry fellowships each year to encourage cooperation between industry and academia. It provides opportunities for an academic scientist to work on a collaborative project with industry, or someone employed in industry to work on a collaborative project with a university department or not-for-profit research organisation. It is anticipated that fellows will establish personal and corporate links between the two sectors in the UK as a foundation for their long-term future development.

Applications are welcome from all areas of life and physical sciences (excluding clinical medicine). The deadline for the current round is 24 March 2010. Please follow the link below for more information.

The Royal Society Industry Fellowship

The Athena Survey of Science Engineering and Technology

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Athena Survey of Science Engineering and Technology (ASSET), is an open access, web-based survey of career progression in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics) in Higher Education (HE).

ASSET is open to scientists who work in and/or are employed by a UK university in a STEMM subject area. It aims to raise awareness of the differences in male and female career progression, of good practice policies, and to enable universities, HE and research funders and STEMM policy makers to benchmark progress. To take part in ASSET 2010 please follow the link below.

The survey closes on 26 February. ASSET 2010 is an HEFCE Leadership, Governance and Management Fund project that is led by Imperial College, London and supported by the Royal Society.

ASSET home

Living-cell imaging of folliculo-stellate cells

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The folliculo-stellate (FS) cells of the anterior pituitary do not produce the classical anterior pituitary hormones. Knowing their topographic features is essential in understanding the cell-cell interactions amongst FS cells and hormone-producing cells. Horiguchi and colleagues have used transgenic S100b-GFP rats to investigate the topographic affinity of FS cells for other pituitary cells. The novel characteristics observed suggest that FS cells play important roles in determining and/or maintaining the local cellular arrangement in the presence of extracellular matrix components. Horiguchi et al., Journal of Endocrinology.

DOI: 10.1677/JOE-09-0333

Maternal parity and adipokines

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Hyatt and co-workers used an established sheep model to investigate the impact of maternal parity on adipose tissue development with regard to glucocorticoid sensitivity and adipokine gene expression. The increase in fat mass associated with the firstborn was accompanied by a resetting of the leptin and glucocorticoid axis within the adipocyte. This shows the importance of parity in determining adipose tissue development and that firstborn offspring have an increased capacity for adipogenesis that may be critical in determining their adiposity. Hyatt et al., Journal of Endocrinology.

DOI: 10.1677/JOE-09-0358

Prostacyclin in bone metabolism

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Nakalekha et al. investigated skeletal abnormalities in young and adult prostacyclin-deficient mice. Increased bone mass in adult prostacyclin-deficient mice was associated with increases in bone formation and resorption. This suggests that prostacyclin deficiency accelerates high bone turnover activity with a greater increase in bone mass associated with ageing. This imbalance was reversed in knockout animals by the insertion of prostacyclin synthase overexpression. Prostacyclin may act as a regulator in maintaining normal bone mass and micro-architecture. Nakalekha et al., Journal of Endocrinology.

DOI: 10.1677/JOE-09-0376

Visfatin in metabolism

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Our understanding of the role of the adipocyte-derived factor visfatin in metabolism is controversial. To address this, Brown et al. have investigated its effects in clonal mouse pancreatic ?-cells. Visfatin was found to significantly increase insulin secretion, and to regulate insulin receptor activation and mRNA expression of genes associated with ?-cell function. These findings contribute to understanding the role of obesity in type 2 diabetes. Brown et al., Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.

DOI: 10.1677/JME-09-0071

Short prolactin receptor downregulates long form

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Multiple isoforms of the human prolactin receptor are produced by alternative splicing, and the different ratios have been associated with disease. In a study on human embryonic kidney cells by Tan and Walker, the short form SF1b was shown to downregulate the expression of the long form (LF), affecting prolactin expression and cell number. This suggests that the ratio of SF1b:LF may have implications for tumour growth. Tan and Walker, Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.

DOI: 10.1677/JME-09-0101

Array-painting in breast cancer

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Unger et al. describe an ambitious approach to discover radiation-induced oncogenic rearrangements in breast cancer cell lines. Several chromosomal translocations were identified and mapped, and the aberrant expression of genes participating in the rearrangements was demonstrated. Although the functional consequence of these rearrangements on mammary cell tumorigenesis needs further study, this is a valuable approach to scan the genome for potentially novel radiation-induced fusion genes. Unger et al., Endocrine-Related Cancer.

DOI: 10.1677/ERC-09-0065

Plasma sex hormones and breast cancer

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

This nested case-control study by Woolcott and colleagues extends the existing evidence of the association between sex hormones and breast cancer risk from mainly white study populations into a multiethnic cohort. The study confirms, for the first time, that high levels of sex hormones and low levels of sex hormone-binding globulin are associated with increased breast cancer risk in an ethnically diverse population. Woolcott et al., Endocrine-Related Cancer.

DOI: 10.1677/ERC-09-0211

Clinical Endocrinology survey - win a Fortnum and Mason hamper!

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

As the official clinical journal of the Society for Endocrinology we want to hear your views on Clinical Endocrinology. What you like, what you don’t, what you want to see more/less of – this is your chance to let us know what you want from your journal.

Complete our survey by following the link below and you’re in with a chance of winning a luxurious Fortnum & Mason hamper!

The survey will close on Friday 19 March 2010 and the randomly selected lucky winner of the hamper will be notified by email on Monday 22 March 2010.

Clinical Endocrinology survey

PhD studentship - Developmental consequences of herbicide exposure in neuroendocrine tissues of Danio rerio

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Royal Veterinary College in London is offering a competetively awarded, funded 3 year PhD studentship in its Veterinary Basic Sciences department.

The project examines the effects of atrazine, a herbicide known to be an 'endocrine-disrupting chemical,' on the development of endocrine tissues, specifically the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in zebrafish larvae.

The application deadline is 12 February 2010. Pleasefollow the link below for more information.

Further details

2010 L'Oreal-UNESCO UK and Ireland For Women In Science fellowships

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

L’Oréal UK and Ireland, the UK National Commission for UNESCO, the Royal Institution of Great Britain, and the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, have partnered together to provide a dedicated UK and Ireland For Women In Science Fellowship Programme for women scientists at postdoctoral level to enable and/or facilitate promising scientific research in the life or physical sciences.

Four Fellowships will be awarded in 2010 to outstanding female postdoctoral scientists to assist them with their research. The Fellowships, each worth £15,000 (equivalent Euro for candidates in Ireland), are tenable at any UK or Irish university or research institute to support a 12-month period of research.

The fellowship money can be spent in any number of innovative ways to enable women scientists to further their careers and facilitate world class research - such as buying equipment, paying for childcare or funding travel costs to an overseas conference.

The deadline for applications is 7 April 2010. Visit www.womeninscience.co.uk to apply.

Sunbathing ups men's testosterone (BBC News Online, 2 February 2010)

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

A study published in Clinical Endocrinology by a team of Austrian researchers has found that men who are sufficiently supplied with vitamin D - the main supply of which is made in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight - have higher circulating levels of testosterone.

Full article

BBSRC heralds 'Age of Bioscience' with launch of new strategic plan

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has released a 5 year strategic plan outlining the framework that will help shape its direction and funding decisions.

The plan focuses on three research priorities; food security, bioenergy and industrial biotechnology, and basic bioscience underpinning health; and has three underpinning themes; knowledge exchange, innovation and skills, and exploiting new ways of working and partnerships.

With this plan the BBSRC hopes to benefit society and the UK economy by promoting innovation and strengthening collaboration in biosciences research.

BBSRC strategic plan

Clinical Lecturer in Endocrinology - Glasgow University

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Added via the Medical Schools Council clinical academic jobs page.

The division of cardiovascular and medical sciences at Glasgow University is offering a lectureship in endocrinology developed under the Scottish Clinical Research Excellence Development (SCRED) scheme.

The post is flexible and can accomodate the training needs of an early-stage academic trainee by providing a structured clinical training framework, or can support more senior appointees through the development of a personal research proposal under the supervision of a research leader. Suitable candidates will hold MRCP and will have completed general professional and training (i.e. at least to the level of ST2) in core medical training or equivalent.

The deadline for applications is 26 February 2010. For a job description and information on how to apply please follow the link below.

Further details

Diabetes sugar 'can go too low' (BBC News Online, 27 January 2010)

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

A new study in a large number of patients with type 2 diabetes has examined the risk of death among groups taking different medications, and concluded that intense treatment can lower blood glucose levels by too much, potentially increasing the risk of death.

Full article

Chemicals in old furniture can make it harder to get pregnant (The Daily Telegraph, 27 January 2010)

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

A study from the University of Berkeley has found that women with high blood levels of PBDEs, flame retardant chemicals found in furniture predominantly made in the 1970s and 80s, suffer from a reduced chance of pregnancy. The researchers suggest that the chemicals alter normal levels of sex hormones to affect fertility.

Full article

Horizons in Medicine 21 - proceedings of the Advanced Medicine Conference 2009

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Royal College of Physicians has published the proceedings of its Advanced Medicine Conference 2009. Horizons in Medicine 21 offers physicians of all levels and backgrounds the opportunity to gain insights into cutting edge medicine and broaden their knowledge of other specialties. Topics covered include metabolic syndrome, steroid resistance and thyroid disease.

Horizons in Medicine 21

I'm a scientist, get me out of here!

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

I'm a scientist, get me out of here! is a Wellcome Trust funded science education and engagement project where secondary school students can talk online to real scientists about How Science Works and science careers. 2010 will see the first such event take place, and registration is now open for scientists to compete for a £500 prize by presenting their work online to a class of students (who will also judge the competition). For more information please follow the link below.

I'm a Scientist blog

British Thyroid Foundation award for nurses

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Evelyn Ashley Smith award is an annual award of £500 made to a nurse, endocrine nurse or midwife to help them improve care for patients with thyroid disorders. It can be used to support training needs such as attendance at a conference, fund a specific project lasting one year or reward a completed project that is yet to be published.

The application deadline is 1st July 2010. For further details and an application form please visit the 'what's new' section of the British Thyroid Foundation homepage (link below).

Further details

SfE member Chung Thong Lim wins Xcel science student of the year 2010

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Congratulations to Chung Thong Lim for winning this years Xcel student of the year competition. Currently in his final year of an intercalated degree in medical sciences and endocrinology at Barts and London Medical School, Chung has excelled throughout his academic career and is expected to contribute a huge amount to the field of endocrinology. He received his award at a ceremony in London on 21 January 2010 in front of an invited audience of over 350 people.

New drug for diabetics could end ordeal of daily insulin jabs (The Daily Mail, 25 January 2010)

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Novo Nordisk has announced that it is about to commence clinical trials on an oral form of Victoza, a glucagon-like peptide. Victoza has been approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes but its license is currently limited to an injectable form.

Full article

Top obesity drug sibutramine being suspended (BBC News Online, 22 January 2010)

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Following recommendations from the European Medicines Agency, the MHRA is suspending the use of the anti-obesity drug sibutramine in the UK after new evidence linked the drug with an increased risk of non-fatal heart attacks and strokes.

Full article

Non-stick chemical linked to thyroid disease (The Daily Telegraph, 21 January 2010)

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

A study by the University of Exeter and Peninsula Medical School has described an association betweeen higher blood levels of perfluorooctanoic acid - a synthetic chemical used in a number of household items - and increased rates of thyroid disease.

Full article

NHS obesity operation access inconsistent, surgeons say (BBC News Online, 21 January 2010)

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Royal College of Surgeons has expressed concerns that the NHS is failing to meet NICE guidelines when referring obese patients for gastric-band surgery.

Full article

Rare Disease Day 2010 - 28 February

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Rare Disease Day is an annual event designed to raise awareness for the multitude of people around the world suffering from conditions that affect less than 5 in 10,000 people. Individually they affect only a small number of people, yet collectively they affect 1 in 17 people in the UK.

Owing to their scarcity, research into these diseases remains poorly integrated and inadequately funded, depriving the rare disease patient of appropriate diagnosis, treatment and support. To combat the shortfall in rare disease research, the theme for this year's Rare Disease Day is "Patients and Researchers: Partners for Life."

Rare Disease Day falls on the last day of February - 28 February - and this year Rare Disease UK will be holding three parliamentary receptions to promote awareness amongst the parliaments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Events will be taking place worldwide. For more information please visit the websites below.

Rare Disease Day 2010

Rare Disease UK

The 14th International Congress of Endocrinology - pre-registration deadline 15 February

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The 14th International Congress of Endocrinology (ICE2010 Kyoto, March 26 – 30, 2010) is now just over two months away.

The deadline for Pre-registration is February 15. Please register on-line at www.congre.co.jp/ice2010/. The deadline is fast-approaching and so to avoid difficulties in last minute registration, please register now.

An impressive program has been created consisting of 11 plenary lectures, panel discussion, 31 Meet-the-Professor sessions and 115 symposia sessions. Nobel-Prize winner, Prof. Ferid Murad, and two Lasker-Award winners, Prof. Robert G. Roeder and Prof. Shinya Yamanaka, will give the plenary lectures.

Science Media Centre Event - Introduction to the News Media

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Science Media Centre have issued an invitation to all scientists to attend a beginner's guide to the media, designed to give scientists an insight into how the news media works. Some of the topics covered include how journalists find stories, the role of the editor and press officer, and the importance of engaging with the media.

The course will take place on the afternoon of Friday 12 March at the University of Edinburgh. If you are interested in applying for a place, please contact the Science Media Centre with your name and institutional e-mail address at introduction@sciencemediacentre.org.

Science Media Centre Homepage

PhD studentship - a prospective study of neuroendocrine aspects of cognitive ageing

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Added via FindAPhD.com

Average life-expectancy in European men remains 5-6 years shorter than that of women. The School of Translational Medicine at the University of Manchester is offering a PhD studentship designed to investigate the potential neuroendocrine mechanisms behind this discrepancy. By looking at how levels of various anabolic hormones change with age, the project hopes to describe an 'aging phenotype' in man, and examine how far the endocrine system exerts its influence on ageing.

The deadline for applications is 18 February 2010. For further information, including how to apply, please follow the link below.

Further details

Clinical research fellowships at the University of Newcastle Medical School

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Added via the Medical Schools Council clinical academic jobs page.

Applications are invited for four clinical research fellowships at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University. Funded by the Wellcome Trust, the posts provide an excellent introduction to academic research for clinically qualified individuals training in Internal Medicine specialities, Neurosciences, Paediatrics and Human Genetics, and focus on the translation of science into improvements in treatment.

Further information can be found by following the link below. The deadline for applications is 26 February 2010.

Further details

Open access drug discovery database launches with half a million compounds (Wellcome Trust press release, 18 January 2010)

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

A huge database of over half a million drugs and drug-like small molecules has been made available to the public domain, thanks to substantial funding from the Wellcome Trust. The database contains over 2 million records on the compounds' properties including binding profiles, pharmacokinetics and toxicity, and is expected to stimulate the drug-discovery process by enhancing the participation of small-budget pharmaceutical companies and academics.

Full article

Diabetes gene points way to new treatments (The Times Online, 18 January 2010)

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Scientists from research centres across the world have pooled data to contribute to the largest association study published to date, and have found nine new genes that influence blood-sugar levels and can be linked to type 2 diabetes.

Full article

Rising obesity prompts higher antibiotic doses call (BBC News Online, 15 January 2010)

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Doctors from the US and Greece have suggested that the dosage of antibiotics prescribed should be adjusted to each individual case, arguing that standard doses may not give sufficient drug distribution to combat bacterial infections in the rising number of obese patients.

Full article

Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine 2011

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Louis-Jeantet Foundation offers one or more prestigious prizes each year to researchers who distinguish themselves in the field of biomedical research in Europe. Of the CHF 700,000 prize money a significant proportion is designated as financing for the recipient's ongoing research, distinguishing the prize as a recognition of excellence rather than a reward for a completed body of work.

Nominations for the prize will be accepted until 15 February 2010. Follow the link below for more information and to nominate a candidate.

Fondation Louis-Jeantet

UKCGE - Bringing Cutting Edge Science to the Classroom

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The UK Council for Graduate Education is looking for early career researchers to take part in their pilot scheme to bring contemporary science into the classroom. As part of a new teacher CPD programme, each scientist would work with one or two individual teachers and interact with them via a website to develop a classroom resource using the researcher's data.

Science Learning Centres are initially looking for researchers to become involved in the pilot programme in spring 2010. Researchers who would like to know more or who are interested in taking part should email the external contact at freshscience@slcs.ac.uk.

UKCGE scheme

Late Effects in Cancer Survivors conference

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Endorsed by the Society for Endocrinology, the conference on "Late Effects in Cancer Survivors" is taking place on 3-4 March 2010 at Cutler's Hall, Sheffield, UK. This conference is aimed at consultants, nurses, associate specialists and training grades, and has been awarded CPD credits by the Royal College of Radiologists. For more information on this conference, please contact the conference secretariat at lateeffects@sheffield.ac.uk, or visit the conference website here where one can also register by downloading an application form.

The deadline for registration is 12 February 2010.

Low growth hormone levels linked to memory defects later in life can be prevented with early growth hormone treatment (AlphaGalileo, 13 January 2010)

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Scientists have shown that early growth hormone supplementation in rats with growth hormone deficiency can prevent defects in memory developing later in adulthood. The study, published in the Journal of Endocrinology is the first to show that memory defects in adults as a result of growth hormone deficiency arising in childhood can be prevented by growth hormone treatment during adolescence.

Full article

Congratulations!

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Society would like to congratulate Dr John Bevan on the award of a Personal Chair in Endocrinology from the Univeristy of Aberdeen.

New Sex Hormone Found - May Lead to Male Birth Control? (National Geographic News, 11 January 2010)

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

American researchers have demonstrated the presence of a new inhibitory sex hormone within the human brain, leading to new avenues for research into hormonal control of the reproductive system.

Full article

Speciality Certificate Examination in Endocrinology & Diabetes 2010

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

In the UK, the Specialty Certificate Examination is now a compulsory component of assessment for Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) for trainees whose specialist training began in or after August 2007 and trainees are expected to have made their first attempt by the penultimate year assessment.

The next exam takes place on 30 June 2010. Registration for UK centres is open from 29 March to 26 April 2010. The exam is run once per year (usually May/June) so if you are more than halfway through your training, make sure you plan the exam into your assessment timetable. Register early to secure your preferred test centre. When you revise, read broadly and cover the entire curriculum. Further information, including guidance on registration at international test centres, is available at www.mrcpuk.org, or e-mail your query to sce.queries@mrcpuk.org.

SfE 2011 Medallists

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Thank you to all who sent in suggestions for medallists. We are delighted to announce that the following have accepted their invitations to speak at the 2011 Society BES meeting:

Dale Medal - Professor E R Simpson (Prince Henry's Inst., Monash University)

Transatlantic Medal - Professor J Kopchick (Edison Biotech. Institute, Ohio University)

Society Medal - Professor G R Williams (Imperial College London)

European Medal - Professor X Bertagna (University of Paris)

Hoffenberg International Medal - Professor P Fuller (Prince Henry's Inst.)

Welcome to new Chairmen

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

We are delighted to welcome the following new Chairs of the Society's committees, who take up their posts this month. We look forward to working with them as we continue to progress initiatives for all members.

Professor Graham Williams (Finance Committee)

Mrs Nikki Kieffer (Nurse Committee)

Dr Alia Munir (Young Endocrinologists' Steering Group)

The Society thanks the retiring Chairs Mrs Maggie Carson and Dr Kim Jonas for their substantial contributions to developing services for nurses and young endocrinologists respectively. Professor Michael Sheppard has moved from his position as Society Treasurer to Chairman of the Board of BioScientifica Ltd; we thank him for all he has done as Society Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee.

SFE BES 2010 - Young Endocrinologists' Prize Lecture winners

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Each year the Society awards two prize lectures to young endocrinologists, one basic science and one clinical, to be given at the Society's annual BES meeting, rewarding up-and-coming endocrinologists with a prestigious platform from which to present their personal research.

This year we would like to congratulate Dr Vicky Smith for her basic science abstract entitled 'PTTG and PBF as targets for augmenting radioiodine uptake in thyroid cancer', and Dr Alia Munir for her clinical abstract entitled 'RNA interference as therapy for Cushing's disease.'

Drs Smith and Munir will present their lectures on Monday 15 March at BES 2010 in Manchester, and will be rewarded with a £2500 honorarium each.

Find out more about the Young Endocrinologists' Prize Lecture here.

Public Event: Gender - more than X versus Y

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Society for Endocrinology is pleased to announce that its next public event will take place at Edinburgh International Science Festival on Monday 12 April 2010.

Chaired by Professor Richard Sharpe of the University of Edinburgh, the event hopes to provide insights into how hormones control sexual development, and will examine what happens when this balance of chemical signals is disturbed.

Gender: More than X versus Y

SfE supports the National Campaign for Libel Reform - Update

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Society has signed up to the National Campaign for Libel Reform. This campaign is being run jointly by Sense about Science, English PEN and Index on Censorship to campaign for reform of English libel laws. This follows on from Sense about Science’s campaign to ensure that English libel laws are not used to silence critical discussion of medical practice and scientific evidence and to discourage debate in the public arena. This campaign was launched in the wake of the case of science writer Simon Singh, who is being sued for libel for an article in The Guardian. The Society urges members to sign the petition at the link below.

Update 18 January 2010 - In the run up to the general election, the National Campaign for Libel Reform is pushing for all parties to make libel reform part of their manifesto. Representatives of the campaign are meeting Jack Straw on 3 February. We need your help showing Mr Straw that wholesale libel reform is a public concern. Please get 10 more people to sign the petition, blog about it and Tweet the link to show him how strong public feeling is.

National Campaign for Libel Reform: sign the petition here.

Sense about Science

British Medical Association 2010 Grants

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The British Medical Association (BMA) awards research grants each year (totalling approximately £500,000) to encourage and further medical research in a variety of areas. One of these grants, the Joan Dawkins, is to assist research into type II diabetes, specific to men’s health. Applications are invited from UK registered medical practitioners and/or research scientists, for projects taking place in the UK only, and can be for either research in progress or prospective research.

In 2010, the Joan Dawkins grant will be awarded for an amount up to £55,000. The research grants are now available to apply for online on the BMA website. The application deadline is 12 March 2010. For more information on the Joan Dawkins grant and other BMA research grants please visit the BMA website here.

Breast cancer is not a single disease, scientists discover (The Times, 24 December 2009)

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

A team of British scientists has provided new possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer by analysing and comparing the genomes of breast tumours to find specific patterns of DNA damage.

Full article

Using a pedometer 'can cut chance of developing diabetes by half' (The Daily Telegraph, 4 January 2010)

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

'Steps-per-day' targets combined with an educational seminar about diabetes can reduce blood sugar levels in individuals at high risk of developing diabetes, say researchers from the University of Leicester.

Full article

Undergraduate Achievement Award 2010

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Society for Endocrinology Undergraduate Achievement Awards have been established to encourage excellence in the study of endocrinology by undergraduate students.

Departments are invited to submit applications to the Society for an award to outstanding undergraduates. The award will consist of a £300/yr grant to the department (for three years), and a certificate from the Society to the award winner.

One grant will be available to a department in any three-year period. There will be up to twelve grants available each year, awarded to eligible departments on a first come first served basis.

Applications will only be considered if submitted by a paid up member of the Society for Endocrinology. Applications open on 18 June and close on 16 July 2010.

Further details

Hormones 'govern ability to breastfeed' (BBC News Online, 7 January 2010)

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Norwegian scientists have suggested that high testosterone levels during pregnancy may be the reason that some mothers find breastfeeding difficult.

Full article

BioSciAlliance - create your profile today and be part of the endocrine community!

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

BioSciAlliance is an exciting service from BioScientifica that allows members to access a host of services using a single gateway. BioSciAlliance (www.bioscialliance.org) allows you to renew your membership, access abstract management and registration for Society meetings, update your membership profile and interact with fellow members, all using a single website.

Society members can logon to BioSciAlliance using their current membership number and password. Once you are logged on, you can build up your own profile and search for fellow members by geographical location or areas of interest. In addition, BioSciAlliance provides a wealth of educational resources, BioScientifica's world calendar of events and news articles on a range of biomedical specialities.

Communicate; Collaborate; Innovate - logon to BioSciAlliance today.

Logon to BioSciAlliance

Call for Volunteers - The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair 2010

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair is looking for hundreds of volunteers in various positions to ensure a smooth running to The Fair. The Fair is expected to attract thousands of young people from across the country to the three days of interactive STEM engagement, with some of the biggest names in STEM engagement on show including Brainiac Live, Bang Goes the Theory, The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures and TEDxBig Bang. With school students from 9- 19 years over the Thursday and Friday, including Further Education Colleges, State Secondary Schools, Independent Secondary Schools, and Primary Schools, the event is open to the general public on Saturday, where 5,000 people are expected to attend.

Further information can be found by following the link below.

The Big Bang Fair volunteer registration

Society for Endocrinology National Clinical Cases Meeting 2010 - register NOW!

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Online registration for the Society for Endocrinology National Clinical Cases Meeting 2010 is now open. To register please click here.

The 2010 National Clinical Cases Meeting will take place in the afternoon of 23 February 2010 at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. The meeting will consist of 10 oral communications made up of the highest scoring submitted abstracts and a large number of poster presentations. Further details can be found on the website below. Please direct any enquiries to the conferences team on: +44 (0)1454 642210 or by email at: conferences@endocrinology.org.

National Clinical Cases Meeting 2010

Free Registration

The Society is delighted to make available a limited number of places where delegates will not be required to pay the registration fee for this meeting. These free places are only available to those who have not yet started their specialist training in endocrinology (medical students, FYs, CTs/ST1and2). Consultants should submit applications on behalf of suitable candidates to: conferences@endocrinology.org. Because the number of these places is limited, free registration will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.

Accreditation of UK Bioscience degrees - a consultation by the Society of Biology

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Society of Biology has been working towards developing an accreditation process for UK bioscience degrees. With this in mind they have now opened an online consultation to gather further information and views, and encourage anyone interested in the accreditation process to take part. The project page, which includes a report of a workshop on the accreditation process held in October 2009 and a link to the survey, can be found by clicking here.

The Society for Endocrinology urges all members with an interest in degree accreditation to respond to this survey. The consultation will close on 21 February 2010.

Role of radioiodine uptake measurement and scintigraphy in the management of hyperthyroidism

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Radioisotope uptake measurements and radioisotope scanning (scintigraphy) are used in the management of patients with hyperthyroidism. In this commentary, Franklin discusses the recent findings of Okosieme et al. that, in most patients, isotope studies do not provide any useful information in addition to that obtained from clinical examination and standard laboratory tests, and suggests that centres routinely performing these tests should evaluate their cost-effectiveness. J A Franklin, Clinical Endocrinology, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2009.03633.x

Is acromegaly under-diagnosed?

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Historically, acromegaly has been under-recognised until its later stages when clinical characteristics are more apparent but treatment is more difficult. Reid et al. examined data from 324 patients presenting with acromegaly from 1981 to 2006 and found that signs, symptoms and associated comorbidities, tumour size and preoperative GH levels did not change significantly in the 26 years since the patients were diagnosed, indicating that their acromegaly was already advanced at diagnosis. The authors conclude that clinical recognition of acromegaly has not improved much in the last 25 years and that increased awareness of acromegaly amongst practitioners is required. Reid et al., Clinical Endocrinology, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2009.03626.x

E3 - Enhancing Excellence in Endocrinology

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

E3 – Enhancing Excellence in Endocrinology – is a professionally-led educational initiative that has been established to inspire endocrine specialists to support excellence in endocrine care. E3 provides a tailored programme of interactive courses and online resources focused on supporting personal and professional development and service delivery skills.

Initiated and funded by Pfizer Endocrine Care, E3 is led in collaboration with a multidisciplinary faculty of endocrine specialists from across the UK, and is being delivered in association with the Society for Endocrinology and the British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.

To learn more about what E3 can offer you, and for more information on forthcoming E3 courses, please visit the E3 website www.e3endocrinology.org

Date of preparation: January 2010, GEN3068

Endocrine-Related Cancer - continuous publication online

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Endocrine-Related Cancer, the established global forum for basic, translational and clinical research on hormones and cancer has launched continuous publication online. NEW ARTICLES are published online as soon as they are ready for publication, without waiting for an issue to be compiled. Look out for these NEW ARTICLES throughout January at www.try-erc.org.

NEW ARTICLES published by ERC can now be read and cited faster than ever before, a superb new development for authors and readers sharing knowledge worldwide.

Authors accepted manuscripts (Accepted Preprints) continue to appear within 24 hours of acceptance.

ERC is the most widely read journal devoted to hormones and cancer with an impact factor of 5.236 and a 5-year impact factor of 5.827.

Find out more about ERC at www.try-erc.org

National Training Scheme for the use of thyroid ultrasound by endocrinologists

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Owing to continuing demand, The British Thyroid Association and Royal College of Radiologists are running another course in ultrasound techniques in April 2010.

This is a one-day-long course and is an essential part of the national training scheme for certification for the use of ultrasound in the management of thyroid diseases by non-radiologists.

The curriculum for training and certification for neck ultrasound by non-radiologists has been drawn up jointly by the British Thyroid Association and the Royal College of Radiologists. The programme is also supported by the Society for Endocrinology and approved by the Royal College of Physicians. The training programme will be appropriate for established clinicians who manage thyroid diseases and thyroid cancer, and senior SpRs.

The course itself includes the essential core knowledge to proceed to certification and includes sessions on the theory, principles and practice of ultrasound and its application to neck and thyroid examination and biopsy, and practical hands-on sessions in neck ultrasound and ultrasound guided thyroid fine needle aspiration technique.

The workshop will be taking place on Friday 23 April 2010 at Mayday University Hospital, Croydon, and will cost £200 for consultants, £150 for Trainees/SpR. For an application form and further details please e-mail joan.munt@mayday.nhs.uk. The application deadline is 26 Febuary 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: PLACES ARE LIMITED AND WILL BE ALLOCATED ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS ON RECEIPT OF PAYMENT.

Society for Endocrinology Clinical Update 2010

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT

We are pleased to announce that Society for Endocrinology Clinical Update 2010 will take place in Bristol on 8-10 November 2010. Further details will be available shortly at the link below.

SfE Events

2010 British Science Association Award Lectures

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Do you know a brilliant science communicator? Nominations for the 2010 British Science Association Award Lectures are now open. The Award Lectures are prestigious awards presented to young scientists who are particularly gifted at presenting their research to a non-specialist audience. The selected Award Lecturers are invited to present at the British Science Festival from 14- 19 September 2010 in Birmingham. The British Science Festival attracts tens of thousands of people and generates thousands of column inches in the national, regional and international press. The Award Lectures tend to receive excellent publicity and are a very popular component of the programme among a wide audience.

The Awards gives the rare opportunity to honour five professional scientists or engineers in the early stages of their career, who show outstanding skills in communication to a non-specialist audience. There are five different Award categories: Joseph Lister Award - Social sciences; Isambard Kingdom Brunel Award - Engineering, technology and industry; Charles Lyell Award - Environmental sciences; Charles Darwin Award - Agricultural, biological and medical sciences; Lord Kelvin Award - Physical sciences and mathematics. Nominations will close on Friday 26 February 2010. For more information, please visit the website below.

British Science Association Award website

Australian Senior Clinical Research Fellowships

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT

The Senior Clinical Research Fellowships are one of Australia's most generous clinical research fellowships. Funding of up to AUD 850, 000 per annum for five years per Fellowship is available to attract and retain elite clinical researchers to Queensland, Australia who are international leaders in their field. The application process for the Senior Clinical Research Fellowship is a two stage process. Stage One involves completing an Expression of Interest (EOI) form which should be submitted online by 1 March 2010. An Office of Health and Medical Research-appointed Review Panel will consider each eligible EOI against the selection criteria and short list those proposals for which applicants will be invited to submit a full application. EOIs that are not short listed will be withdrawn from any further consideration and those applicants will be advised of this decision as soon as possible.

Stage Two: Short-listed candidates will be eligible to submit a full application. Short listed applicants will be notified and invited to submit a detailed proposal that builds upon the information in the EOI. Applications close on Monday 1 March 2010.

Job advert

RCOG Endometriosis Millennium Fund

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Via rdfunding.org.uk. The Endometriosis Millennium Fund, administered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) was established to stimulate and encourage research, clinical or laboratory based, in the field of endometriosis, or to encourage clinicians to acquire extra clinical skills to manage patients with the disease.

Up to £5,000 is available to a Member of the College or a member of the RCOG Trainees Register, who is resident and working within the British Isles. Applications for grants are invited for the following: To provide monies to fund a pilot project, clinical or laboratory based in the field of endometriosis, or to provide monies to fund an extension of an existing project researching endometriosis; or to provide a contribution towards a travelling Fellowship to attend a recognised training centre, preferably overseas, to obtain surgical training in the management of cases of endometriosis, beyond the skills expected of core training.

For a list of conditions and application details, click on the link below. The closing date for applications is 31 March 2010.

Further details

Society for Reproduction and Fertility Essay Prize

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 GMT

The Society for Reproduction and Fertility (SRF) essay competition is open to any undergraduate studying in the UK or Ireland. The essay must be about an aspect of reproductive biology and will be assessed on scientific content, style and topicality. The maximum word length will be 2000 words and the deadline for submissions is 31 March 2010.

The winner of the competition will receive a prize of £500 and be invited to attend the SRF annual conference, with the costs of their registration, accommodation and travel covered. The second prize will be £250 and the third prize £100. All three winning entries will be published on the SRF website. Further details including eligibility criteria and how to apply, can be found on the website below.

SRF website

Undergraduate Essay Prize 2010

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Have you got the write stuff? The Undergraduate Essay Prize is back with a £1000 prize on offer for the winning entry as well as runners up and highly recommended prizes. Essays should be on a topical aspect of endocrinology and extra credit will be given for readability and originality.

Further details and conditions of entry are available at the website below. If you have any questions, please email grants@endocrinology.org. The closing date for applications is 1 March 2010. Please pass this on to your students and encourage them to apply.

Essay Prize website

Society Grants

Mon, 11 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT

The Society for Endocrinology offers a number of grants which members can apply for throughout the year. These include: clinical department visit grants, sponsored seminars and poster session grants, and conference travel grants. For details on how to apply for Society grants, please visit the website below. If you have any questions about Society grants, please email: grants@endocrinology.org.

Grants website

Attention subscribers of "UK Jobs Grants and Prizes" RSS feed

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Please note the "UK Jobs Grants and Prizes" RSS feed will soon expire. This feed will be replaced by two new RSS feeds: "UK Jobs" and "UK Grants and Prizes". Please subscribe to these new feeds at the links below.

Subscribe to "UK Jobs" RSS feed

Subscribe to "UK Grants and Prizes" RSS feed

Society Prizes and Awards

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMT

The Society offers a number of awards and prizes throughout the year. Prizes are offered at the SfE BES meeting and Clinical Cases meetings for oral and poster presentations, and undergraduates can apply for the Undergraduate Achievement Award and Undergraduate Essay Prize. A Postgraduate Essay Prize is also available on an annual basis. For further details of all these awards and prizes and information on how to apply, please visit the website below.

Prizes and awards website