PLENARY SESSION 1 The Dawn of Aging SATURDAY, JULY 1 08:45-09:45 Gene repair in pre- and post-natal growth and aging - Jan Hoeijmakers, Rotterdam, The Netherlands The intracellular pathways either suppressing or enhancing the ageing process are beginning to be unravelled. These pathways include regulation of the insulin/growth hormone axis, pathways involved with caloric restriction, and DNA repair. We will have the pleasure of hearing Dr Hoeijmakers, from the Center for Biomedical Genetics at Erasmus Medical Center, update us on the latest developments in transcription-coupled repair and ageing. Aging and the IGF system - Steven WJ Lamberts, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Professor of Medicine at Erasmus Medical Center and currently the Rector of Erasmus University, Prof Lamberts has a broad range of research interests including endocrine cancer and quality of life during aging. The role of the IGF system in all stages and aspects of aging is currently an area of intense investigation, with Prof Lamberts as one of the leading authorities. PLENARY SESSION 2 Hypothalamic Programming SUNDAY, JULY 2 08:15-09:15 How the hypothalamus controls glucose production - Silvana Obici, Cincinnati, USA Recent evidence highlights the important role of the brain in the control of glucose homeostasis. Hypothalamic centers sense the availability of peripheral nutrients via redundant and overlapping nutrient-induced peripheral signals, such as leptin and insulin and via direct metabolic signalling. Responding to nutrient availability, these hypothalamic regions in turn exert a negative feedback not only on food 2 intake, but also on endogenous glucose production. Disruptions in the mechanisms of CNS nutrient sensing alter these homeostatic responses and contribute to the pathophysiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Dr Silvana Obici from the Obesity Center at the University of Cincinnati, will highlight some of the recent advances in this field Endocrinology of sleep - Eve van Cauter, Chicago, USA A growing body of epidemiological evidence supports an association between short sleep duration and the risk for obesity and diabetes. Chronic sleep loss may also be the consequence of pathological conditions such as sleep-disordered breathing. In this increasingly prevalent syndrome, a feed forward cascade of negative events generated by sleep loss, sleep fragmentation, and hypoxia are likely to exacerbate the severity of metabolic disturbances. Chronic sleep loss - behavioral or sleep disorder related - may represent a novel risk factor for weight gain, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. We will have the opportunity to hear one of the world leading authorities in this area, Dr Eve van Cauter from the Univeristy of Chicago. PLENARY SESSION 3 Diabetes Mellitus MONDAY, JULY 3 08:15-09:15 Immunopathogenesis of diabetes mellitus type 1 - Bart Roep, Leiden, The Netherlands The last couple of years have seen rapid advances in our knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, both from functional studies and population genetic approaches. Bart Roep, Head of Division of Autoimmunity, University of Leiden leads research programmes on genetic epidemiological studies, functional studies of immune molecules and their variants, and cellular immunity. Dr Roep is also the Principal Investigator at the JDRF Center for Beta Cell Therapy in Diabetes. Low birth weight and type 2 diabetes: foetal programming or shared genes - Andrew Hattersley, Exeter, UK The key observations that stimulated much of the current interest in programming are the reported links between low birth weight and adult disease. Andrew Hattersley is the leading proponent of the foetal insulin (gene) hypothesis and leads an extremely productive research group at the University of Exeter studying the genetics of various forms of diabetes and foetal growth. PLENARY SESSION 4 Population Genomics and Paediatric Endocrinology MONDAY, JULY 3 16:45-17:30 Population genomics - Kári Stefánsson, Reykjavik, Iceland No better incentive to stay right up to the last session of the meeting! Kári Stefánsson and his team at deCODE Genetics, Inc., Reykjavik, Iceland, are world-leaders in the population approach to human genetics. They have made several recent significant discoveries in the biology of human genetic variation, and their reported genetic associations, including with type 2 diabetes, fertility and cardiovascular disease have been regularly hitting the headlines. Statue of Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, Dutch humanist and theologian. Courtesy www.mediabankrotterdam.nl ESPE 2006 - Paediatric Endocrinology: the impact of programming 30 June - 3 July 2006 · Rotterdam, The Netherlands ESPE 2006 Plenary sessions ESPE 2006 Workshop Diabetes 2006: Global Issues, Global Challenges FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 15:30-17:00 Diabetes is a growing health problem throughout the world. For this reason, one of the Workshops at ESPE 2006 (outlined below) will emphasize the progress in the treatment and prevention of this condition. Insulin for life: Improving life for children in challenging conditions - European efforts and results Heidi Schmidt-Schmiedebach, Germany and Tadej Battelloni, Slovenia Is preventing diabetes a global problem? Stig Pramming, Denmark The DAWN Programme - Understanding the psychosocial barriers to full health and quality of life of people with diabetes on a global scale Congress Centre de Doelen. Courtesy Jan van der Ploeg Soren E Skovlund, Denmark
