Issue 1 – Summer 2005
Issue 59 / Spring 2023
March 27, 2022
April 2023
May 17, 2023
Issue 1 - Summer 2005
Bringing The Latest In Paediatric Endocrinology To You
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Editorial
Welcome
Dear friends and colleagues, I, along with the Editor Jesús Argente and the Editorial Board (Julie Chowen, Jean-Claude Carel, Leo Dunkel and Ken Ong), am delighted to present the first issue of the new ESPE Newsletter. We hope that the ESPE Newsletter will foster a sense of community among European paediatric endocrinologists, with a special view to strengthening the discipline and increasing the ESPE membership. Through the distribution of this leading initiative ESPE members will be updated on ESPE activities, reminded of important dates and deadlines and be better informed about the latest advances in paediatric endocrinology from around the world. The ESPE Newsletter, published in an effective and attractive format, will explore topics in greater depth than is possible in email alerts; copies will be distributed at the ESPE Annual Meeting and will also be posted on the new ESPE website. I express my sincere thanks to Ipsen for supporting the ESPE Newsletter. I strongly support this ambitious project and I hope that you will all join me in striving to continuously improve and increase ESPE's leadership in paediatric endocrinology. With my warmest regards, Franco Chiarelli ESPE SECRETARY GENERA
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ESPE Newsletter Editorial Board
Jesús Argente Professor Jesús Argente studied medicine at the University of Zaragoza in Zaragoza, Spain, before completing his residency in paediatrics at Ramón y Cajal Hospital in Madrid and in paediatric endocrinology at Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital in Paris. He received his doctoral degree at the University of Alcala in Madrid and then carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Virginia and subsequently at the University of Washington. In 1988, he was appointed Professor of Pediatrics at the University Autónoma in Madrid and head of the Department of Pediatric Endocrinology at the Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús in Madrid. He is a member and past-president of ESPE, and a member of the Lawson Wilkins Society and is currently president of the Spanish Society for Pediatric Endocrinology. His research interests lie in human growth and growth disorders, growth factors and their binding proteins and puberty and eating disorders. Jean-Claude Carel Professor Jean-Claude Carel studied medicine at Paris University and trained during his residency in endocrinology and paediatrics. He held a post-doctoral research fellowship in the field of diabetes, immunology and islet transplantation under the direction of Professors Paul Lacy and Michael Holers at Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Missouri. He trained in clinical paediatric endocrinology at Saint Vincent de Paul hospital in Paris under the direction of Professor Jean-Louis Chaussain, where he was appointed as Professor of Pediatrics in 1999. He has been a member of ESPE since 1998 and a member of the council since 2004. His clinical and research interests include pubertal and growth disorders and the immuno-pathology of type 1 diabetes. Julie Chowen Dr Julie Chowen received her BSc in medical technology from Lake Superior State University in Michigan. After receiving a PhD in physiology from the University of Washington in Seattle, she spent 9 years at the Ramón y Cajal Institute of Neurobiology in Madrid, first as a postdoctoral fellow and then as a research associate. She is currently a staff investigator in the Department of Endocrinology at the Hospital Niño Jesús in Madrid. In addition to being a member of ESPE, she is also a member of the American Endocrine Society and the American Society for Neuroscience. Her research interests lie in the neurendocrine mechanisms controlling growth, development and metabolism, as well as in the neuroprotective effects of specific hormones, including estrogens, IGF and GH. Leo Dunkel Professor Leo Dunkel is Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Kuopio and is Chief of Paediatric Endocrinology at the Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki. He received his training at the University of Helsinki and between 1991 and 1993 was a post-doctoral fellow at Stanford University's Division of Reproductive Biology. His research interests are related to various aspects of reproductive biology. He currently works with the genetic regulation of sexual maturation and aromatase inhibitors in growth modulation. Professor Dunkel has been a member of ESPE since 1988 and was a Council Member in 2000–2004. He is Director of Training for paediatric endocrinology in Finland. Ken Ong Dr Ken Ong leads a paediatric epidemiology research group at the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, Cambridge, UK, which explores the common genotype – environment interactions that influence fetal and childhood growth. This research is also based in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Cambridge and aims to develop targeted preventive strategies for childhood obesity and adult type 2 diabetes. Dr Ong trained in London, Southampton, Oxford and Cambridge and is a consultant paediatric endocrinologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge
ESPE Activities
bringing you the latest news of all the Society’s activities and events
ESPE Activities
ESPE Winter School
Ten years ago, Professor Ze'ev Hochberg and several other ESPE members started a unique and very successful ESPE educational programme for paediatric endocrinologists from Eastern European countries. Inaugurated as the ESPE Winter School and supported by a generous grant from Ferring Pharmaceuticals, it is now held every year in February or March. For one week, 25 young scientists who intend to pursue a career in paediatric endocrinology and their seven to eight teachers are based in a countryside resort for the duration of the course. This allows them to develop strong working relationships while they undergo instruction in all the main clinical topics of paediatric endocrinology, from the basics through to the molecular pathogenesis of the most relevant endocrine disorders. In addition, the Winter School aims to give young scientists and clinicians from Eastern Europe an opportunity to: • make contact with ESPE • learn about the ESPE annual meetings • apply for other excellent ESPE training programmes As a testament to the success and value of the Winter School, many former students have themselves gone on to become ESPE members who actively contribute to ESPE and who hold leading positions in their home countries. ESPE Winter School 2005 26 February-4 March 2005 Dobogókö, Hungary To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the programme we returned to Hungary, the location of the first Winter School hosted by Professor Peter in Budapest in 1996. Dr Agota Musznai, a former fellow of Professor Peter and a student of the original 1996 Winter School, undertook the local organization of the course and provided an atmosphere of great hospitality for students and teachers alike. She chose the beautiful Manreza resort in the Pilis mountains north of Budapest as the location for the event. The 25 students hailed from 12 different countries, which resulted in a rich international meeting, and they attended lectures on basic endocrinology and hormonal analyses, normal and impaired growth and puberty, diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia, thyroid and adrenal disorders, sex differentiation, water homeostasis and late endocrine effects of radio- and chemotherapy. Lectures were given by Dr Violeta Iotova (Bulgaria), Professor Chris Kelnar (UK), Professor Jan Lebl (Czech Republic), Dr Agota Muzsnai (Hungary), Professor Guy van Vliet (Canada), Professor Otto Westphal (Sweden) and Professor Angela Hübner (Germany). Students presented cases for extensive discussion and the teachers prepared instructive cases to be discussed in smaller groups. Professor Kelnar presented an introduction to clinical research and data analysis and all students presented their research projects during evening sessions. This busy schedule meant that the working day often did not finish until after 2200 h. However, refreshments around the billiards table helped us to quickly recover from these intensive days. Altogether, the 10th ESPE Winter School 2005 was very successful and we are most grateful to Ferring Pharmaceuticals for their generous sponsorship of this important teaching event and we look forward to next year's Winter School. PROFESSOR ANGELA HÜBNER ESPE Winter School Coordinator ESPE Winter School 2006 4-10 March 2006 Varna, Bulgaria Hosted by Dr Violeta Iotova. For further information and an application form visit the ESPE website at http://www.eurospe.org/ education/education_winter.html. ESPE Winter School Upcoming ballots: Chair of Finance Committee Professor Wieland Kiess is retiring as Chair of the Finance Committee following several years of active and valuable service. Two candidates, Stephen Rose and Olle Söder, are available for this post. Balloting to elect a new Chair of the Finance Committee will be conducted during the Annual Business Meeting
ESPE Activities
ESPE Summer School
Established in 1987, the ESPE Summer School is a three-day course that provides academic training to young European paediatric endocrinologists. Each year, three or four broad topics are chosen and students attend lectures given by teachers from the Summer School Committee or by invited speakers and the students themselves present cases for discussion that illustrate these topics. The Summer School is also an important forum for the exchange of ideas and brings together paediatric endocrinologists from a variety of backgrounds and interests and has often led to the development of collaborative projects or research fellowships between the participants. While the Summer School is a time for hard work, it also provides an opportunity to make new contacts in a friendly environment. The ESPE Summer School Committee has the difficult task of selecting the 25 students to attend from among the many applicants. The main criteria for selection are age (under 40 years of age), academic record, participation in research projects and publications in peer-reviewed journals. In addition to European students, the 2005 Summer School in Annecy, France is hosting 15 students from around the world, as chosen by various paediatric endocrinology societies. The topics for discussion are: • Congenital hypothyroidism • Adrenal disorders • Insulin resistance • Paediatric bone disorders We would like to thank the Summer School Committee and the local organizers for their time, effort and dedication to this important ESPE activity: Malcolm Donaldson (Scotland), Anita Hokken-Koelega and Joost Rotteveel (Netherlands), Lars Sävendahl (Sweden) and Marc Nicolino (France). Last but not least, we would like to thank Ferring Pharmaceuticals for their generous and continued support to the Summer School since 1987. ANNETTE GRÜTERS-KIESLICH AND JEAN-CLAUDE CAREL ESPE Summer School Coordinators ESPE Summer School 2006 26 – 30 June 2006 Nunspeet, Holland Hosted by Professor Jean-Claude Carel. For further information and an application form visit the ESPE website at http://www.eurospe.org/education/ education_summer.html.
ESPE Activities
Awards
Every year ESPE is proud to give members four important and prestigious awards, kindly supported by Pfizer, in recognition of their teaching, research and outstanding contribution to paediatric endocrinology. Andrea Prader Prize This is an annual leadership award and is the most prestigious ESPE senior prize. It was created to honour a lifetime achievement in teaching and research and to recognise outstanding leadership and overall contribution to the field of paediatric endocrinology. The prize is awarded through nomination and final selection by the Andrea Prader Prize Committee (see page 8). Research Award This prestigious award is given to an ESPE member in recognition of research achievements of outstanding quality in basic endocrine science or clinical paediatric endocrinology, and is awarded through nomination and selection by the Andrea Prader Prize Committee. ESPE Young Investigator Award This prize is conferred to a young European paediatrician, not older than 40 years of age by the end of the award year, in recognition of his or her scientific publications and is awarded on the basis of selection from submissions received from applicants. Outstanding Clinician Award Established in 2001, this award recognises outstanding clinical contributions to the practice of clinical paediatric endocrinology and is given on the basis of nominations received from ESPE members.
ESPE Activities
Fellowships And Grants
ESPE proudly offers support and opportunities for both young and senior members who intend to develop a scientific, research and clinical career in paediatric endocrinology. ESPE Research Fellowship This fellowship is a successor of the Nordisk Grant for the Study of Growth, which was established in 1978 by Professor Andrea Prader, the late Professor Henning Andersen and the late Henry Brennum (Nordisk Gentofte). This fellowship is awarded to young paediatricians or scientists, giving them financial support during their research training for up to two years, and is awarded on the basis of nominations received from ESPE-member supervisors or department heads. Novo Nordisk continues to generously support this fellowship. ESPE Clinical Fellowship Sponsored by Serono, this fellowship promotes the development of patient care, clinical management and research in paediatric endocrinology through a training program in a European clinical centre. Short and long-term fellowship options are available. ESPE Sabbatical Leave Programme This programme, kindly supported by Eli Lilly, allows ESPE members to take a sabbatical to perform research in another institution, and provides a unique opportunity for scientific renewal, new research development and to establish important collaborative links. ESPE Visiting Scholarship This scholarship offers financial support to ESPE members or their collaborators who are gathering information and experience on a specific research issue or on a laboratory technique in the field of paediatric endocrinology. The scholarship aims to help recipients overcome unforeseen obstacles arising in the course of a research project in a simple, quick and streamlined manner and is awarded on the basis of nominations made by an ESPE member. Proposed projects should increase general knowledge in paediatric endocrinology and applicants should demonstrate how they intend to transfer important imformation and/or techniques back to their home institution. This scholarship is made possible by unrestricted educational support from Pfizer. Henning Andersen Prizes These are awarded for the two most highly rated clinical and experimental abstracts submitted to the Society's Annual Meeting. Please visit the ESPE website for further information, details of selection criteria and application forms.
ESPE Activities
Hormone Research
Hormone Research, now 35 years old, has become a respected and well-established journal in the field of endocrinology and as the official journal of ESPE is distributed to its members. Our journal aims to inform readers of the current status of basic and clinical research in the field of endocrinology by publishing articles that derive both from the researchers bench and from clinical observations. This scope is neatly described by the journal's subtitle, “From Developmental Endocrinology to Clinical Research”. Indeed, basic research is of utmost importance to paediatric endocrinologists to understand the mechanisms of endocrine disease, developmental endocrinology and molecular genetics. However, clinical and epidemiological research are of equal importance as major sources of information for clinicians who make decisions every day. Data on new variations of disease, diagnostic tools, efficacy and risks of new treatments are therefore most welcome in the journal. Hormone Research has undergone a number of changes over the last two years. As Editor-in-Chief, I am working with a strong Associate Editors’ Board of respected colleagues from different countries: Peter Clayton, Jean-Claude Carel, Annette GrütersKieslich, Paul Saenger, Martin Savage, Olle Söder and Guy van Vliet. Improved electronic communication and online services such as online submission and peer review now provide authors with a high quality service and greatly improve the review process, and the journal has been given a new and attractive graphic cover. The Associate Editors’ Board and myself wish to further engage the journal in providing the best scientific and modern clinical research and we hope that the new sections described below will contribute to the growth and quality of Hormone Research. However, the journal cannot exist without the active participation of all clinicians and researchers involved in the field of endocrinology. As the official journal of ESPE, Hormone Research needs your contribution and welcomes articles on developmental endocrinology to clinical research
ESPE Committee News
moving the Society forward
ESPE Committee News
Education and Training Committee
It gives me great pleasure to give you an overview of the intentions regarding the activities of the ESPE ETC. This committee has been newly formed in accordance with the recommendations of the ESPE Strategic Planning Committee. ESPE ETC members Sten Drop (Netherlands) Chairman Herwig Frisch (Austria) ETC Chairman/CESP Representative Jean-Claude Carel (France) Summer School Coordinator Angela Hübner (Germany) Winter School Coordinator Sergio Bernasconi (Italy) ESPE member; Continuous Professional Development Objectives In accordance with the mission of our committee, our objective is to consolidate and promote education and training within ESPE. Our target groups are paediatricians training to become paediatric endocrinologists and paediatric endocrinologists who are continuing their education. ESPE is a thriving scientific society that holds education, training and clinical and basic research at its logical core. If training in the various ESPE countries is to reach a level that is in accordance with an ESPE (that is, European) standard, then it is essential that we offer ESPE education and training. The present situation The highly successful Summer and Winter Schools have been in existence for many years and are greatly appreciated by the membership. In accordance with guidelines set out by the Confederation of European Specialists in Paediatrics (CESP), the paediatric section of the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS), a syllabus has been constructed and an initiative to recognize training centres has begun. Priorities 1) The highly successful Summer and Winter Schools will be continued. 2) Recognition of training centres. Council has approved the solicitation of digital information about training centres in accordance with the ESPE website syllabus and in collaboration with the ESPE Secretariat. Subsequently, training centres will be recognized in accordance with the present guidelines and based on the evaluation of written forms. A visitation programme will therefore not be established. However, rather than impose absolute criteria, this situation will be critically evaluated and suggestions for improvements will be made, for instance based on existing examples in other countries. A subcommittee has been formed consisting of Faisal Ahmed (United Kingdom), Herwig Frisch, Sergio Bernasconi, Lars Savendahl (Sweden), Leo Dunkel (Finland), Jan Lebl (Czech Republic) and Sten Drop. 3) Trainee assessment A central organization governing the assessment of trainees (fellows) is needed to measure the competence of trainees, to set standards for training and for trainees, to stimulate and motivate trainees to study and to measure and improve the effectiveness of the training programme. Two models are possible to ensure that the quality of paediatric endocrinologists is comparable and of a sufficient standard across the various European countries. A) A centralized, standardized testing procedure, composed of mainly written or station-based objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs). This is comparable to the current approaches of the Boards in the USA or the Royal Colleges in the UK. It consists of annual or semi-annual examinations held at a limited number of locations. B) A central recurrent evaluation of submitted local assessment programmes by a central committee, implying that each training centre submits an outline of their assessment programme to a central committee (ESPE). This is possible with a series of preset questions concerning different areas of the assessment programme. The ESPE committee then judges the programmes and provides the centre with feedback and suggestions Considerations for option A • Very costly to set up. A prior investment will have to be made to ensure that tests of optimum quality can be produced, requiring an infrastructure with centralized databases and test construction panels. The cost per year may be in the order of €40,000. • Quality of the test is crucial and will be challenged by various stakeholders if the results are not to their liking. • Translation of the tests will be an additional problem; only using English would give an unfair advantage to native English speakers. • Many centres or countries may view this as a breach of their autonomy or might consider this approach to be overly restrictive. • These tests can often lead to testing of rather basic elements of competency: knowledge and its application (in written tests) or technical skills (OSCEs). Issues such as professionalism are not easily assessed by centralized, highly structured testing. • It is an intuitive approach and is easy to explain to the public, the media and other stakeholders. • Quantitative results can be used for numerical ranking, for whatever worth this may have. Considerations for option B • Gives freedom to individual centres to set up the assessment programmes that they deem most appropriate, with the quality of the programme being judged. • Emphasis is on the improvement of the quality of the fellows, rather than on selection alone. • Allows a better exchange of knowledge, experience and resources than option A. • Permits ranking by measures of quality, rather than solely by quantitative means. • Employs local resources rather than only central resources. • Takes account of local cultural, financial and logistical constraints. • Permits the assessment of a broader array of elements of professional performance and competence. • More difficult to explain to the public, the media and other stakeholders. Council has agreed that proposal B should be explored in further detail by a subcommittee consisting of Faisal Ahmed, Herwig Frisch, Sten Drop, Lambert Schuwirth (medical educationalist; Netherlands), Jean Claude Carel and Angela Hübner. 4) Electronic (E-) learning While training is well represented with the Summer and Winter Schools, education could be expanded by offering E-learning, using simulations and models that employ interactive technology such as computerized patient management problems that can evaluate clinical skills, decision making and knowledge. This process has begun with the construction of an interactive educational program called ‘Pediatric Endocrinology Inter Action: Growth and Puberty’, which will soon be available on the ESPE website. An editorial board has been suggested consisting of Sten Drop, John Gregory (United Kingdom), Kees Noordam (Netherlands), Faisal Ahmed (UK), Heiko Krude (Germany), Juliane Leger (France), Lambert Schuwirth and Violeta Iotova (Bulgaria). 5) Annual meetings Training and education should be represented during annual meetings. In cooperation with the Program Organising Committee, the subject of training and education should be included on the agenda for future annual meetings. 6) Sponsorship The ETC gratefully acknowledges Sandoz (Vienna, Austria) for their substantial financial support over future years to help realize various ETC objectives
ESPE Committee News
Program Organizing Committee
Members Ze'ev Hochberg (Israel) Chair Stenvert Drop (Netherlands) President-elect Raimo Voutilainen (Finland) ` President-elect-elect Stefano Cianfarani (Italy) CPC Chair Primus Mullis (Switzerland) Member Lars Sävendahl (Sweden) Member Francis de Zegher (Belgium) Member Mission To establish scientific programmes of the highest quality for the annual meeting, including ESPE satellite symposia and ESPE club meetings. With this goal in mind, the annual meeting's scientific programme is to be split equally between • Members' communications • Coverage of practical clinical issues • Recent developments Abstract sponsorship Abstract sponsorship by ESPE members has been reintroduced to help raise the standards of abstracts submitted to meetings. Sponsors are notified that they are responsible for helping assemble a high quality meeting. Sponsors can advise submitting authors on how to improve an abstract or whether to submit or not and will give written confirmation to ESPE of the appropriateness of abstracts in terms of ethics, scientific level and content. The effectiveness of this measure will be assessed after a two year trial period. ESPE Satellite Symposia (ESS) The ESS programme, run as a supplement to the main programme at the annual meetings, was created to provide increased education on endocrine topics to physicians. ESS are ESPE symposia that are supported by industry and as such the POC has formulated guidelines to assess the content to ensure high scientific quality, minimal product advertisement and the disclosure of conflicts of interest. Suggestions for the annual meeting are welcome, for which the POC will advertise in due course. ZE'EV HOCHBERG MD, DSC POC Chair ESPE Research Fellowship Committee Members Charles Sultan (France) Chair Anders Juul (Denmark) Secretary Angela Hübner (Germany) Member Gerald Theintz (Switzerland) Member Peter Clayton (UK) Member Awarded by Novo Nordisk, the ESPE Research Fellowship is awarded to young European paediatric endocrinologists to fund work in outstanding laboratories in Europe and North America and aims to: • Develop research skills by practising state of the art research • Acquire fundamental concepts in paediatric endocrine research • Allow recipients to set up laboratories and research teams in their home countries Two two-year grants are awarded each year. Additionally, a short six-month grant that specifically targets young Eastern European residents is also awarded. 2004 Recipients Full-term grants awarded to: Dr Catarina Limbert Zinterl, Lisbon, Portugal Trained under Professor Amilcar Mota and will work with Dr Jochen Seufert in Würzburg, Germany. Project title: 'Development of strategies for isolation and in vitro expansion of adult human endocrine pancreatic stem cells by genetic engineering'. Dr. Kathleen De Waele, Ghent, Belgium Trained under Professor Craen and will work with Professor Jean-Pierre Chanoine in Vancouver, Canada. Project title: 'Effect of somatostatin on ghrelin concentrations, food seeking behavior and weight in patients with Prader–Willi syndrome'. Short-term grant awarded to: Dr Irena Hainerova, Prague, Czech Republic Trained under Professor Jan Lebl and will work with Professor Oluf Pedersen, Steno Diabetes Center, Copenhagen, Denmark. Project title: 'Monogenic forms of childhood obesity in the Czech Republic: prevalence, genetic findings and phenotypic characteristics'. Further information and application forms are available on request from the ESPE Research Fellowship Secretary, Doctor A Juul, Copenhagen; Email: ajuul@dadlnet.dk ESPE Clinical Practice Committee (CPC) Committee Members Stefano Cianfarani (Italy) Chairperson Gary E Butler (United Kingdom) Jean-Claude Carel (France) Lucia Ghizzoni (Italy) Anders Juul (Denmark) Moshe Phillip (Israel) The CPC aims to deliver: • Consensus statements to guide and standardize the child health care system and/or improve the health of children with endocrine disease in Europe. • Clinical reports that offer guidance for the clinician in rendering paediatric care. • Technical reports providing background information to support Academy policy. • Clinical practice guidelines and scientific based decision-making tools for managing common paediatric endocrinology conditions. • Practice guideline endorsement and critical reviews of the main documents concerning paediatric endocrinology. • Reproducible handouts and website pages for parents that provide important health messages based on ESPE - CPC policy statements. • EU grant applications for broad-scope projects with a high social impact. The CPC is instrumental in organizing the consensus meetings that aim to: • address specific clinical topics. • review all evidence on the management of those topics. • discuss the strength of this evidence and formulate management plans. • generate a concise, clear write-up that can be used widely in clinical management by ensuring its publication in a relevant journal and, if appropriate, to prepare and publish an accompanying paper reviewing the evidence considered. • highlight areas of management where evidence is lacking and research is required. • propose a time line for review of the consensus statement. A format for ESPE consensus meetings has been detailed by the CPC and approved by Council.
ESPE Committee News
ESPE Clinical Fellowship Programme
Across Europe there are still wide variations in opportunities for motivated trainees in paediatric endocrinology. Financial and other resources may be inadequate or even non existent in many centres and countries, and it is against this background that the ESPE Clinical Fellowship Programme (CFP), with the generous support of Serono, was established to provide training in major European clinical centres with recognised reputations in clinical paediatric endocrinology. The aims of the CFP are to: • promote the development of patient care, clinical management and clinical research in paediatric endocrinology • provide additional training and experience for paediatricians from countries where such training possibilities are unavailable or insufficient The CFP is a sub-committee of ESPE Council whose responsibilities include the selection of fellows, the organization of appropriate host centres and progress monitoring during and immediately after the fellowship. Committee Members Chris Kelnar (United Kingdom) Chairman Jan Lebl (Czech Republic) Secretary Rasa Verkauskiene (Lithuania) Member So far, long- and short-term fellowships have been awarded (six to twelve months and three months respectively), dependent on the experience levels of the applicants. The intention now is to award one type of fellowship only by tailoring the length to the needs and experience of the trainee and those
ESPE Committee News
ESPE Andrea Prader Committee
The Andrea Prader Committee (APC) is one of the most important committees in ESPE and was established to give ESPE members the opportunity for nomination for awards in recognition of their clinical, educational and research contributions to paediatric endocrinology. The APC is composed of the ESPE Secretary General, a Council member (generally the Chairperson of the ESPE Finance Committee), two senior ESPE members and an adult non-ESPE member endocrinologist and is responsible for awarding the most important ESPE awards: • Andrea Prader Prize • Research Award and Lecture • Outstanding Clinician Award • Young Investigator Award The Andrea Prader Committee is kindly sponsored by Pfizer.
ESPE Committee News
ESPE Secretariat
The ESPE Secretariat is managed by BioScientifica Limited. BioScientifica is headed by Managing Director Sue Thorn and Events & Secretariats Director Helen Gregson. Pauline Bertrand, BioScientifica's Secretariats Manager, oversees the day-to day relationship with ESPE, liaising with the ESPE council and committee members as well as being the main point of contact for ESPE enquiries. She undertakes projects requested by the General Secretary, providing him with assistance and attending ESPE council and committee meetings. Shirine Borbor manages prizes, awards and membership applications, organises meetings, coordinates content for the website and newsletter and deals with ESPE Secretariat enquiries. Andrea Davis handles membership renewals, payments and banking and deals with subscriptions to Hormone Research. Tom Parkhill holds a seat on the Corporate Liaison Board and deals with industry sponsors. ESPE Secretariat BioScientifica Ltd Euro House, 22 Apex Court Woodlands, Bradley Stoke Bristol BS32 4JT, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1454 642 246 Fax: +44 (0) 1454 642 222 Email: espe@bioscientifica.com
