Topics include obesity, diabetes, growth hormone and androgens disorders, thyroid diseases – and much more

Contact:
Charles E. Blue, Director, Media Relations
Phone: 301-941-0240; Cell: 202-236-6324
Email: cblue@endo-society.org

Aaron Lohr, Manager, Media Relations
Phone: 240-482-1380
Email: alohr@endo-society.org

May 24, 2007--Chevy Chase, MD--Many of the world’s leading endocrinologists and hormone experts will gather at The Endocrine Society’s 89th Annual Meeting June 2–5, 2007, at The Metro Toronto Convention Centre to share recent findings and probe the future direction of endocrine research. The Endocrine Society is the largest and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology.

“From diabetes and infertility to obesity and osteoporosis, endocrine disorders affect millions the world over,” said Dr. Leonard Wartofsky president of The Endocrine Society. “Our members have shaped and advanced the science and clinical practice of hormone health for nearly a century. This year’s meeting is a showcase of their continuing dedication to medical discovery and clinical practice.”

Conference speakers will closely examine findings from innovative research and observational studies, and analyze clinical practice guidelines for pediatric obesity, thyroid disease in pregnancy, and androgen therapy in women. Discussion will focus not only the ongoing investigations but also future new technologies and their impact on personal and public health.

Presentations include plenary and award lectures from:
· Dr. Stephen O’Rahilly, University of Cambridge, on obesity and insulin resistance
· Dr. Ana M. Soto, Tufts University School of Medicine, on whether breast cancer starts in the womb
· Dr. Russell D. Fernald, Stanford University, on how social social encounters change the brain
· Dr. Lawrence C. Chan, Baylor College of Medicine, on lipid metabolism and diabetes
· Dr. Rajesh V. Thakker, University of Oxford, on the genetic basis of bone and mineral disorders
· Dr. James R. Baker Jr., University of Michigan, on nanotechnology as it pertains to the prevention and treatment of disease

Also, Michael Bliss of the University of Toronto and one of Canada’s most distinguished historians will deliver the First Annual Clark T. Sawin lecture, discussing his medical biographies and the formative years of endocrinology and The Endocrine Society.

In all, more than 3,000 abstracts, posters, and lectures will be presented at the meeting.

Highlights of the four day conference include:

* Sessions on the frontier of obesity research. Presentations will cover:
· Obesity and erectile dysfunction
· Sleep loss, sleep quality and their role in obesity and diabetes
· The effects of eating while watching late-night television: Can watching Leno and Letterman add pounds?
· Weight loss after bariatric surgery: what conditions affect long-term success?
· Pediatric obesity guidelines, including recommendations for bariatric surgery, diet and lifestyle, and diagnosis and treatment of overweight and obese children

Speakers include Dr. Alan Hirsch, founder and neurologic director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago; Dr. Eve Van Cauter, University of Chicago; and Dr. Sayeed Ikramuddin, bariatric surgeon at the University of Minnesota; and Dr. Gilbert August, chairman of endocrinology at Children's National Medical Center in Washington.

* Sessions on testosterone and growth hormone replacement and their impact on health and fitness. Latest findings will cover:
· Growth hormone: Increased lean body mass or just water retention?
· Does growth hormone or testosterone supplementation improve physical performance for recreational athletes?
· Detection of growth hormone and simultaneous use of testosterone
· Testosterone replacement effects on exercise and dietary modification in hypogonadal men with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Speakers include Dr. Ken Ho, and Dr. Anne Nelson of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia; and Dr. Armin Heufelder of Men's Health Care, Bayer-Schering in Berlin, Germany.

* Sessions on bone health and vitamin D. New research presented will include:
· High blood levels of vitamin D in women and the effect on DNA shortening, a known risk factor for heart attacks
· Impact on new bone formation in healthy young women not eating enough calories
· Vitamin D deficiency in older black men and low bone density, a risk for osteoporosis and broken bones

Speakers include Dr. Brent Richards, a fellow in endocrinology and genetic epidemiology at King’s College London; Dr. Anne Loucks, of Ohio University; and Dr. Elena Barengolts of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine.

* Sessions on the latest research on androgens and women. Findings will include:
· Effectiveness of counteracting excessive male hormones in women to reduce unwanted hair on the face and body
· The role of hormone deficiency in women with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa in increased severity of anxiety and depression
· The impact of androgens in women: interplay of anorexia nervosa and hypothalamic amenorrhea

Speakers include Dr. Brian Swiglo, of the Knowledge and Encounter Research Unit at the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Karen Miller, of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

For more information on the ENDO 07 conference and for news media registration, please visit http://www.endo-society.org/endo/media/media.cfm. Reporters will also have the option of joining press briefings on the highlighted sessions, in real-time, via the Internet. Register for the webcasts at: http://www.webcastcanada.ca/endo.

Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 14,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 80 countries. Together, these members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, Md. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit our web site at www.endo-society.org.