Congratulations to all Society for Endocrinology BES 2008 Prize Winners!

The following young endocrinologists were awarded with prizes at the Society for Endocrinology BES 2008 conference in Harrogate:

Oral communication winners: R Stimson, Edinburgh (clinical) 'Does 11beta-HSD1 in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) deliver cortisol to the liver? Studies with portal vein sampling and tracer infusion in humans', L Chan, London (basic science) 'MRAP2 permits the functional expression of the melanocortin-2-receptor: a new member of a new family of melanocortin receptor accessory proteins'. Overall poster winners: T Barber, Oxford (clinical) 'Association of variants within the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene and polycystic ovary syndrome', V Smith, Birmingham (basic science) 'A novel mechanism of NIS repression in differentiated thyroid cancer'.

Poster winners by category: Bone: C Yeh, Taipei, Taiwan 'Estrogen Augments Shear Stress-induced Signaling and Gene Expression in Osteoblasts by integrins highly expression'; I Malik, Sunderland 'Pre-operation imaging of parathyroid gland in primary hyperparathyroidism'. Cytokines and growth factors: B Carpenter, Sheffield 'Expression and purification of the leptin receptor'; M Banerjee, Manchester 'Relationships of IGF-I & its binding proteins to cardiac, large & small vessel structure and function in premenopausal women'. Diabetes, metabolism and cardiovascular: S Williams, Oxford 'Tamm-Horsfall Glycoprotein Mutants, which cause Familial Juvenile Hyperuricaemic Nephropathy (FJHN), are retained in the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER), resulting in delayed maturation and trafficking to the plasma membrane'; G Lavery, Birmingham 'Activation of the Unfolded Protein Response Pathway in the Skeletal Muscle of Hexose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Knockout Mice Induces a Severe Myopathy'. Endocrine tumours and neoplasia: M Lemos, Oxford 'In vivo delivery of an adenoviral gene therapy vector to pituitary tumours in MEN1 deficient mice'; V Smith, Birmingham 'A novel mechanism of NIS repression in differentiated thyroid cancer'. Growth and development: S Wong, Glasgow 'Growth retardation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not universally associated with growth hormone resistance'. Neuroendocrinology and behaviour: V Kasivisvanathan, London 'The influence of Annexin A1 on the apoptosis of PC12 cells'; R Crowley, Dublin, Ireland 'High Prevalence of Sleep Apnoea in Craniopharyngioma Patients after Surgical Intervention'. Pituitary: A Munir, Sheffield 'Locked Nucleic Acid Modified siRNAs Maintain Efficacy of Gene silencing, but have Reduced Serum Stability in a Model of Cushing’s Disease'; C Higham, Manchester 'Successful use of once weekly pegvisomant administration in patients with acromegaly'. Reproduction: T Barber, Oxford 'Association of variants within the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene and polycystic ovary syndrome'; V Sharp, London 'Hormonal regulation of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11betaHSD) enzyme activities in boar testis and caput epididymidis'. Steroid: A McNeilly, Edinburgh 'Mechanisms of altered glucocorticoid metabolism and adrenal insufficiency in cholestatic liver disease'; T Chung, London 'The cell surface expression of MC2R mutations found in Familial Glucocorticoid Deficiency'. Thyroid: F Mitchell, Dundee 'A role for 3-iodothyronamine in regulation of adipocyte lipolysis'; V Panicker, Bristol 'A different relationship between thyroid function and mood in people on thyroxine compared to the general population: results from the HUNT study'.