VOTING DEADLINE : August 31, 2024
Alfonso Soto Moreno
On behalf of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology, it is a pleasure for me to propose and support the nomination of Prof. Alfonso Soto Moreno (Virgen del Rocio Universitary Hospital, Sevilla University) for the candidature of vocal of the European Neuroendocrine Association (ENEA) in the next elections. Prof. Alfonso Soto Moreno (1972) is an internationally recognized endocrinologist and an expert in the field of neuroendocrinology. He has been serving as tresurer of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition and has given outstanding lectures and seminars in international and national meetings. Alfonso Soto Moreno is currently head and professor of Endocrinology at Virgen del Rocío Universitary Hospital. He has published nearly 100 papers an he has much experienced in managing scientific societies and research organizations.
Amit Akirov
Dear Members of the European Neuroendocrine Association, I am writing to express my interest in joining the ENEA Executive Committee. As an experienced Endocrinologist at the Institute of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Beilinson Campus of Rabin Medical Center in Israel, I believe my extensive background and dedication to the field make me a strong candidate for this role.
I earned my Medical Degree from Tel Aviv University, followed by completing my Endocrinology sub-specialty. I then pursued a two-year clinical fellowship at the University of Toronto, focusing on pituitary disorders and neuroendocrine tumors.
Upon completing my fellowship, I returned to Israel and have since been serving as a staff endocrinologist. During this time, I established the Israel Endocrine Society’s Pituitary Committee and currently serve as its chair. Additionally, I hold the position of secretary of the Israel Endocrine Society.
My clinical expertise, honed through my work in both Israel and Canada, is complemented by my academic contributions. I have authored and co-authored over 70 publications in peer-reviewed journals, primarily focusing on pituitary diseases. My active participation in national and international endocrine conferences and my clinical and research work further underscore my commitment to the field. I also hold a clinical academic appointment as an Associate Professor at Tel Aviv University.
I am eager to contribute to the ENEA Executive Committee and to collaborate with fellow experts to advance the field of endocrinology. Thank you for considering my application.
Sincerely,
Prof. Amit Akirov
Anastasia Athanasoulia-Kaspar
Dear Colleagues, dear ENEA-members,
I am writing to formally present my candidature for a position on the Executive Committee of the European Neuroendocrine Association (ENEA). With a robust background in endocrinology, extensive experience in clinical research, and a strong commitment to academic excellence, I am confident in my ability to contribute meaningfully to the ENEA.
As an endocrinologist and clinical scientist, I have dedicated my career to advancing the field of neuroendocrine research. My medical education began at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens where I studied medicine, followed by a PhD and Habilitation both conducted in the field of neuroendocrine disease at the Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich. My professional training at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry and the Medizinische Klinik of LMU Munich under the guidance of leading experts (Prof. Dr. G. Stalla and Prof. Dr. M. Reincke) has equipped me with a profound understanding of both clinical practice and scientific inquiry.
Throughout my career, I have authored over 30 scientific papers with my work being cited 773 times. In addition to my research, I have been actively involved in teaching and mentoring medical students at LMU Munich since 2013. My contributions have been recognized with eighteen awards for scientific excellence and third-party funding. I am also engaged in the broader scientific community, participating in more than 30 scientific congresses, many of them organised by the ENEA, and serving as a peer reviewer for over 11 international journals. These roles have honed my ability to critically evaluate research, collaborate across disciplines, and advocate for rigorous scientific standards.
Currently, apart from my clinical role as an endocrinologist, diabetologist and clinical nutritionist in Medicover Neuroendocrinology I hold the position of Privatdozent of the LMU and visiting Associate Professor at the European University of Cyprus in Frankfurt.
I believe that my extensive experience, coupled with my passion for endocrinology and academic excellence, positions me well to contribute to the Executive Committee of the ENEA.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to contributing to ENEA as a member of the Executive Committe.
Sincerely,
Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Anastasia Athanasoulia-Kaspar
Cristina Olarescu
I am consultant endocrinologist and translational researcher at Section for Specialized Endocrinology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
I received my medical degree in 2006 from the University of Iuliu Hațieganu, Cluj Napoca, Romania, and became a specialist in endocrinology in 2013. After defending my PhD thesis on the role of adipose tissue in acromegaly at the University of Oslo, in 2015, I became a postdoctoral fellow on a project aiming at characterizing non-functioning pituitary adenomas.
My current research focusses on molecular characterisation of pituitary adenomas, targeting novel biomarkers to predict their hormone secretion, aggressiveness, and response to medical treatment. I’m also interested in the role of adipose tissue on glucose metabolism and cardiovascular risk in endocrine diseases.
I have been working on the field of neuroendocrinology both clinically and in research for more than 15 years. Currently, in my clinical practice I treat patients with hypothalamic-pituitary diseases, endocrine genetic syndromes, adrenal diseases and secondary osteoporosis.
I was a board member in the European Neuroendocrine Association (ENEA) young research committee (EYRC) between 2019-2023. Moreover, I joined the EJE Rising Star team between 2022-2024. In 2022 I received Jens Sandahl Christiansen award.
I was a member of the program organising committee ENEA 2021 and 2018, ECE 2019 and Norwegian Society of Endocrinology, 2020 and 2019, and currently serve as a referee for several endocrine journals: EJE, Neuroendocrinology, JOE, JCEM, Endocrine Connections, ERC, and others.
Djuro Macut
Neuroendocrinology is integrating with other areas of endocrinology and related areas of medicine aiming for better understanding and management of these specific and rare diseases, as well how to deliver personalized treatments to the patients. Therefore, ENEA mission as the learning society, is in postgraduate education of endocrinologists and related specialties, as well to enhance clinical and translational research and collaboration.
I actively share common problems in clinical practice, and as a clinical researcher and educator face numerous challenges. In the field of neuroendocrinology, which is related to better diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities for all patients but endocrinologists as well. Consequently, it is leading to the permanent need for better education in current and new techniques in diagnostics in the spectrum from pathology to structural and functional radiology and nuclear medicine. Nevertheless, novel possibilities developed in medical oncology lead us towards better understanding and use of broad therapeutic options starting from established chemotherapy to the modern molecular targeted therapy for the resistant and aggressive pituitary neuroendocrine tumors and related ones. Altogether, we must be ready for precision medicine era in general neuroendocrinology but rare neuroendocrine diseases as well. In recent period I was serving for the European Society of Endocrinology at different committees as well as the Executive Committee.
This challenging work and precious experience that I have obtained, gave me an insight into the activities of the learning society acting within an area of Europe, and to understand the needs of early career endocrinologists and established clinical endocrinologists, scientists oriented to endocrinology and related specialties. Moreover, it enabled me to realize weaknesses in relationships to be alleviated as well as the opportunities for improvement. Moreover, my feeling is that neuroendocrinology within endocrinology at large is facing challenging times how to maintain its position, broaden its activities, increase membership, and secure stable financial support. From the strategic point of view, ENEA is missing ExCo members from Eastern parts of Europe, that is with potential in membership and educational activities.
I am honored to be nominated as candidate for the position of the ENEA Executive Committee member. If elected I will use my knowledge to work on further implementation of ENEA mission in education, development of initiatives for research and better clinical practice for the benefit of our members and our patients.
Francesco Ferrau
I am associate professor of Endocrinology at University of Messina (Italy) and medical director and deputy chief of the Endocrine Unit of the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico G. Martino of Messina (Chair Prof. S. Cannavò), which is an ENDO-ERN Center for hypothalamic and pituitary diseases.
I specialized in Endocrinology and got PhD in ‘Endocrine and Metabolic Experimental Sciences’ at the University of Messina. I enriched my clinical and scientific training course in neuroendocrinology attending as visiting clinical fellow the Endocrinology Unit of the Department of Internal Medicine of Erasmus Medical Centre (Rotterdam, The Netherlands), and as visiting PhD student the ‘Centre for Endocrinology’ of the ‘William Harvey Research Institute’, Queen Mary University of London (UK).
I’m currently in charge of the pituitary and neuroendocrine disorders out- and in-patient clinics of the University Hospital of Messina, and actively engaged in translational and clinical research studies and clinical trials in pituitary diseases field, with many national and international collaborations. My research interests are mainly focused on genetics, pathogenesis and management of pituitary tumours, adrenals and neuroendocrine disorders. I’m involved in competitive projects, funded by private and public grants, mainly on acromegaly and Cushing’s syndrome, have served as Editorial Board member of different journals and received national awards for scientific activities. I’ve been member of the Drug and Rare Disease Committees of the Italian Society of Endocrinology, and at present I’m coordinating the Section of Endocrinological Oncology of the same Society.
I’m an ENEA member since years, and I really hope to have the chance to serve as a member of the ENEA Executive Committee, contributing to all the projects and initiatives aimed at promoting education and collaborative research excellence in neuroendocrinology field, and at improving patient-centered clinical care.
Marta Araujo Castro
Dear members of the ENEA committee,
I write this letter with the aim of presenting my candidature to be part of the Executive Committee of the ENEA. My name is Marta Araujo-Castro, and I am an endocrinologist of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Department of the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid, Spain. I am the coordinator of the Neuroendocrinology & Adrenal Unit of the Endocrinology Department. Our centre is considered to be one of the main Spanish Reference Centres for the management of patients with Pituitary and Hypothalamic disorders and I am the coordinator of the Pituitary Unit of the Endocrinology & Nutrition Department.
My main clinical focus and research is on pituitary and adrenal gland disorders. I am the principal investigator and coordinator of the ACRO-SPAIN Registry of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology & Nutrition (SEEN). Furthermore, in the last years I have received several awards related to adrenal and pituitary disorders (Cushing´s syndrome, acromegaly, adrenal incidentalomas, pheochromocytomas and so on). The last award is focused on the Clinical and molecular evaluation of GH and prolactin co-secreting pituitary adenomas.
I actively participate in several national and international congress with presentations related to adrenal and pituitary pathology. I have more than 110 Medline listed manuscripts, cited >900 times.
Mirjana Doknic
Dear colleagues,
Thank you for accepting my candidature for the ExCO ENEA elections 2024-2028.
I decide to apply for the ENEA ExCO in order to continue and expand my involvement in ENEA and to promote neuroendocrinology among other clinicians and researchers. I have been a member of ENEA since long time and actively participate in congresses and workshops. It has always been an honor to be a member of this prestigious association. This way, as a member of ENEA ExCo, I could more contribute to the ongoing initiatives and developing novel ones within ENEA. Wider involvement of young researchers and clinicians, future neuroendocrinologists in ENEA activities would be one of my work goals.
In addition, I would like to be part of ENEA ExCO in order to establish stronger connections with neuroendocrinologists from Central and Eastern European (CEE) within ENEA. I believe that the election of an ExCo member who belongs to the CEE region would additionally help to better visibility of that region in the ENEA, their works and publications. It would improve the cooperation of neuroendocrinologists between all countries of Western and Eastern Europe.
My main fields of interest include hypopituitarism, transition from childhood to adulthood in patients with pituitary diseases, pituitary tumors, innovative therapy of acromegaly and Cushing syndrome, long-term endocrine and metabolic consequences of childhood cancer survivors in adults. I am active participant in two ENEA studies: Hypopituitarism ENEA – Rare Observational Study (HEROS study) and Resistant Prolactinoma Study (the reference number 030-22).
If I will the opportunity to serve as a member of the ENEA ExCO, I will offer my full commitments to promote the collaboration between all the participants involved in the field of neuroendocrinology and favoring the statements to improve patient care.
Sincerely,
Mirjana Doknic MD, PhD, Professor
Thomas Philippe Cuny
I am writing to express my enthusiasm for the Officer position which will be available soon in the ENEA Executive Committee. With a background in endocrinology, and more specifically in pituitary disorders, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the Executive Committee of ENEA and help achieve ENEA’s goals during the next mandate.
What excites me most about this opportunity is to be part of a highly skilled committee in the field of neuroendocrinology, to contribute to the ENEA influence by being involved in the scientific organization of ENEA conferences and workshops, and, hopefully by developing collaborative projects for which ENEA would be the emblem. Accordingly, I would be very enthusiastic to get the opportunity to (co)supervise European/international guidelines about the management of a specific pituitary disorders (like craniopharyngiomas for instance), a project that could be logically endorsed by the ENEA.
By the past, I had been a member of the European Young Researcher Committee (EYRC) of the ENEA (2018 – 2022). During my mandate, we conducted two collaborative publication projects, one of which I was the last author (Gatto F, […], Cuny T, Neuroendocrinology, 2020). I am also honored to be part of the local organizing and scientific committee for the next ENEA workshop, that will be held in Marseille (3 – 5th december, 2025).
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and enthusiasm can contribute to the outstanding work being done in the Executive Committee of the ENEA. Please find my CV attached for your review.
I remain available at your earliest convenience,
Warmest regards,
Professor Thomas Cuny, M.D., Ph.D.
Zamira Khalimova
Herewith I apply for being a member in the Executive Committee of ENEA. I am Professor Zamira Khalimova from Republic of Uzbekistan.
I have been working from 1995 at the Endocrinology Center in Tashkent. This Center is alone in Middle Asia. At the same time, a laboratory and a department of neuroendocrinology were organized in our Endocrinology Center under the leadership of then Acad. E.Kh. Turakulov. Over the past 25 years, I am growing from a senior research fellow to deputy director of the Endocrinology Center for Research. Under my leadership, a large team (more than 20) of neuroendocrinologists in the clinic works, 4 more branches of our center in the regions of the country and departments of neuroendocrinology open.
Thank you very much!
Best regards,
Professor Zamira Khalimova
Deputy director of Republican Specializied Scientific Practical Center of Endocrinology Of Public Health Ministry of RUz
