Endocrine Abstracts

The European Journal of Endocrinology Prize is awarded to a candidate who has significantly contributed to the advancement of knowledge in the field of endocrinology through publication. This year's recipient is Professor Claes Ohlsson. The prize will be presented as part of the ECE 2008 opening ceremony where Professor Ohlsson will deliver his lecture. Professor Ohlsson will also write a review article based on this lecture to be published in the European Journal of Endocrinology. Further information can be found at http://www.euro-endo.org/about/about_prizes.htm

Claes Ohlsson, Sweden Abstract

Claes Ohlsson is professor at the Centre for Bone Research, Institute of Internal Medicine at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Göteborg, Sweden (2000-). He received his MD in 1990 and his PhD in 1993 both from Göteborg University. He has a board certificate as physician in Clinical Pharmacology and was a post graduate research fellow at NIH, Bethesda in 1996–1997. Dr Ohlsson has made several contributions to the field of osteoporosis with a special focus on hormonal regulation of bone growth and metabolism. His research on osteoporosis has a translational profile, combining cell and molecular biology with experimentation on animals and human tissue from patients, as well as epidemiological methods.

Dr Ohlsson has been working in the field of bone and mineral metabolism since 1990. His initial research aimed at increasing the understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms for the effects of growth hormone and IGF-I on skeletal growth and adult bone metabolism. His current focus is to increase the understanding of the mechanisms of action of sex steroids on bone metabolism. To study this, his research group develops and analyzes several different transgenic mouse models, including tissue specific over expression and inactivation of key genes involved in sex steroid action.

In addition, he has established unique well characterized longitudinally followed population-based cohorts, investigated not only by the dual energy X-ray absorptiometry technique but also with the more informative computer tomography technique. Using these cohorts, his research group has elucidated the impact of environmental and genetic factors on peak bone mass and age-dependent bone loss.

He is currently principal investigator of a research group consisting of 20 post docs, PhD. students and technicians supported by funding from the European Union, the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Strategic Foundation. Dr Ohlsson has received the ‘Jubileums’ award from the Swedish Medical Association, the ‘Fernström’ award and the ‘INGVAR’ award for young successful researcher by the Swedish Strategic Foundation. In 2006, he received the Scandinavian SALUS-ansvar price in Medicine. He has published more than 200 original articles in peer-reviewed journals and has been invited speaker to 45 international meetings including the major meetings in Endocrinology and Osteoporosis.