Endocrine Abstracts

Manuel Tena-Sempere, Spain Abstract

The European Journal of Endocrinology Prize is awarded to a candidate who has significantly contributed to the advancement of the knowledge in the field of endocrinology through publication. This year's recipient is Professor Manuel Tena-Sempere. The prize will be presented as part of the ECE 2011 opening ceremony where Prof. Tena-Sempere will deliver his lecture. Prof. Tena-Sempere will also write a review article based on this lecture to be published in the European Journal of Endocrinology. Further information can be found on http://www.euro-endo.org/prizes/default.htm

Manuel Tena-Sempere (1969) MD, PhD is full Professor of Physiology at the Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology of the University of Córdoba, Spain. His expertise lies in Reproductive and Metabolic Endocrinology, with special attention to the neuroendocrine regulation of puberty onset and the reproductive axis (i.e. study of the molecular events responsible for the proper activation and function of the hypothalamic-pituitary unit and the gonads), and their modulation by energy balance and metabolic and nutritional cues. In this context, Dr Tena-Sempere and his group have significantly contributed to the characterization of the physiological roles of kisspeptins and GPR54 in the control of key aspects of reproductive function, including puberty onset, gonadotropin secretion, positive and negative feedback effects of sex steroids, ovulation and metabolic gating of fertility. Overall, his research activities in this area have resulted to date in more than 55 articles and invited reviews in international peer-reviewed journals, and more than 40 invited lectures and international seminars over the last 6 years. In addition, Dr Tena-Sempere and co-workers have provided novel evidence for the reproductive effects and mechanism of action of different signals primarily involved in energy homeostasis, and several studies of his group have been recently published concerning the characterization of the physiological role of those signals (leptin, ghrelin, PYY3-36, GALP, 26RFa, neuromedins, nesfatin-1) in the control of several aspects of reproductive function, including the regulation of puberty onset as well as gonadotropin secretion and gonadal function. Overall, Dr Tena-Sempere has published 185 articles in international peer-reviewed journals over the last 18 years (PubMed database; February 2011), including a significant number (>95) of research papers and invited reviews in authoritative, highly-ranked journals in the last 6 years. The total number of citations of Tena-Sempere's work is presently >4495, with an H-index of 38.

In addition, Dr Tena-Sempere has participated as invited speaker in numerous international meetings and seminar series (>50 in the last 7 years), and has served/serves as member of the Editorial Boards of prestigious journals of the field, such as Neuroendocrinology (acting as Associate Editor), Endocrinology, Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, PLoS ONE, Journal of Neuroendocrinology, Peptides, Frontiers in Endocrinology, Frontiers in Pituitary Endocrinology and Journal of Physiology & Biochemistry. Dr Tena-Sempere is scientific partner (PI) and member of the steering board of the Spanish Centre of Excellence for Research in Obesity and Nutrition, where he serves also as responsible for its formative program. In addition, Dr Tena-Sempere is PI of one of the groups of the recently created Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research of Córdoba (IMIBIC), and panel member of the area of Biomedicine of the Spanish Agency for Evaluation of Research Activities (ANEP). The research group of Dr Tena-Sempere, that keeps active international collaborations with numerous leading groups in the field of Endocrinology, is currently composed of 18 members, including senior scientists, post- and pre-doctoral fellows and technicians, and is funded by numerous projects from different Spanish and European agencies, as well as private institutions.