Endocrine Abstracts

Rajesh Thakker is the May Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford, UK. He received his medical degree from the University of Cambridge in 1980, and from 1981 to 1988 he undertook postgraduate clinical and research training at The Middlesex Hospital, The Hammersmith (Royal Postgraduate Medical School, RPMS), Hospital, and Northwick Park (MRC Clinical Research Centre) Hospital (London). In 1988, he was appointed MRC Clinician-Scientist, Consultant Physician/Endocrinologist and Senior Lecturer at the MRC Clinical Research Centre, Northwick Park Hospital, and RPMS, Hammersmith Hospital, where he established his laboratory and team. In 1995, he was appointed Professor of Medicine at the RPMS, and in 1999 as the May professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford.

Professor Thakker’s research has been focused in elucidating the molecular basis of the neuroendocrine tumours that are associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) and of disorders of calcium metabolism, and in translating these advances to clinical practice. His research has received continuous support for 30 years from the Medical Research Council (MRC), and more recently he has received a Wellcome Trust Investigator Award and a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator Award.

His research contributions have received many prizes and awards which include: the Society for Endocrinology Medal (1995); European Journal of Endocrinology (European Federation of Endocrine Societies; EFES) Prize (1989), Graham Bull Prize for Clinical Science, Royal College of Physicians, UK (1999); Louis V. Avioli Founder’s Award (American Society for Bone and Mineral Research) (2009); and Jack W. Coburn Endowed Lecturership (American Society of Nephrology) (2012). He was elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci) in 1999 and Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2014. He served as a member of the Council of the Society for Endocrinology (2003-2006) and currently serves as the Chairman of the NIHR/MRC Efficacy and Mechanisms Evaluations (EME) Board (2008-present).