Frederick Thurston Drake, MDActive Member

Frederick Thurston Drake, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Endocrine Surgeon
Boston University School of Medicine
Boston, MA

As a fellowship-trained Endocrine Surgeon, a substantial amount of my clinical practice is focused on the treatment of thyroid disease. As an academic surgeon and Assistant Professor at Boston University, my clinical and health services research interests include investigations of thyroid disease, especially thyroid cancer.

At BU and Boston Medical Center, I am fortunate to work with leading thyroid clinicians and researchers, and together we provide the most up-to-date and evidence-based care to our patients. Membership in the ATA will further these efforts, improving the care I give to my patients. Access to the science presented at the ATA Annual Meeting and in Thyroid®, will strengthen and focus our BU research collaboration.

Lauren Jin Suk Joo, PhD(c) Associate Member

Lauren Jin Suk Joo, PhD(c)
PhD Candidate
Kolling Institute of Medical Research
Australia

My current research project focuses on biology of non-coding RNAs and their therapeutic potential in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Approaching the final few months of my PhD study, we have identified a microRNA associated with RET signaling, which has demonstrated significant tumor suppressive potentials from both in vitro and in vivo experiments. We are very excited to report this finding may lead to a novel non-coding RNA-based therapy for MTC.

I presented at the 86th annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association with the support of Cancer Research Network travel grant, USYD. It was greatly beneficial for me to learn more about thyroid biology and cancers, and I highly value the exposure to the most updated research on the thyroid.

Anthony Joseph Ferrara, MDAssociate Member

Anthony Joseph Ferrara, MD
Resident
Endocrine Surgeon
SUNY-Stony Brook
Ridgewood, NY

Thyroid surgery is what sparked my interest in head and neck surgery. Thyroid disorders have affected my personal life since childhood when my mother underwent radio-iodine ablation. I have enjoyed studying and developing an understanding of thyroid disorders. Operating on the thyroid is immensely satisfying and I look forward to a rewarding future career in head and neck surgery.

I joined the ATA to enrich my knowledge and supplement my training in treating thyroid disorders both medically and surgically. I hope to avail myself of the educational, networking and financial resources that the ATA has to offer. I have several thyroid related projects that I am currently working on and I am hopeful that I will be awarded grants through the ATA to subsidize my research. I also look forward to attending conferences and events sponsored by the ATA.

Miodrag Lacic, MD, PhDCorresponding Member

Miodrag Lacic, MD, PhD
Nuclear Medicine
Polyclinic Lacic
Croatia

As the Head and Owner of one of the leading private thyroid clinics in this part of Europe I am very interested in clinical thyroid disease as well as for thyroid-related clinical scientific investigation. Working as a thyroidologist for over 25 years I am very interested in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures related to variety of thyroid diseases and disorders. Performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures like thyroid sonography, FNAB, thyroid scan (scintigraphy), I-131 and drug therapy I am able to see many challenging situations in my every day work with thyroid patients.

The ATA is the leading organization in the world devoted to thyroid biology and to the prevention and treatment of thyroid disease through excellence in research, clinical care, education, and public health. Therefore, it is very meaningful for me to be part of this organization as a corresponding member. I look forward to increasing my participation in the ATA annual and international conferences. Through ATA publications, meetings and all other activities I am able to improve my knowledge and skills in my every day work with thyroid patients. Access to: website resources related to thyroid diseases; the Thyroid® journal; Clinical Thyroidology and Clinical Thyroidology for the Public are very useful for me. For me as private practice clinician it is very important to be a member of a prestigious association as the ATA is. As a current Active member of the European Thyroid Association it would be honor for me to become a corresponding member of the leading thyroid organization in the world, as the ATA is.

Donna M. Gilbert, CRNPAllied Health Specialist Member
Donna M. Gilbert, CRNP
Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner
Endocrinology
Lehigh Valley Health Network
Perkasie, PA

I am a Nurse Practitioner in the field of Endocrinology. I currently diagnose, manage and treat patients with thyroid disease. I very much enjoy this aspect of Endocrinology, as this is my favorite endocrine gland.

I joined the ATA so I can continue to further my education and career in Endocrinology, with the appropriate up-to-date and current guidelines on thyroid, and use this information in my practice. I attended the 15th International Thyroid Congress and 85th Annual Meeting of the ATA in 2015, and found it extremely informative.

Stephanie Anne Maddox, PhDAssociate Member

Stephanie Anne Maddox, PhD
Research Fellow
Scientist
McLean Hospital
Belmont, MA

My interest in the thyroid lies in a commitment to better understand how the thyroid interacts with the nervous system. Specifically, I am interested in the influence of thyroid on neural plasticity and also how thyroid imbalance alters risk for the development of psychiatric diseases like depression and trauma-related disorders.

As a member of the ATA I will gain the unique opportunity to interact with colleagues committed to studies on the thyroid. As my background is in preclinical studies of psychiatric disorders, becoming a member will allow me to stay current in thyroid research and ultimately strengthen my own work.

Trina Maureen Sheedy, PAAllied Health Specialist Member

Trina Maureen Sheedy, PA
Physician Assistant
Surgery – Otolaryngology
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

As a PA in the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology division at the University of California San Francisco, I work as part of a team to care for patients with benign and malignant thyroid disease. I see patients pre-operatively, post-operatively, and subsequently for routine oncologic surveillance. I am passionate about the use of ultrasound in the field. I routinely perform neck ultrasounds to diagnose and monitor thyroid pathology.

I would like to promote a collaborative approach of caring for patients with thyroid disease. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgeons and Advanced Practice Providers (PAs and NPs) play important roles in the diagnosis, management, and surveillance of patients with benign and malignant thyroid disease.

Brenessa Michelle Lindeman, MDBrenessa Michelle Lindeman, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Endocrine Surgeon
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL

Following completion of my general surgery training, I elected to pursue advanced training in the surgical therapy of endocrine disorders. It is an incredible privilege to participate in care of patients with a complex set of diseases in a way that enhances their well-being and helps maintain their quality of life.

The American Thyroid Association is the preeminent organization providing ongoing education and distillation of best practices to clinicians that care for patients with thyroid disorders. As I begin my practice in this arena, I desire to be an active participant in the organization so that I can stay abreast of the cutting edge in the field.

Joachim Pohlenz, MDActive Member

Joachim Pohlenz, MD
Professor
Endocrinology
Johannes Gutenberg University
Germany

Throughout my academic and scientific career, I was interested in thyroid research. During my research fellowship in Prof. Samuel Refetoff’s laboratory I broadened my knowledge in thyroidology. Now, being a professor for Pediatric Endocrinology in Mainz, Germany, my research activities focus on the molecular biology of thyroid diseases in children.

After being a member of the Thyroid Journal Editorial board for two years I became an Associate Editor of Thyroid® in December 2012. Since then I have been involved with the ATA more frequently and after the excellent ATA meeting in Denver (2016) I decided to apply for membership in the ATA.

Briana Cary Patterson, MDActive Member

Briana Cary Patterson, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Pediatric Endocrinology
Emory University School of Medicine/Aflac Cancer Center/CHOA
Decatur, GA

I am a pediatric endocrinologist, faculty member at Emory University School of Medicine, and pediatric endocrine fellowship program director. I have worked for the past 10 years in the area of endocrine late effects of pediatric cancer care. As such, I see many patients who have hypothyroidism after cancer treatment or thyroid cancer as a second malignancy. I also care for many patients with thyroid cancer as a primary malignancy.

In 2017, I assumed a new role within our pediatric cancer center, the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, as the lead physician for pediatric thyroid cancer medical care. I am working locally with my surgery, radiology, oncology and pathology colleagues to develop and enhance our thyroid cancer program. I have worked to develop our Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Tumor Board, to develop local quality initiatives around perioperative care for thyroid surgery, and to train our pediatric endocrine fellows in thyroidology.