The American Thyroid Association (ATA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Nadia Schoenmakers, a Principal Investigator at the Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, gave the 2020 Van Meter Award Lecture. Dr. Schoenmakers leads a Wellcome Trust-funded research program on congenital hypothyroidism and serves as an Honorary Consultant Endocrinologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. She is also a Visiting Specialist at Great Ormond St. Hospital in London.
The Van Meter Award Lecture, established in 1930, recognizes outstanding contributions to research on the thyroid gland or related subjects. The award is given each year to an investigator who is no older than 45 years in the year of the award. Dr. Schoenmakers presented the lecture at the first ever virtual Annual Business Meeting on Saturday, September 12, 2020.
Dr. Schoenmakers completed her undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate education at the University of Cambridge. After receiving her MD, she completed her specialty clinical training in endocrinology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, and she earned her PhD investigating the molecular and clinical characteristics of genetically mediated thyroid hormone resistance. Her research uses candidate gene, gene panel, and whole exome sequencing technologies to identify known and novel genetic causes of congenital hypothyroidism. Dr. Schoenmakers’ work has led to the characterization of three congenital thyroid conditions, collaborations with pediatric endocrinologists and investigators worldwide, and several publications and presentations. As a Consultant Endocrinologist and as a Visiting Specialist, Dr. Schoenmakers contributes to adult and pediatric thyroid practice and to diagnostic services for unusual and rare thyroid disorders.
Dr. Schoenmakers is an outstanding speaker who presents her work clearly and elegantly. Her contributions to thyroid research make her a worthy recipient of the highly sought-after and prestigious Van Meter Award.
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The American Thyroid Association® (ATA) is dedicated to transforming thyroid care through clinical excellence, education, scientific discovery and advocacy in a collaborative community. ATA® is an international professional medical society with over 1,700 members from 70 countries around the world. Celebrating its 96th anniversary, the ATA® delivers its mission — transforming thyroid care through clinical excellence, education, scientific discovery and advocacy in a collaborative community — through several key endeavors:
- The publication of the highly regarded professional journals Thyroid®, Clinical Thyroidology®, and VideoEndocrinology
- Annual scientific meetings
- Biennial clinical and research symposia
- Research grant programs for young investigators
- Support of online professional, public, and patient educational programs
- Development of guidelines for clinical management of thyroid disease and thyroid cancer
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