ESA News

ESA Newsletter: November 2003

Report On The Esa Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne 2003

This year's annual scientific meeting was once again an overwhelming success.The plenary lectures were outstanding. Hitoshi Okamura delivered the Japan/Australia lecture on the molecular biology of biological clocks, which was remarkable both conceptually and technologically. Terry Davies' Taft lecture provided an update on the aetiology of autoimmune thyroid disease. Derek LeRoith, the Harrison lecturer, demonstrated the power of knockout technologies in elucidating the roles of endocrine and autocrine/paracrine insulin-like growth factor-I in growth and disease. Christina Mitchell provided an overview of lipid phosphatases in signalling, once again showcasing the excellent research being done in Australia. Finally, Ron Evans gave a splendid talk on nuclear receptors in cardiovascular disease. Symposia on bone, cancer and reproduction, IGF/insulin signalling, and endocrinology of ageing were all appreciated by large audiences.

This year, the number of free communications was significantly higher than in the last few years.Poster sessions were again unopposed and there was a buzz of activity around them. A symposium on neuroendocrinology of obesity was held in conjunction with the Neuroendocrinology Interest Group. Once again,joint sessions on male and female reproduction were held with SRB.It was heartening to see a substantial increase in the number of presentations to 7 in the .Late breaking science ' session. I would like to express my personal appreciation to the members of the Program Organising Committee who have done a marvellous job over the last 3 years.

Leon Bach, Outgoing POC

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