American Thyroid Association Meeting, Oct. 4-7, New York

Newswise — The latest clinical and basic research findings on thyroid disease will be presented at the American Thyroid Association’s (ATA) 78th Annual Meeting, October 4-7, 2007, at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers in New York City. The meeting will bring together experts in thyroid health from the United States and around the world.

“The program is designed to address important management questions in clinical thyroidology and it contains cutting-edge information about recent basic science developments,” said Peter Kopp, M.D., co-chair of the ATA Program Committee. “Moreover, it has a strong emphasis on translational aspects, e.g. presentations on emerging therapies for advanced thyroid cancer that are based on recent insights into the molecular pathogenesis of these malignancies.”

“The ATA meeting will provide a wide range of educational opportunities for all those interested in thyroid disease and research,” said Program Committee Co-chair Michael McDermott, MD. “It will offer stimulating symposia, lectures, meet the professor sessions, workshops and poster sessions covering a broad spectrum of clinical, translational and basic science topics by an international group of experts in the field of thyroidology.”

Patient Information From Experts and Patients
The public is invited to a free educational forum on thyroid disorders and their treatment that will be held on Saturday, October 6, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Central Park West Room, Second Floor, at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, New York City. Thyroid experts and patients will be on hand to answer questions from patients, their families, and other attendees. This forum is presented by the ATA Alliance for Thyroid Patient Education, which includes the ATA, the Thyroid Foundation of America, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, the Light of Life Foundation, and the National Graves’ Disease Foundation.

To RSVP, contact the Thyroid Foundation of America at 1-800-832-8321 or ThyCa at thyca@thyca.org or Light of Life Foundation at 1-800-LOL-NECK or info@checkyourneck.com. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Iodine Deficiency Disorders Symposium - A New Perspective on an Important Public Health Program
The ATA will be offering a translational symposium on the topic of iodine deficiency disorders to address the current needs and challenges associated with this important health issue. The symposium will be held at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers from 10:30 a.m. - Noon on Sun., October 7.

Kul C. Gautam, assistant secretary-general of the United Nations and deputy executive director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will be making a special appearance to talk about the sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency.

New Insights on Thyroid Disease
Respected thyroid experts will also be presenting key information on:
• The latest approaches to care of thyroid patients, including sessions on thyroid cancer, pediatric thyroidology, and thyroid surgery.
• A translational symposium on Iodine Deficiency Disorders that will highlight the successes and current challenges of this important public health issue that needs our continuing attention. Kul Chandra Gautam, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), will be among the speakers in this special symposium.
• Thyroid Grand Rounds will address Challenges in the Management of Hyperthyroidism.
• Translational and basic science symposia will apply the latest laboratory findings to clinical care and include, among others, Genetics of Thyroid Cancer and the Role of HPT Axis in Fuel Metabolism.
• A translational symposium on Resistance to Thyroid Hormone (RTH) and Thyroid Hormone Action – 40 years later, with Samuel Refetoff, MD providing a historical perspective.

New Basic Fellows’ Track
For the first time, the meeting will offer a basic fellows’ track, alongside the clinical fellows’ track, which has proven to be highly successful. Over 75 clinical and basic fellows will be invited to attend the meeting and participate in these special programs. These integrated programs feature specialized and customized workshops targeted to the fellows, all woven into the regular scientific meeting.

For more information about the ATA and the new research being presented at the Annual Meeting, go to http://www.thyroid.org
The American Thyroid Association (ATA) is the lead organization in promoting thyroid health and understanding thyroid biology. The ATA values scientific inquiry, clinical excellence, public service, education, collaboration, and collegiality.

A non-profit medical society founded in 1923, the ATA fulfills its mission through supporting excellence and innovation in research, clinical care, education, and public health. ATA members are physicians and scientists who work to enhance the understanding of thyroid physiology and pathophysiology, improve the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases, and promote the education of physicians, patients, and the public about thyroid disorders.

Thyroid diseases are among the most common disorders of the endocrine system, affecting almost 13 million Americans alone. The ATA has extensive online information for patients on thyroid disease (in English and Spanish) serving the clinician as a resource for patients and the public who look for reliable information on the internet. To further benefit patients, the ATA Alliance for Patient Education was formed in 2002 to offer an exchange of information between the ATA and four patient groups: Thyroid Foundation of America, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors, Inc.; the Light of Life Foundation, and the National Graves’ Disease Foundation. A public forum is held each year in conjunction with the ATA annual meeting.

Thyroid Research grants total over $200,000 annually to young investigators. Publications sourced by this research and application procedures are available at http://www.thyroid.org.