81st Annual Meeting of the ATA SummaryThe 81st Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association held in Indian Wells, California from October 26—30, 2011 was a great success. Heralded as a favorite event for attendees, the ATA offered excellent educational benefits, networking opportunities and warm collegiality all encompassed by thyroidology. With 974 registrants and the largest exhibit hall ever in 2011, we look forward to a healthy future and expanding audience. "The ATA meeting is designed for those who wish to broaden and update their knowledge of the thyroid gland and its disorders in the larger community of endocrinologists, internists, surgeons, basic scientists, nuclear medicine scientists, pathologists, endocrine fellows, and nurses, physician assistants, and other health care professionals," says ATA President Gregory A. Brent, MD. Attendees convened at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa, nestled at the base of the majestic Santa Rosa Mountains, near Palm Springs, where they took part in a four-day scientific program that offered a balance of clinical and basic science sessions on the latest advances in thyroidology. The ATA Program Committee, led by Dr. Anthony Hollenberg and Dr. Martha Zeiger, crafted an array of symposia, "meet-the-professor" workshops, interactive sessions, poster review opportunities, and oral abstract presentations that captured the latest information from leaders in basic science and clinical research and its relevance for disease management and patient care. Our thanks to all CME sponsors including: Genzyme Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Akrimax Pharmaceuticals, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., Veracyte, Inc., and Exelixis, Inc. More exhibitors than ever were able to directly reach decision makers and generate long-lasting relationships and are able to extend their marketing presence through the ATA Virtual Hall at http://www.thyroid.org/professionals/industry/virtual_exhibit_hall.html). ATA membership has grown nearly 25% in the last five years including a fourfold growth in Associate membership for Fellows signaling the value and benefit the ATA offers our young physicians and basic scientists. Here are a few 2011 meeting statistics:
Fellows’ educational programs were chaired by Clinical Fellows’ Track Chairs Stephanie Fish and Andrew Gianoukakis and Basic Fellows’ Track Chairs Frances Carr and Yun-Bo Shi, the ATA meeting provided a customized educational track for fellows to enhance their meeting experience. Attendees started their days with the Early Riser Symposia, participated in lectures and interactive discussions, attended the Paul Starr, Sidney H. Ingbar, Lewis E. Braverman, Clark T. Sawin and Van Meter Award Lectures, networked with colleagues and learned about professional development opportunities, review cutting-edge research presented during the poster sessions, and visited the Exhibit Hall where industry representatives shared information about their new services, products, and state-of-the-art technologies. Available presentations from the meeting are available for purchase online at http://www.thyroid.org/professionals/education/video_broadcasts.html. Two keynote speakers: Margaret S. Pepe, PhD, Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington (Seattle), delivered a presentation entitled "Successful Implementations of Molecular Markers into Clinical Practice: Steps One Needs to Follow." Pat Zanzonico, PhD, Association Laboratory Member, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York City) delivered a presentation entitled "Radiation Exposure from the Fukushima Nuclear Reactors: Likely Clinical Consequences." Elizabeth Pearce, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, presented the Van Meter Award Lecture, entitled “Iodine, Environmental Thyroid Disruptors, and the Cardiovascular Effects of Hypothyroidism,” Dr. Pearce described studies of the effects of environmental exposure to perchlorate, which may result in decreased thyroidal iodine utilization. She focused on maternal thyroid status in pregnancy and its impact on child cognition, based on data from the Project Viva pregnancy cohort, and presented current rates and efficacy of thyroid function testing in pregnancy at Boston Medical Center. Finally, Dr. Pearce reviewed the most recent findings from studies designed to assess the effects of hypothyroidism on serum lipid levels and lipid subparticle size distributions, and the effects of baseline thyroid status on longitudinal cardiovascular risk and mortality in the Framingham Heart cohort. David S. Cooper, MD of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine presented the Paul Starr Award Lecture, entitled “The Medical Treatment of Hyperthyroidism: Past, Present and Future.” Attendees praised the presentation calling It outstanding, great, helpful and clear and superb. The Sidney Ingbar Award Lecture was presented by Gregory A. Brent, MD. The talk entitled, “Thyroid Hormone Action Mechanisms of Specificity and Crosstalk with Other Signaling Pathways” was well received by all attendees and included a touching personal history of Dr. Brent’s professional journey. A talk on The History of T3 was presented by Valerie Ann Galton, PhD for the Clark T. Sawin Historical Vignette. Rebecca S. Bahn, MD of the Mayo Clinic and Basil Rapoport, MB, ChB of the UCLA Cedars Sinai Medical Center were also acknowledged at the ATA Annual Banquet for being awarded the Distinguished Service Award and John B. Stanbury Thyroid Pathophysiology Medal respectively. E. Chester Ridgway, MD of the University of Colorado School of Medicine presented the inaugural Lewis E. Braverman Award Lecture. The Lectureship was created by those who have been impacted by Dr. Braverman’s leadership and mentorship spanning many decades. An appreciation reception was also held at the meeting for donors to the Braverman fund. The ATA Meeting offered participants the opportunity to learn about the most up-to-date findings on the mechanisms, prevention, diagnosis, and management of thyroid disorders and thyroid cancer, and to attend discussions on how to translate the latest research findings and clinical management guidelines into their practices to enhance patient care. Attendees had access to valuable information about new treatment options and gain a better understanding of the impact of evolving health policy, environmental and genetic factors, and non-thyroidal conditions on thyroid disorders and cancer. They benefited from educational and collaborative opportunities that helped contribute to their ability to help their patients and advance their profession. With the introduction of the new meeting mobile application, attendees were able to view the meeting program and add their preferred sessions directly to their smart phones. Those who used the application praised the ATA for incorporating a new, convenient technology for the presentation of the program . Through the joint sponsorship of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, physicians who attended the conference earned a possible 32 AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits. There were many opportunities to get together with friends and colleagues. Colleagues with shared interests gathered during the ATA Committee meetings and the Women in Thyroidology gathering. Mark your calendars for the 82nd Annual Meeting of the ATA taking place September 19-23, 2012 at the Hilton Quebec and Quebec City Convention Centre in Canada. Preliminary details are available online now at http://www.thyroid.org/ann_mtg/2012_82nd/index.html. We hope you see you there!
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