Clinical update in genetics and endocrinology – Part 3

Fadil Hannan is an Associate Professor and Honorary Consultant Chemical Pathologist at the University of Oxford. He studied Medicine at the University of Bristol, where he also obtained a first-class degree in Biochemistry. In addition, he undertook a DPhil as an MRC Clinical Research Training Fellow in Prof Rajesh Thakker’s lab at the University of Oxford, during which time he investigated the role of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), which plays a critical role in parathyroid function.

Fadil subsequently conducted postdoctoral research into the genetic basis of mineral metabolism as an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer, and also as a Senior Clinical Lecturer. Fadil was awarded the 2013 Association of Clinical Biochemistry (ACB) Professor’s Prize for Sustained Research, and in 2017 became a member of the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland. Fadil now runs a research group investigating the molecular endocrinology of lactation.

Rajesh Thakker is the May Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford, and was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2014. His main research interests include the molecular genetics of endocrine tumours and disorders of calcium homeostasis.  He has authored over 400 publications which include papers in the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature, Nature Genetics, Journal of Clinical Investigation and Lancet Journals.

He is a Consultant Endocrinologist who provides expertise in the fields of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), and disorders of calcium and phosphate metabolism. He has been the recipient of prizes which include the: Society for Endocrinology (UK) medal (1995); European Journal of Endocrinology Prize (1998); Louis V Avioli Founder’s Award from the ASBMR (2009); Dale Medal from the Society for Endocrinology (UK) (2015); and the Philippe Bordier Award from the European Calcified Tissues Society (ECTS) (2020).

Dr Howard is a Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric Endocrinology, fascinated by pubertal timing, pubertal disorders, the genetic regulation of puberty and therapeutic options for precocious, delayed and absent puberty conditions. Her principle research-related contributions to date have been the identification of genetic regulators of self-limited delayed puberty: via next generation sequencing in large familial cohorts and functional characterisation of novel variants in vitro and using animal models.

Mehul Dattani is Professor of Paediatric Endocrinology based at the University College London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, and Specialty Lead in Endocrinology at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH). He has an active clinical practice in paediatric and adolescent Endocrinology at GOSH and University College London Hospitals (UCLH). He completed a 3-year term as Chair of the British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, followed by a 7-year term as Chair of the Programme Organizing Committee and member of the Council of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE). He is currently the President of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology. He has also served as co-Chair of the Pituitary Main Thematic Group of the ENDO-ERN initiative until December 2020.

Professor Dattani has established a laboratory group investigating the molecular basis of hypothalamo-pituitary disease at UCL. He has identified novel genes implicated in hypothalamo-pituitary development in patients with congenital hypopituitarism, and has worked on understanding the molecular basis of a paediatric brain tumour called adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma. He has more than 250 publications including original articles and scholarly reviews in a number of high-impact journals, as well as numerous book chapters. He sits on numerous advisory boards and editorial boards of journals. He has previously received the ESPE Henning Andersen and RCPCH Donald Paterson awards for his scientific work. He has co-authored 3 textbooks to date, including the 7th Edition of Brook’s Clinical Paediatric Endocrinology.