Endocrine Society congratulates 2023 Early Investigator Award winners

The Endocrine Society has selected five recipients for its Early Investigator Awards.

The Early Investigators Awards were established to assist in the development of early career investigators and to recognize their accomplishments in endocrine-related research. The Endocrine Society’s 2023 Early Investigator Award winners are: 

• Kotaro Sasaki, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn. - Sasaki is an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and of Laboratory Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Sasaki’s research is focused on the development of human germline and urogenital organs. His lab’s research discoveries help lay the foundation for understanding the molecular basis of human infertility, reproduction and endocrinology.
• Louise Gregory, Ph.D., of University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH) in London, U.K. - Gregory is a postdoctoral research scientist at ICH in genetics and genomic medicine, where she is continuing her research into congenital hypopituitarism and related disorders. She is currently investigating novel genes and pathways associated with congenital hypopituitarism, identified through next generation sequencing of her team’s patient cohort.
• Laura Hernandez-Ramirez, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico - As an associate researcher at her university, Hernandez-Ramirez focuses on translational research in neuroendocrinology and human genetics. Her lab seeks to develop platforms for affordable genetic testing to identify the type, frequency and associated outcomes of multiple genetic drivers, and to uncover potential therapeutic targets.
• Michael Kalwat, Ph.D., of the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute in Indianapolis, Ind. - Kalwat is an assistant investigator in the Lilly Diabetes Center of Excellence within the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute's Diabetes Center and a member of the Indiana University School of Medicine's Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases. Kalwat investigates the molecular mechanisms of regulated secretion and the use of genetic and pharmacological tools for this purpose. His lab bridges small molecule and genetic high-throughput screening with target and pathway identification in dedicated secretory cell types.
• Peter van Dijk, M.D., Ph.D., of The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) in Groningen, The Netherlands - van Dijk is a clinical academic endocrinologist who specializes in diabetes and general endocrinology. He is passionate about creating customized treatment plans that are focused on his patients’ specific well-being and quality of life. In addition to providing the best care to his patients, he conducts research focused on diabetes mellitus and innovations in technology that advance the treatment of type 1 diabetes. 

Additional information about these awards and when the new application cycles open can be found at: https://www.endocrine.org/awards/early-investigators-awards.

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Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.

About Endocrine Society

Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses, and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.