Cynthia Andoniadou is a Reader in Stem Cell Biology at the Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology at King’s College London. She was born in Greece and carried out her studies in London at Queen Mary, University of London and the MRC National Institute for Medical Research, and her postdoctoral research at the UCL Institute for Child Health. Her lab focuses on the regulation of stem cells in the pituitary and adrenal glands and how stem cells interact with their environment, influencing the function of endocrine cells.
How has the Endocrine Society supported your professional development/career journey?
I was fortunate enough to receive a Mara E. Lieberman Memorial Travel Grant to present my research at my first ENDO (2013, San Francisco). It took place a few months before I was due to start my own lab and the exposure I received was a big boost. I met many of my endocrine heroes and established several collaborations through that meeting, all of which were crucial during the subsequent early years of my career and still today. As a basic scientist, I came into endocrinology from a different field (development of the forebrain), and I knew I was making the right move when I realized how welcoming and engaging both the basic and clinical participants were at the meetings.
What is the one question you would want to ask other Endocrine Society members?
I’d ask clinical members what they would consider the most important areas that need improvement through further research that they have identified in their clinical practice. What is currently substandard that you would like to change? As a basic scientist, I sometimes find that curiosity about scientific conundrums and findings can lead us down very exciting paths, but staying focused on the direct or indirect impact of our research to patients can help shape our overall direction. It doesn’t apply to all basic researchers, but for me, the clinical interactions are important.
Read more about Andoniadou and other notable Endocrine Society members at: www.endocrine.org/member-spotlight.
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