They are insidious and it seems like there’s no escape from them no matter what your age, race, or where you live. I’m talking about endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in an unending number of household and environmental items and cause often irreparable damage to the endocrine system. Therefore, this issue of Endocrine News is devoted to not just the science of EDCs, but to the scientists studying these substances, their impacts, and even potential solutions.
In “Silent Disruptors,” Kelly Horvath takes a deep dive into the ENDO 2025 session entitled “Thyroid Disruptors,” which focuses on how these chemicals affect the thyroid. The seminars give a pretty in-depth look at various mechanisms for thyroid disruption; the effects of EDCs on growth and development in the fetus and in early childhood; and an examination of the role EDCs play in thyroid cancer, including significant data related to health disparities. “It is well established that many EDCs can alter maternal thyroid hormone levels and even disrupt the thyroid hormone axis,” according to session chair Joris A. J. Osinga, MD, PhD candidate, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. “Since these chemicals are produced on such a large scale and persist in the environment, their impact goes beyond just individual cases. This makes high-quality, independent research essential to truly understand these associations.” The “Thyroid Disruptors” symposium takes place on Saturday, July 12 from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. during ENDO 2025 in San Francisco.
From the thyroid we move up a bit to the brain to explore a new study published recently in our own Journal of the Endocrine Society that examined the impacts of early-life exposures to a class of EDCs called polychlorinated biphenyls. Senior Editor Derek Bagley talks with the study’s primary author, Andrea C. Gore, PhD, one of the Society’s many leaders in studying these compounds and their impact, in “Mind Bending.” Even though these compounds have been banned for decades, they are still persistent in the environment. Gore also says that her team’s study results show that biomedical research should really include both male and female subjects whether in animals or humans. “The history of science has largely been based on work in males because females are considered more ‘complicated’ due to hormone fluctuations and therefore more difficult to study,” she says. “However, considering that half the population of humans is females, it’s essential to consider sex as a biological variable.”
Glenda Fauntleroy Shaw speaks with Lori T. Raetzman, PhD, the 2025 recipient of the Endocrine Society’s Sydney Ingber Award for Distinguished Service in “Basic Research Champion.” Raetzman not only discusses how it felt to receive the award, but also the changing dynamics facing so many scientists, especially trainees, in the endocrine research realm. She is even finding challenges in her own research lab that looks at the impacts of environmental chemicals on female reproductive aging. “The upheaval in federal funding for scientific research is so detrimental to being able to plan a multi-year research program,” she says. “You need consistent funding to get to the end of the aging part of these studies.” She adds that she is also concerned for her students: “They are all at different places in their training,” she explains. “The ones who have started recently, I worry if my grants don’t get their next year of funding how they will be supported financially. My lab is making some amazing discoveries in congenital hypopituitarism and environmental impacts on pituitary function. I try to stay focused on making sure the lab is motivated to push forward, especially in the face of uncertainty.”
Speaking of concerns of trainees and other endocrinologists who may be in the early stages of their careers, Endocrine Society member Milay Luis Lam, MD, discusses the many options available to early-career endocrinologists they may have not considered in this month’s Early-Career Corner article, “Navigating Alternative Academic Pathways.” Lam shares her journey that began in Peru and led her to her current role as a division chief and medical director in Maryland. Lam shares her story on behalf of the Endocrine Society’s Early-Career Special Interest Group and states that the next generation of physicians needs to be apprised of the diverse career options available to them. “Many may feel compelled to leave the profession because they’re unaware of the alternatives available to them,” she laments. “By showcasing the variety of paths within our field, we can help them stay engaged in a career they’ve chosen… This is still a great time to work in medicine!”
Next month, Endocrine News is planning to focus on bone and mineral, including the latest research as well as session highlights awaiting ENDO 2025 attendees in San Francisco July 12 – 15! As always, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or ideas for future articles: [email protected].
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