The Institute of Endocrinology Celebrates its 50th Anniversary. How is the Institute Poised for the Next 50 Years?

Overview

This paper briefly describes the recent research, therapeutic and pedagogical activities of the Institute of Endocrinology in Prague, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its foundation in the beginning of 2007. Current research covers a broad spectrum of topics in endocrinology, which include thyroid and steroid hormone research, neuroendocrinology, immunoendocrinology, molecular endocrinology, endocrinology of aging as well as diabetes and obesity research. Not only clinical studies but also epidemiological and basic research studies are carried out at the institute. Each year approximately 25–30 research projects are conducted, financed both locally (Grant Agency of the Ministry of Health IGA, Grant Agency of the Czech Republic GAČR etc.) and by foreign agencies (COST project, 6th Framework program etc.). Since the year 2000, researchers and physicians from the institute have presented 511 papers, of which 162 (32%) were published in internationally impacted journals. Almost 45 000 patients are examined each year at the three clinical departments: the Department of Clinical Endocrinology, the Obesity Management Centre and the Department of Functional Diagnostics. New diagnostic strategies such as assays of recently discovered hormones, clamp techniques, and methods of molecular biology, have been introduced into the regular clinical practice. Recent modernization of the biochemical laboratories and sampling procedures has resulted in modern facilities which offer a broad spectrum of biochemical and hormonal assessments. About 300 patients undergo laboratory investigations daily. Currently, more than half a million biochemical and hormonal assays per year are performed in the institute. The Obesity Management Centre, which was incorporated into the institute in 2002, provides a comprehensive obesity management program focused mainly on the treatment of severely obese patients and patients with high cardiometabolic risks. The institute is involved in pregraduate education at the Faculties of Medicine and at the Faculty of Science of the Charles University and at the University of Southern Bohemia. Both physicians and researchers of the institute contribute significantly to the postgraduate education in endocrinology as the institute is the seat of the Sub-Chair of Endocrinology of the Institute of the Postgraduate Education of Health Care Providers. Both the institute and the Endocrine Sub-Chair obtained the accreditation in endocrinology from the Ministry of Health. Since the acquisition of the Obesity Management Centre, the institute offers a unique one-week training program for obesity specialists organized by the Czech Society for the Study of Obesity. In the forthcoming years closer cooperation with Charles University and the Academy of Sciences is highly likely and should be reflected by a new legislative status of the Institute.

Key words:
Institute of Endocrinology in Prague.