The IOF Medal of Achievement, awarded every two years by the International Osteoporosis Foundation, has been presented today to Professor Ego Seeman of the University of Melbourne in Australia. The prestigious award was presented at a ceremony held during the 'Impacts of New Paradigms on Skeletal Health Assessment: A Joint ISCD-IOF Meeting' held from March 11-14, 2009 in Orlando, Florida.
The award honours individual researchers who have significantly advanced the field of osteoporosis through their original and outstanding scientific contributions. IOF established the award in 2006 in order to underline one of its most important missions - to increase understanding and awareness of osteoporosis and to promote medical innovation and improved care for patients.
IOF President Professor John Kanis presented the award, stating, "Ego Seeman is among the most respected thought-leaders in the field of osteoporosis research and is renowned as both a scientist and as an educator, scientific editor and speaker."
Ego Seeman is Professor of Medicine and Endocrinologist at the Austin Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. He is Past President of the Australian and New Zealand Bone Mineral Society, Board member of the International Osteoporosis Foundation, International Bone Mineral Society and Osteoporosis Australia. Professor Seeman has been instrumental in organizing many conferences in Australia and Asia and has actively promoted educational exchange in the region through scientific meetings. Among other major meetings, he has convened the third IOF Regional Conference on Osteoporosis in Asia and the University of Melbourne Training Course in Osteoporosis for the past 10 years.
Professor Seeman is the author of some 270 publications and 22 book chapters, and is editor of Progress in Osteoporosis, Clinical Editor of Bone-Key and Associate Editor of Osteoporosis International. He is an Editorial Board member of many other journals in the bone field and has contributed invited editorials and reviews to leading medical journals. He has contributed to studies of the definition, epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment of osteoporosis in women, men, corticosteroid-related disease, genetics, studies of skeletal growth, racial differences in skeletal structure, role of exercise, and risk factors for osteoporosis, as well as studies of structural diversity in determining bone strength. For his work Professor Seeman was awarded the 2002 American Society of Bone Mineral Research Fred C. Bartter Award.
Osteoporosis, in which the bones become porous and break easily, is one of the world's most common and debilitating diseases. The result: pain, loss of movement, inability to perform daily chores, and in many cases, death. Around the world, one out of three women over 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as will one out of five men (1,2,3). Osteoporosis can, to a certain extent, be prevented, it can be easily diagnosed and effective treatments are available. Nevertheless many people with osteoporosis and at risk of fracture remain undiagnosed and do not receive treatment.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the only worldwide organization dedicated to the fight against osteoporosis. It brings together scientists, physicians, patient societies and corporate partners. Working with its 191 member patient and medical societies in 91 locations, and other healthcare-related organizations around the world, IOF encourages awareness and prevention, early detection and improved treatment of osteoporosis. Visit www.iofbonehealth.org for further information.
1. Melton U, Chrischilles EA, Cooper C et al. How many women have osteoporosis?
Journal of Bone Mineral Research, 1992; 7:1005-10
2. Kanis JA et al. Long-term risk of osteoporotic fracture in Malmo. Osteoporos Int, 2000; 11:669-674
3. Melton LJ, et al. Bone density and fracture risk in men. JBMR. 1998; 13: No 12:1915
For more information on osteoporosis and IOF please visit: http://www.iofbonehealth.org