Volume 11 Issue 11, November 2015

Our understanding of bone biology and the subsequent development of therapies to treat bone diseases have both expanded greatly in the past 30 years. This article reviews some of the key advances made in these fields during the past decade.

The past decade has seen exciting progress in the field of thyroid disease, especially in the evaluation of thyroid nodules, the genomic characterization of carcinomas and the treatment of carcinomas after surgery. An improved understanding of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy, as well as the causes of 'low T₃ syndrome' and consumptive hypothyroidism have also been achieved.

Over the past decade, the growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its associated complications has presented both challenges and opportunities. Progress has been made in incretin-based therapies, bariatric surgeries and inhibiting renal glucose reabsorption; however, long-term safety and efficacy studies are required. Advances in the prevention of macrovascular complications of T2DM from ongoing clinical trials are expected soon.

The past 10 years have seen substantial advances in many areas of paediatric endocrinology. Major progress has been made in our understanding of the aetiology of many disorders with the advent of next-generation sequencing. Furthermore, the introduction of novel therapies has revolutionized clinical management.

The past decade has witnessed incredible advances in the field of reproductive endocrinology. The use of new genetic and genomic tools has had a particular impact, leading to advances in our understanding, diagnosis and treatment of reproductive endocrine disorders, particularly those related to the neuroendocrine control of reproduction and ovarian biology.

This Review outlines the physiologic role of the iodothyronine deiodinases, as well as the changes that occur in hypothyroidism, with a particular focus on their role in preserving thyroid hormone levels in the brain. Novel findings that underscore the clinical importance of iodothyronine deiodinases in hypothyroidism are also discussed.

A subclass of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, so-called 'obesogens', have been proposed to predispose certain individuals to weight gain, despite their efforts to limit caloric intake and increase levels of physical activity. In this Review, Jerrold Heindel and colleagues discuss the experimental and epidemiological findings on obesogens, their modes of action, and their role in the obesity epidemic.

Paget's disease is a disorder of bone that manifests in one or several bones and is initiated by osteoclast-induced osteolytic lesions. In addition to a genetic cause, environmental factors, including measles virus, have been proposed to have a role in the pathogenesis of Paget's disease. Here, Frederick R. Singer discusses the present knowledge and controversies surrounding the aetiology of Paget's disease.

Here, five of our Advisory Board Members look back at the past decade of endocrinology research, highlighting key advances and identifying roadblocks. They also discuss where effort and money should be invested now and speculate on where progress might be made in the coming decade.

In this Viewpoint, six members of our Advisory Board comment on advances in the past 10 years that have revealed new hormones, new functions for known hormones and endocrine organs and new endocrine roles for well-known organs. The authors discuss how bone was recognized as an endocrine organ, the emerging understanding of the importance of gut hormones, targeting ectopic adipose tissue and the pathogenesis and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.