Endocrine Society honors endocrinology field’s leaders with 2025 Laureate Awards

(Press-News.org) WASHINGTON—The Endocrine Society today announced it has chosen 14 leading endocrinologists as winners of its prestigious 2025 Laureate Awards, the top honors in the field.

Endocrinologists are scientists and medical doctors who specialize in unraveling the mysteries of hormone disorders to care for patients and cure diseases. These professionals have achieved breakthroughs in scientific discoveries and clinical care benefiting people with hundreds of conditions, including diabetes, thyroid disorders, obesity, hormone-related cancers, growth problems, osteoporosis and infertility.

Established in 1944, the Society’s Laureate Awards recognize the highest achievements in the endocrinology field, including groundbreaking research and innovations in clinical care. The Endocrine Society will present the awards to the winners at ENDO 2025, the Society’s annual meeting, being held July 12-15 in San Francisco, Calif.

The Endocrine Society’s 2025 Laureate Award winners are: 

Daniel Drucker, M.D. – Fred Conrad Koch Lifetime Achievement Award. The Society’s highest honor, this annual award recognizes lifetime achievements and exceptional contributions to the field of endocrinology. Drucker is a senior investigator at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, and a university professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine in Ontario, Canada. He is being honored for his role as one of the pioneers in advancing next-generation treatments for diabetes and weight loss. He has greatly contributed over the years to the development of a new class of drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, based on his discoveries about gut hormones known as glucagon-like peptides (GLP-1 and GLP-2). These medications have been life changing for people living with type 2 diabetes, obesity and intestinal failure. Drucker has served the Endocrine Society in various roles and on numerous committees, most recently as an editorial board member for the Journal of the Endocrine Society, as Editor-in-Chief of Endocrine Reviews and as a member of the Society’s Nominating Committee.

V. Krishna Chatterjee, M.D. – Gerald D. Aurbach Award for Outstanding Translational Research. This annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to research that accelerates the transition of scientific discoveries into clinical applications. Chatterjee is a professor of endocrinology, based at the Institute of Metabolic Science in the University of Cambridge, a consultant endocrinologist at Cambridge University Hospitals, and director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Cambridge Clinical Research Facility in Cambridge, U.K. He is distinguished for his contribution to the molecular basis of endocrine disorders and its application to clinical medicine. His research focuses on genetic and molecular endocrinology, exploring disorders including resistance to thyroid hormone and PPARgamma gene defects associated with lipodystrophic insulin resistance. He has translated his research into biochemical and genetic tests and biomarkers that constitute an internationally recognized diagnostic service for disorders of thyroid hormone action and which inform therapeutic approaches in these disorders.

David Mangelsdorf, Ph.D., and Steven Kliewer, Ph.D. – Edwin B. Astwood Award for Outstanding Research in Basic Science. Originally awarded from 1967 and renamed to honor the scientific contributions of the late Dr. Edwin B. Astwood, this award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of endocrinology via their outstanding basic science research. Mangelsdorf, distinguished chair in pharmacology and in molecular neuropharmacology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and Kliewer, distinguished chair in developmental biology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, have made groundbreaking discoveries in endocrine signaling through nuclear receptor research. Their discoveries include the elucidation of the key signaling pathways governing cholesterol, lipid and bile acid homeostasis, the identification of a conserved mechanism controlling the way in which animals react to nutritional stress, and the characterization of the mechanism underlying parasitic nematode infections. Their work has led to the creation of life-saving drugs with FDA approval and impacted human health on a global scale. Their contributions have expanded our understanding of metabolic pathways, physiological regulators, and potential therapeutic interventions, demonstrating immense potential for human health, agricultural applications and beyond.

Syed Abbas Raza, M.D. – International Excellence in Endocrinology Award. This award is presented to an endocrinologist who has made exceptional contributions to the field in geographic areas with underdeveloped resources for hormone health research, education, clinical practice or administration. Raza currently serves as a consultant endocrinologist and physician at Shaukat Khanum Hospital and Research Center in Lahore, Pakistan. He is an outstanding clinician, educator and advocate for global endocrinology. His passion is to educate the public and health care providers about the prevention and treatment of diabetes and obesity. He leads several initiatives to raise awareness of obesity and to promote a healthier lifestyle for youth in the South Asian region. He has published extensively and lectured regionally and internationally on these initiatives, many of which have been to health care providers in underserved areas of the region. He served as vice president and president of the Pakistan Endocrine Society and is currently the president of the International Society of Endocrinology.

JoAnn Manson, M.D., Ph.D. – Outstanding Clinical Investigator Award. This annual award honors an internationally recognized clinical investigator who has contributed significantly to understanding the pathogenesis and therapy of endocrine and metabolic diseases. Manson, who is the chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and a professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston Mass., is one of the most influential clinical investigators in endocrinology and women’s health. She has made pivotal and trailblazing contributions to elucidating the benefits and risks of estrogen therapy in early versus later menopause, and to understanding the role of vitamin D supplementation in prevention of major chronic diseases. She launched the investigator-initiated VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL), the largest randomized clinical trial of vitamin D supplementation in the world and the only primary-prevention randomized trial of marine omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease.

Whitney Woodmansee, M.D. – Vigersky Outstanding Clinical Practitioner Award. This annual award recognizes extraordinary contributions by a practicing endocrinologist to the endocrine and/or medical community. Woodmansee is a professor of medicine at the University of Florida’s Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism in Gainesville, Fla., and the director for the university’s Neuroendocrine/Pituitary Program and Thyroid Cancer Program. She specializes in neuroendocrine diseases and is also very knowledgeable in general medicine and general endocrinology. She meets all her patients’ needs and ensures systems are in place to efficiently deliver care. The latter is exemplified by her expertise in developing a pituitary testing center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and then ensuring such practices were in place at other centers where she worked. Many patients have followed her as her practice has moved to different centers. Woodmansee is also thoroughly committed to patient education. She keeps up with the latest clinical and basic science research and then translates it for patients to understand.

Alice Levine, M.D. – Outstanding Educator Award. This annual award recognizes exceptional achievement as an educator in the discipline of endocrinology and metabolism. Levine is a professor of medicine and oncological sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, N.Y. and director of the school’s Adrenal Center and the Pituitary Center. She is also the system-wide director of the Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes Fellowship at the Mount Sinai Health System, the largest endocrine fellowship program in the country. Levine was the course director for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Endocrine Pathophysiology Course for 25 years, inspiring generations of medical students to pursue careers in the field. She received the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Teaching Award in 2011 and the Jacobi Medallion in 2017, the highest award conferred by its Alumni Association. She is a highly sought-after speaker at national and international meetings for her research into prostate cancer and adrenal diseases. Her publications are highly cited, and she has edited three textbooks that serve to educate endocrinologists in the fields of hormonal neoplasia and adrenal diseases.

Ilene Fennoy, M.D., M.P.H. – Outstanding Leadership in Endocrinology Award. This annual award recognizes outstanding leadership in fundamental or clinical endocrinology. Fennoy is a professor of pediatrics at Columbia University’s Valegos College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York, N.Y. She is a pioneer, innovator and leader in the field of pediatric obesity and in the realm of diversity, equity and inclusion. Fennoy directs key programs at Columbia University focused on obesity and related cardiovascular morbidity, with a particular emphasis on care for underserved populations. She was appointed to the Endocrine Society’s Pediatric Obesity Guidelines Committee and co-authored the resulting Clinical Practice Guideline. Her leadership in this field is also reflected in her being appointed to the Pediatric Endocrine Society's (PES) Obesity Task Force. After having served on the Endocrine Society’s Minority Affairs Committee, she established and co-chairs PES’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force. Fennoy also initiated collaboration with the Endocrine Society’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CoDI) to support dissemination of the Endocrine Society’s FLARE and ExCEL programs to PES members.

Ellen Seely, M.D. – Outstanding Mentor Award. This annual award recognizes a career commitment to mentoring and a significant positive impact on mentees’ education and career. Seely is the director of the Clinical Research, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension Division in the Department of Medicine at Brigham & Women's Hospital, and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass. Besides being world renowned for her studies of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, Seely selflessly dedicates a substantial part of her academic career to nurture the intellectual and professional growth of peers and juniors alike. She has supported faculty development and well-being, medical student teaching, training in grant writing and clinical investigation, FDA advisory committees, student thesis review committees, and many more initiatives. Her approach to mentoring is one “without borders,” reaching mentees in Europe and the Middle East. She has been rewarded for her commitment with the A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award at Harvard Medical School, the Distinguished Member of the Society of Teaching Scholars at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the William Silen Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award, and the Mentoring Award from Women in Endocrinology.

Christos Mantzoros, M.D., D.S.c., Ph.D. – Outstanding Scholarly Physician Award. This annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to the practice of clinical endocrinology in academic settings. Mantzoros is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and has a longstanding successful and highly recognized research program of clinical and translational endocrinology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where he is the founding director of the Department of Human Nutrition. He also serves as the chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System and is adjunct professor at the Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, Mass. As a practicing internist, endocrinologist, and dedicated educator, he is a pioneer and worldwide expert in obesity and metabolism. During his career, he has treated tens of thousands of patients, mentored over 200 trainees and collaborators, and published over 1000 peer-reviewed articles. He is also a stellar educator who created and leads novel clinical training and education programs. His work has improved our understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms related to obesity, energy balance and metabolism. His past and ongoing work has defined the role of the adipocyte-secreted hormone leptin in humans, and over the last years, the Mantzoros lab research has expanded to understand the physiology and the role of gastrointestinal hormones as well as the role of myokines and mitokines in obesity and obesity-related disorders.

Erik Nelson, B.Sc., Ph.D. – Richard E. Weitzman Outstanding Early Career Investigator Award. This annual award recognizes an exceptionally promising young clinical or basic investigator. Nelson is an associate professor of molecular and integrative physiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Ill. His work has defined biochemical links between dyslipidemia/hypercholesterolemia and the pathobiology of osteoporosis and breast cancer. His findings have contributed to novel therapeutic approaches being explored as breast cancer treatments and preventatives. Nelson’s work establishing cholesterol-derived oxysterols as agents which influence the pathology of disease is groundbreaking and clinically impactful. His work highlights the importance of studying biological processes at their most fundamental level to appreciate the best ways to intervene for therapeutic benefit. He is currently a member of the Society’s Annual Meeting Steering Committee and an editorial board member for the basic science journal Endocrinology.

Barbara Kahn, M.D. – Roy O. Greep Award for Outstanding Research. This annual award recognizes meritorious contributions to research in endocrinology. Kahn is the vice chair for Research Strategy at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston Mass. and is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking discoveries that have helped shape the fields of diabetes and endocrinology research for over three decades. Her pioneering discoveries have illuminated the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity and type 2 diabetes, including the regulation of insulin sensitivity through inter-tissue communication and adipocyte biology. Her lab has made several novel discoveries in this area of research, and she has trained numerous highly successful leaders in endocrinology and metabolism around the world. She has served as an editor for Endocrine Reviews and on the editorial board for Endocrinology, which are both Endocrine Society journals.

Lori Raetzman, Ph.D. – Sidney H. Ingbar Distinguished Service Award. This award recognizes distinguished service to the Endocrine Society and the field of endocrinology. Raetzman is a professor of molecular and integrative physiology and the associate director for the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) PhD Programs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of MCB in Champaign, Ill. Since joining the Endocrine Society in 2001, she has served on numerous committees. Her initiatives, including incorporating social media for enhanced trainee engagement and organizing workshops on critical professional development topics, have amplified the Society's reach and inclusivity. She has also been instrumental in fostering diversity and leadership through programs like FLARE, supporting underrepresented minorities in basic and clinical research. She is currently a member of the Endocrine Society’s Adrenal and Pituitary Special Interest Group, the Editor-in-Chief Search Committee for Endocrinology, and the Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Clinical Strategy/Resources Task Force, as well as co-chair of the Research Affairs Core Committee.


Nominations are being accepted for the 2026 awards cycle until January 21, 2025. Any submissions received after that will be considered for the following year.

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Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.

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