Editorial Board

Abdullah Bereket has graduated from Ankara University, Medical School in 1986. After finishing pediatric residency in 1991, he completed his subspecialty training in Pediatric Endocrinology at State University of New York in 1991-1996. He then worked as Assistant Professor at Hacettepe Medical School of Ankara in 1997-1999. In 1999, he founded Pediatric Endocrinology division at Marmara University in Istanbul and is the chief of the subspecialty program since then. He was elected as president of Turkish Pediatric Endocrinology Society between 2003-2005. He served as European Socity for Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) Summer School Steeering Committee member (2012-2016). He is in the editorial board of several international journals. His research interests encompass a spectrum of endocrinologic disorders including precocious puberty, obesity, vitamin D, and insulin-like growth factors. Dr Bereket authored more than 140 peer-reviewed articles in international journals. He has received the Outstanding Clinician Award from ESPE in 2022

Pediatrician, endocrinologist and diabetologist, specialist in pediatric endocrinology and diabetology, the head of the Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology with DSD Subunit, vice-dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice.

Prof. Aneta Gawlik-Starzyk actively participates in international and interdisciplinary research projects focusing on the issues of Turner syndrome, differences of sexual development, gender incongruence and dysphoria, childhood and adolescence obesity, puberty and growth disorders. She is a member of international and national scientific societies (ESPE, ECE, ECOG, PTEiDD, PTE). She is active in the structures of European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE); she is the chairperson of ESPE Turner Syndrome Working Group and a member of ESPE Science Committee. Prof Gawlik-Starzyk is coordinating the clinic's cooperation with Endo-ERN-the European Reference Network for the Treatment of Rare Diseases in MTG7. Currently, she is the leader of two ongoing international projects (ESPE TSWG on puberty induction in TS and ESPE Research Unit Large Grant-on obesity).

The works and activities of Prof. Aneta Gawlik-Starzyk have documented practical application. Recently involved in the preparation of international recommendations for patients with Turner syndrome, recommendations regarding the induction of puberty in hypogonadism, and international and Polish recommendations for adolescents with gender incongruence/dysphoria.

Damla Gökşen Şimşek is Professor of Pediatrics in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Department at Ege University Faculty of Medicine. Her scientific interests mainly relate to type 1 diabetes treatment and technologies, monogenic diabetes, metabolic bone disease, puberty and growth disorders. Dr. Gökşen has been working on rare genetic causes of monogenic diabetes in Turkish population.

Dr Gökşen graduated from Ege University Medical School. She completed her residency in Pediatrics and her fellowship in Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes in Ege University Faculty of Medicine. In 2004, she worked in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Department in Yale University for 3 months to develop her skills in Type 1 diabetes.

Jan is a Clinical Associate Professor in Paediatric Endocrinology at the University of Birmingham and Honorary Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Birmingham, UK

Jan graduated at the University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. He obtained his PhD at the University of Birmingham in 2015 on clinical and lab-based studies on the regulation of human androgen biosynthesis, focusing on rare forms of inborn errors of steroidogenesis, including congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 17-hydroxylase and P450 oxidoreductase deficiency, conditions leading to impaired DHEA sulfation and cytochrome b5 deficiency. His main research interest has evolved to characterise the impact of common idiopathic androgen excess conditions (premature adrenarche and adolescent polycystic ovary syndrome) on metabolism. Jan’s other key interests include differences in sex development (DSD) and childhood obesity.

Jan is an active member of the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE), a member of its Working Group in DSD, and of the ESPE e-learning committee. Locally, he leads the childhood obesity service in the UK’s West Midlands region and is the Programme Director of the Birmingham NIHR/Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility (Paediatrics).

Dr. Demir obtained the degree of Medical Doctor at the Hacettepe University (Ankara) in 2001. He studied Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology at Dokuz Eylül University (İzmir), where currently he works as Associate Professor of Pediatrics. He has served on numerous committees in Turkish Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Society and was the Secretary General of the Society between 2014-2017. He is the coordinator of Advanced Basic Science Course in Pediatric Endocrinology since 2016. His clinical and research focus is on thyroid diseases, rickets, rare genetic endocrine diseases, and web-based medical tools (www.childmetrics.org).

Dr. Özlem Akgün-Doğan graduated from Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye in 2006. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at Ankara Sami Ulus Gynecology, Child Health, and Diseases Training and Research Hospital in 2012 and in Pediatric Genetics at Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Genetics, Ankara, Türkiye in 2018. Dr. Akgün-Doğan has been instrumental in the deep phenotyping of rare childhood diseases. Her focus encompasses a broad spectrum, including dysmorphology, autism/intellectual disability, rheumatologic disorders, neurometabolic disorders, and hereditary cardiovascular diseases in children. She is proficient in unraveling molecular pathologies using next-generation sequencing, including targeted panel and exome analysis, and excels in interpreting these results for effective genetic counseling. Her professional interests are diverse yet focused, centering on rare childhood diseases, multiple congenital anomalies, dysmorphology, childhood cardiovascular arrhythmias, and clinical genetics. Dr. Akgün-Doğan achieved the European Certificate in Medical Genetics and Genomics in 2022, a testament to her dedication and expertise in her field. Currently, Dr. Akgün-Doğan is a faculty member at Acıbadem University, within both the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Pediatric Genetics and the Department of Medical Genetics in İstanbul, Türkiye. She holds the position of Vice Director at Acıbadem University’s Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs Application and Research Center (ACURARE). Additionally, she coordinates a team specializing in the reanalysis of WES/WGS variants, contributing significantly to the field of genetic research and diagnostics.

Samim Özen is an Associate Professor at Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes. Özen has Ph.D. in Genetics and his scientific interests are mainly related to disorders of sexual development, lipodystrophies, type 1 diabetes, and genetics of endocrine disorders. He served as a board member of the Turkish Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Association between 2014-2021.

Dr Turan is Professor of Paediatrics (subspecialty in paediatric endocrinology), Department of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Marmara University, Istanbul, Türkiye.

Her main research areas are on metabolic bone diseases and GNAS-related diseases. Dr Turan has more than 100 PubMed publications with focus on paediatric endocrinology, metabolic bone diseases, genetics, epigenetics of PHP-related disorders. More recently, Dr. Turan has been working on rare genetic causes of osteogenesis imperfecta in Turkish population and factors affecting their treatment responses. Other than low bone mass diseases, high bone mass disorders are the other research areas of Dr Turan. Dr Turan has performed basic researches in bone development and now focusing more on translational researches. Her H factor is 22.

Dr Turan graduated from Hacettepe University Medical School (English division) in 1995. She completed her residency in Pediatrics in 2000 and her master degree in Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes in 2004 at Marmara University Faculty of Medicine. In 2007, she received fellowships from Fulbright and The Scientific and Technology Research Council of Türkiye (TUBITAK) to work as a research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University in Endocrine Unit. In 2009, she returned as visiting scientist to Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University in Endocrine Unit for 1 year with the support of European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology Sabbatical leave Program. Dr Turan is the member of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and also performed administrative responsibilities as Program Organizing Committee Member at European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and member of Bone Working Group of the Society. Dr Turan participated COST action on imprinting disorders as a management committee member in pseudohypoparathyroidism.

Z. Alev Özön graduated from Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine in 1989. She completed residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric endocrinology at Hacettepe University in 1999. She continued as assistant professor at Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, became associate professor in 2005, and professor of pediatrics in 2010. She worked in the foundation of the first Medical Scientist Training Program for medical students in Türkiye at Hacettepe Medical School (Hacettepe University MD, PhD Program) in 2003, and became Assistant Coordinator of the program between 2003-2019 and continues as Coordinator since 2019. She worked as Assistant Director, and Director of Hacettepe University İhsan Doğramacı Children’s Hospital between 2007-2011, as member of Faculty Board at Hacettepe University between 2014-17, and as member of Scientific Commission at Research Projects Coordination Unit at Hacettepe between 2016-18. She is currently Chief of Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at Hacettepe University. She also participated in the scientific committees of the National Program for Neonatal Screening (for congenital hypothyroidism and congenital adrenal hyperplasia since their onset). Her research interests encompass a spectrum of endocrinologic disorders including thyroid, adrenal and growth disorders, DSD and diabetes. Dr. Özön authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles in international journals.

Dr. Darendeliler is Professor of Pediatrics at the University of İstanbul, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine since 1996. She was trained in Pediatric Endocrinology in İstanbul Faculty of Medicine and studied as a research fellow in Middlesex Hospital, London, UK with Prof Charles Brook.

Since 2007, she is the Chief of Pediatric Endocrinology Unit in Istanbul Faculty of Medicine. Prof. Darendeliler is the president of the Turkish Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Society since 2014 and was in the executive committee of the Society between 2011 and 2014. Prof. Darendeliler has acted as Vice Dean of Istanbul Faculty of Medicine responsible from education and training.

Among her contributions to ESPE, Prof. Darendeliler has been a Council Member, editor of the ESPE Newsletter, chair of the Accreditation and Syllabus Committee and member in the Sabbatical leave program. She acted as the secretary of the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Working Group for 6 years. She has worked in the steering Committee in International DSD Working Group. She has also worked in the Consensus meetings, namely, Safety of Growth Hormone (ESPE, PES, GRS) and recently participated in PCOS Guidelines (ESPE, PES).

Prof. Darendeliler has collaborated in several international and national multicenter studies. Her main interests are growth, growth hormone therapy, pubertal and gonadal disorders and DSD.

She has received the Outstanding Clinician Award from ESPE in 2017.

Dr Saygın Abalı is Associate Professor of Paediatric Endocrinology at Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University School of Medicine, Istanbul. His main clinical and research interests include growth and puberty disorders, metabolic bone diseases, skeletal disorders, and the genetic basis of rare paediatric endocrine conditions.

Dr Abalı graduated from Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine. He completed his residency training in Paediatrics at Istanbul University and his fellowship in Paediatric Endocrinology at Marmara University School of Medicine. He also holds a Master’s degree in Medical Education from Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University.

Dr Abalı has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in paediatric endocrinology, particularly in the fields of growth disorders, metabolic bone diseases, genetic skeletal disorders, and monogenic endocrine diseases. His recent research focuses on molecular genetic testing in paediatric endocrinology, neonatal endocrinology and metabolism, and novel therapies for genetic skeletal disorders. He has also contributed to numerous national and international multicentre studies.

In addition to his clinical and research activities, Dr Abalı is actively involved in medical education and academic administration. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs Application and Research Center (ACURARE) at Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University.