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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
May 13, 2010 |
Charles Emerson, MD receives ATA's 2010 Distinguished Service Award
(FALLS CHURCH, May 13, 2010) —The American Thyroid Association (ATA) has awarded its 2010 Distinguished Service Award to Charles Emerson, MD, emeritus professor of medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, and current editor of Thyroid, the journal of the ATA. The DSA will be presented to Dr. Emerson at the ATA's Spring Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Dr. Emerson, an active member of the ATA since 1974, has served on numerous committees, including the Nominating, Program, Bylaws, Membership and Awards committees. He also served on the ATA's Executive Council and served as ATA Treasurer from 2003-2007.
"Dr. Emerson kept a close eye on ATA funds, always presented our financial status accurately, and kept calm under fire," says Lewis E. Braverman, MD. "We knew we had a frugal gentleman at the helm."
After receiving his MD from the University of Virginia in 1967, Dr. Emerson married Norma Emerson and they have three sons, David, Daniel and Alan. He completed his residency at the University of Pennsylvania in 1970 and, as Dr. Emerson considered a fellowship in endocrinology, he read Dr. Gerald Burke's review of the "Long Acting Thyroid Stimulator" of Graves' disease. After subsequent discussions on the disorder with Dr. Robert Utiger, he began a fellowship in endocrinology at the University of Pennsylvania where he studied the metabolism of TRH. His first academic appointment was at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
In 1980, recruited by Dr. Lewis Braverman, Dr. Emerson joined the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, initiating an active investigative career with research interests in the metabolism of thyroid hormones in the placenta and periphery; maternal and fetal thyroid function during and after pregnancy; TRH and TSH as influenced by age, thyroid and sex status, nutrition and neuropeptides; the physiological effects and clinical utility of recombinant human TSH; and the pathogenesis of thyrtoxicosis.
Dr. Emerson retired from the Massachusetts Medical School in 2005, assumed the editorship of Thyroid in 2008, and continues to be a frequent essayist.
"I am grateful to the American Thyroid Association for providing me with an opportunity to pursue my long interest in the multifaceted clinical and scientific aspects of thyroid disease and physiology," said Dr. Emerson on receiving the ATA's DSA. "The ATA has been a major influence on my life and career, not only for these reasons, but also because of its impact on population health, its international outlook, and the way it pursues excellence in a difficult economic environment without compromising its values."
The American Thyroid Association (ATA) is the lead organization in promoting thyroid health and understanding thyroid biology. The ATA values scientific inquiry, clinical excellence, public service, education, collaboration, and collegiality.
A non-profit medical society founded in 1923, the ATA fulfills its mission through supporting excellence and innovation in research, clinical care, education, and public health. ATA members are physicians and scientists who work to enhance the understanding of thyroid physiology and pathophysiology, improve the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases, and promote the education of physicians, patients, and the public about thyroid disorders.
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