Fourth Herbert A. Fleisch ESCEO-IOF Medal awarded to Belgian researcher at Ghent University Hospital

The 4th Herbert A. Fleisch ESCEO-IOF Medal was awarded today to eminent Belgian researcher Jean-Marc Kaufman, Professor of Medicine at the Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. The prestigious award, offered by the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO) and the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) recognizes a researcher who has made outstanding and groundbreaking achievements in bone science.

The award, which is valued at 10,000 EUR, is named after the late Professor Herbert A. Fleisch, whose pioneering work greatly advanced the development of scientific knowledge of metabolic bone diseases and their treatment.

Professor Jean-Yves Reginster, President, ESCEO, stated, "I am delighted to present this year's Medal to an investigator who has made valuable contributions to the study of osteoporosis and ageing over a long and prolific career."

"Professor Kaufman has helped to advance our understanding of the regulation and action of sex steroids in health, disease and ageing in men, with particular focus on osteoporosis in men. It is fitting that he is the winner in 2014 as IOF has made men's bone health the key focus of this year's upcoming World Osteoporosis Day campaign," commented IOF President John A. Kanis

Jean-Marc Kaufman obtained his MD degree and his PhD degree (under the mentorship of Alex Vermeulen) at Ghent University in Belgium. He was a senior postdoctoral research fellow (1982-1984) in reproductive physiology with Ernst Knobil at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He is board certified in Endocrinology and in Nuclear Medicine. Since 1985 he has been staff member of the clinical department of Internal Medicine at the Ghent University Hospital, where he is presently heading the Clinical Department of Endocrinology and the Laboratory for Hormonology, and where he established in 1994 a multidisciplinary Unit for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases in collaboration with the Department of Rheumatology. Since 1993 Dr. Kaufman has been professor of medicine at Ghent University and acting chair of the University Department of Internal Medicine. He is board member and past president of the Belgian Bone club, member of the IOF Committee of Scientific Advisers, and board member of ESCEO. He is (co)author of more than 250 publications in international peer-reviewed journals.