Today, IOF President Professor Cyrus Cooper presented the 2020 IOF President’s Award to Professor Maria-Luisa Brandi (Italy), Dato’ Dr Lee Joon-Kiong (Malaysia) and Professor Ego Seeman (Australia).The Awards were announced at the opening of the virtual World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases, being held from August 20-22, 2020. 

The IOF President's Award honours individuals who have made a significant and unstinting contribution to the advancement of the work of the IOF, through furthering one or more of the mission statements and/or goals of the Foundation.  
Professor Cooper stated: 

“I am very honoured to present this Award to three esteemed colleagues who have made significant contributions to IOF’s programmes in research, education, and public and health professional awareness. As active members of IOF’s Scientific Committee, Board or Regional Advisory Council, and as highly respected experts both internationally and in their respective regions, they have helped to expand the Foundation’s programmes, outreach and influence in the scientific and policy spheres over many years.”

Below, more information about the IOF President’s Award recipients:

•    Maria-Luisa Brandi, M.D.
Professor Maria Luisa Brandi took her MD Degree in 1977, the Board in Endocrinology in 1980 and the PhD Degree in Cell Biology in 1987. She is Full Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the University of Florence, Florence, Italy. She is directing the Regional Program on Hereditary Endocrine Tumors and the Bone Metabolic Unit at the University of Florence. The Unit is active both in clinical and in basic research for bone and mineral metabolic disorders. Her basic background is in molecular endocrinology applied to clinical medicine. Professor Brandi developed several novel cell biological models used in basic research worldwide. Her reputation in the area of bone and mineral metabolism is well recognized nationally and internationally. She owns 7 patents and has published over 800 papers in peer reviewed journals and 250 chapters in books. Professor Brandi has been and is the main investigator for several major applications granted from national and international agencies and institutions. She is Past President of the Italian Society of Osteoporosis, serves as a member of the Board and of the Scientific Committee of the International Osteoporosis Foundation, is General Secretary of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis and is President of the Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sulle Malattie dell’Osso. She is the Editor-in-Chief of The International Journal of Fragility Fractures.
 

• Dato’ Dr. Lee Joon-Kiong DSPN, DJN 
  MBBS(Mal.), FRCS(Edin.), MS ORTHO(Mal.), AM(Mal.), CCD(ISCD)

Dato’ Dr Lee is the Head of Department of Orthopedic Surgeon and the Deputy Medical Director of Beacon International Specialist Centre, Malaysia.  He is also practicing in the Advanced Neuroscience and Orthopedic Centre (ANOC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

He is currently the President Elect, Board Member and Executive Committee Member of ISCD and a Certified Clinical Densitometrist. He is the current Chair of the Asia Pacific-South Africa Regional Advisory Council (RAC) of International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF).  Dato’ Dr Lee is the Chief Coordinator of the IOF-International Society for Clinical Densitometry-Asian Federation of Osteoporosis Societies (IOF-ISCD-AFOS) Tripartite Alliance and the Chief Coordinator of the International Osteoporosis Foundation-Asia Pacific Orthopedics Association (IOF-APOA) Orthopedics Initiative.   He is the Co-Chair of the Asia Pacific Fragility Fracture Alliance (APFFA) and member of the Asia Pacific Consortium of Osteoporosis (APCO).  He is also the Vice President of the Fragility Fracture Network of Malaysia (FFNM) and Vice President of the Osteoporosis Awareness Society of Kuala Lumpur & Selangor (OASKLS - Public Society).   

Dato’ Dr Lee was the Past President and current Council Member of the Malaysian Osteoporosis Society (MOS – Doctor Society).  He was the Founding Member of Asian Federation of Osteoporosis Societies. He is the Chief Coordinator and Leader for Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) in Beacon International Specialist Centre in Malaysia.

• Ego Seeman BSc MBBS FRACP MD AM 

Professor and Endocrinologist at the Department of Medicine and Endocrinology, Austin Health, University of Melbourne
Ego Seeman has worked in the field of bone biology for 38 years studying the epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment of bone fragility.  He emphasized the role of growth as a forerunner of bone frailty in old age, emphasized the role of cortical and trabecular microstructural deterioration as a cause of bone fragility, and signalled that fractures in both sexes is a public health problem. He has contributed to studies of many drugs used today and has published extensively with over 400 publications. He is in the top 10 most cited authors in the field of osteoporosis and bone biology.

Professor Seeman is past President of the ANZBMS, Editor of Progress in Osteoporosis, Associate Editor of Osteoporosis International, and former IOF Board Member. He has received numerous awards including The Bartter Award, American Society of Bone Mineral Research 2002; Distinguished Scientist Award, Austin Hospital Medical Research Foundation 2008; Medal of Achievement, International Osteoporosis Foundation 2009; The Haddad Award, International Bone Mineral Society 2013; Inaugural Career Achievement Award, Aust. New Zealand Bone Mineral Society 2014; and Member Order of Australia 2016

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About the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO)
Held jointly by IOF and ESCEO, the WCO-IOF-ESCEO annual congress is the world’s largest forum for the presentation of clinical research and new advances in the prevention and management of musculoskeletal disorders, including sarcopenia and frailty. WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2020 is held as a virtual Congress ( http://virtual.wco-iof-esceo.org/). The 2021 WCO-IOF-ESCO is planned in London, UK from April 8-11, 2021. For complete information visit www.wco-iof-esceo.org  #OsteoCongress

About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF members, including committees of scientific researchers as well as 260 patient, medical and research societies, work together to make fracture prevention and healthy mobility a worldwide heath care priority. https://www.osteoporosis.foundation  @iofbonehealth