Projects
What makes a project successful? In addition to things like funding, support and dissemination of information, it takes a promising concept, a team that can make it happen, and the enthusiasm and common goal to sustain it. It has been 8 years since the EYES Observership Program (OP) was first conceived and proposed. The initiator and founder of the program is Associate Professor Ljiljana Marina, then co-chair of the EYES committee, together with Antoine Stefan Shojat, who was the project lead for 4 years and was supported by other committee members: Daniele Santi, Stavroula (Linom) Paschou, Ayse Zengin and Eva Coopmans . The goal of the program was to enable young European endocrinologists to spend a month in some of the most prestigious endocrinological centers in Europe. The structure was simple: each participating center should provide a mentor and a contact person for ECI, to facilitate the organization for the visitors, while EYES would provide a coordinator who would be the link between the center and the applicant. Over the next two years, with the full support of ESE, the concept took shape and became one of the most successful projects within ESE. Antoine Stefan Sojat, with a clear vision and enthusiasm, led the EYES OP, and continued to expand the OP family in the following years, transferring energy to the COP and ROP coordinators – Kristina Saravinovska, who is the current project lead, and Juan M. Jimenez Vacasa. The Research Observership Program (ROP) was launched in 2021, with 6 exceptional centers. Over the years, the OP family has grown, including new centers with dedicated and respected mentors, and now we have a fantastic network of 23 COP centers, 17 ROP centers and 1 BOP with 4 successfully completed cycles and applications currently open, almost 200 registered candidates and 90 awardees award from 25 countries. So far, ESE has awarded 30,000 euros in grants to the best rated candidates. From 2023, the EYES OP has two new formats: the revolutionary Bilateral Observership Program (BOP), which allows candidates from our affiliated partner organization SBEM in Brazil to apply for a center in Europe, and vice versa, with the hope that the program will be extended to other affiliated partner organizations in the future. Another format is the Advanced Research Observership Program (adROP), adapted to more experienced researchers in basic and translational sciences, which allows them to stay in a research center of interest for up to three months, with substantial grants. With a total of 52 applications in 2024, EYES OP has again shown that among young endocrinologists there is a strong aspiration towards academic mobility and international experience. The true value of OPs lies in the connections made, the mentors, and the invaluable knowledge and inspiration they pass on to ECIs, shaping the future of endocrinology.
EYES Newsletter
While working on the first edition, using only our enthusiasm and a trial version of the online design tool, we set ourselves the goal that one day the newsletter would reach all young researchers across Europe. The founders of the EYES newsletter, Ljiljana Marina and Ajša Zengin, used their previous experience gained while working as EYES representatives in the Editorial Board of ESE News. The first team was small, but very well organized. Ayše Zengin helped prepare the first issue with her fantastic organizational skills and was in charge of reviewing the articles. Antoine Stefan Sojat, then a newly elected member of the EYES committee and later editor-in-chief, started his first activities for EYES by preparing the first issue and was in charge of maintaining team spirit. In addition to writing articles and announcements, we also had to design a newsletter. At first it seemed impossible to reach the quality of the ESE News newsletter, but with Ljiljana’s newfound talent for design, the EYES newsletter stood proudly side by side with the best magazines. Our first issue was published in May 2018. It was only three pages long, where we covered important dates, events and funding opportunities. We tried to set a standard for young endocrinologists and scientific colleagues, which the EYES community enthusiastically embraced. The second edition was published in July 2018, almost twice as large. A few months later, Lina Paschou and Eva Coopmans joined us. The issues became more and more developed, covering an increasing number of interesting topics and increasing not only the quantity but also the quality of articles. We progressed quickly, which required an expansion of the team. With new energy, design and additional titles, we have become even more serious and professional, realizing that we now represent a large and growing community. We have developed a structured format, regular thematic articles and space for new voices in the world of endocrinology. We initiated cooperation with many groups, individuals and young researchers, which contributed to the unique design and current content. The latest issues have 16 pages, come out every four months and follow a specific structure with an ISSN number, a professional team of designers, proofreaders and copy-writers. In the end, all great ideas come from humble beginnings, carefully nurtured with energy and a desire to leave a legacy. After 6 years of newsletters and many more to come, we will continue to bring you the latest and greatest from the world of endocrinology – especially for young endocrinologists and scientists.
4.RSME - 4th Regional Symposium of Young Endocrinologists in Belgrade, Serbia
3 days, 11 countries, endless inspiration. These words perfectly describe the spirit of the 4th Regional Symposium of Young Endocrinologists in Belgrade. Founded in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, in May 2021, as an inspiring initiative of the group of Young Endocrinologists of Croatia, the Regional Symposium has developed into a great celebration of resilience and cooperation in the region. Starting with online meetings, the journey of this symposium has been remarkable, with the first two editions paving the way for a live event in Osijek (Croatia) in 2023, leading us to the 4th Regional Symposium of Young Endocrinologists in Belgrade in 2024.
For young clinicians or scientists, RSME has always been the place to be – to absorb energy, exchange ideas and be inspired by colorful lectures, sessions and presentations. 4RSME was organized by a Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of more than 40 Young Researchers and Clinicians (ECIs), supported by the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE), ENS@T, COST Action Harmonis@tion and some of the most important national societies in the region. With 185 participants joining us in Belgrade, not only from the region but also from other parts of Europe, 4RSYE has become a dynamic center for exceptional young professionals. Each day was filled with interesting sessions covering different topics in the field of endocrinology. To create an interactive event, 4RSYE included dynamic debates led by endocrinologists and mid-career scientists, encouraging thoughtful discussions. Each debate was followed by sessions dedicated to oral presentations, as well as speed presentations by young researchers. 4RSYE also had an EYES session where Antoine Stéphane Choyat and Kristina Saravinovska presented an overview of EYES activities, together with our esteemed guest Victoria Vitti, who provided an insight into the world of opportunities within ESE, while Barbara Altieri gave a lecture on his research journey, further encouraging the already present EYES spirit. The event also included a COST Action Harmonis@tion session, where Anja Barač Nekić, Antoan Stefan Šojat and Bogdan Dugić provided valuable insights and the latest data within this action, promoting cooperation in this area. Even after the official program ended, the discussions continued, fostering bonds and friendships that would last a lifetime.
