Organizing Committee Members - OBESITY 2023

Laura de Graaff
Doctor
Erasmus Medical Centre
Netherlands
Laura de Graaff(Biography)
Dr. de Graaff works as consultant Internal Medicine-Endocrinology at Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She obtained her medical degree from the University of Leiden in 2001. She finished her PhD in 2008, based on genetic studies in patients with congenital hypothalamic and/or pituitary disorders. After her medical training, in 2015, she launched a multidisciplinary outpatients clinic (OPC) for adults with Rare (endocrine) Genetic Syndromes (ReGS). Its multidisciplinary team takes care of adults from five national reference centers: • Expert Center Prader-Willi Syndrome • Expert Center Rare Growth Disorders • Expert Center Disorders of Sex Development • Expert Center Turner Syndrome • Expert Center for Neurodevelopmental disorders ENCORE The aim of the OPC is to improve quality of care for adults with ReGS by treating and investigating health problems in these adult patients. This is extremely important as life expectancy in children with these syndromes used to be limited. Due to improved pediatric care, these patients do reach adulthood nowadays. However, many doctors don’t know which problems to expect in adults with these syndromes, nor how to treat them. There are no guidelines for adults, in the majority of syndromes. By treating and investigating health problems in these adult patients, Dr. de Graaff aims to improve patient care for this vulnerable patient group. The ReGS-OPC is unique in the world of Internal Medicine and plays a key role in improving care for adults with Rare Genetic Syndromes. In order to help these patients during transition from pediatric to adult endocrinology, Dr. de Graaff also launched a Young Adult Clinic in 2016. She leads a research line involving clinical and fundamental studies in congenital pituitary and hypothalamic disorders, including Prader-Willi syndrome. The above mentioned centers of Reference are part of international networks like the Endo-ERN and ERN-ITHACA (Intellectual Disability and Congenital Malformations).
Laura de Graaff(Research Area)
Internal Medicine-Endocrinology

Malgorzata Wojcik
Jagiellonian University Poland
Jagiellonian University
Poland
Malgorzata Wojcik(Biography)
Malgorzata Wojcik is a pediatrician, endocrinologist, as well as a pediatric endocrinologist and diabetologist. She has completed her PhD in 2009. She has published more than 50 papers in reputed journals and book chapters, and has been serving as a reviewer and an editorial board member. She is a co-author of a paper awarded with The ESPE Scientist Prize for the best Pediatric Endocrinology Publication in 2009 in ‘Hormone Research’ in the category of Novel Insights from Clinical Practice. The major scientific interests of Dr. Małgorzata Wójcik are childhood obesity and its complications.
Malgorzata Wojcik(Research Area)
Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology

Chowdhury S. Ferdous
Professor
Wake Forest Baptist Hospital
USA
Chowdhury S. Ferdous(Biography)
Dr. Chowdhury S. Ferdous has completed her MBBS from University of Rajasthan, India and completed MD in Internal Medicine from East Tennessee State University, USA. She is currently working as Professor in Internal Medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital, North Carolina, USA. She has great interest in Obesity Medicine and has presented multiple papers within USA. She is currently pursuing further specialisation in the field of obesity medicine.
Chowdhury S. Ferdous(Research Area)
Internal Medicine

Rosa Lelyanaâ
Medical Doctor
Diponegoro University
Indonesia
Rosa Lelyanaâ(Biography)
Rosa Lelyana is a Medical Doctor, Doctor, General Practitioner, Scientist, Editor/ Reviewer of Int Js, Senior Lecturer, Prof Researcher of Coffee/Medicine/Nutrition
Rosa Lelyanaâ(Research Area)
Coffee and Uric Acid/Hyperuricemia General Medicine,Health, Nutrition, Drug and Herbal Medicine Obesity, Adipose Tissue and Fat Abdominal Diet,Nutrition&Thermogenesis(Diet&Molecular Nutrition,Nutrigenomic & Pharmacogenomics Nutrition,Anti Aging Nutrition, Infertility &Sex Nutrition) Skin Nutrition for Esthetic (Hair&Skin Nutrition, Cosmeceuticals/Cosmetic Nutrition, Body Shaping Nutrition, Fat& Cellulite Nutrition, etc)

Michael Stark
Professor
New European Surgical Academy
Germany
Michael Stark(Biography)
Michael Stark is specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology. His main interest is Gynecological Oncology. He is currently the Scientific and Medical Advisor of ELSAN, a 120 hospital group in France and is a Guest Scientist at the Charité University Hospital in Berlin. He is the President of the New European Surgical Academy (NESA), an international inter-disciplinary surgical organization. In 2011, he was nominated as the Medico Del Anno (Doctor of the Year) in Italy, and is an Honorary Member of the French, Polish, Russian and Italian Gynecological Associations. During the years 1983-2000, he was the Medical Director and Head Of Ob/Gyn Department of the Misgav Ladach General Hospital in Jerusalem, and between 2001 and 2009 the Chairman of all Ob/Gyn Departments of the HELIOS Hospital Group. He was Visiting Professor in universities of Toronto, Moscow, Beijing, Milan, Adana, Uppsala and the Weill-Cornell University Hospital in New York.
Michael Stark(Research Area)
Obesity

Richard W M Visser
CEO
American College of Sports Medicine
Aruba
Richard W M Visser(Biography)
Richard W M Visser DC, PhD has focused on the pandemic of childhood obesity among various populations, working in consultation with other international experts. He studied the problem and implemented solutions from many perspectives: as a clinical researcher, academic and educator, activist and politician, entrepreneur, concerned citizen and parent. His work has made vital contributions to a greater understanding of the biological, sociological, and psychological factors surrounding childhood obesity. Early in 2008, he was appointed by the Government of Aruba to head the Obesity Task Force, and a year later, he began his four-year term 2009-2013 as Minister of Health, and Sport for Aruba. Today, he continues his innovative approach as CEO of VERA Health and Education.
Richard W M Visser(Research Area)
Obesity

Takashi Kanematsu
Professor and Chair
Hiroshima University
Japan
Takashi Kanematsu(Biography)
Dr. Takashi Kanematsu received his PhD in Biochemistry from Kyushu University, Fukuoka Japan, in 1994. He then worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University, TN USA, and, subsequently, served as Assistant and Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Kyushu University (1997–2008). From 2009, he is Professor and Chair of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at Hiroshima University, Hiroshima Japan. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of Journal of Pharmacological Sciences.
Takashi Kanematsu(Research Area)
Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology

Joycelyn Peterson
Department Chair
Nutrition and Dietetics Oakwood University
USA
Joycelyn Peterson(Biography)
Dr. Joycelyn Peterson , registered dietetian, completed Nutrition and Dietetics degrees at Loma Linda University (M.P.H., and Dr.PH.), and Johns Hopkins University (post-master’s studies in international nutrition). She is professor and chair of Nutrition and Dietetics Department at Oakwood University, Alabama, USA. She recently published her dissertation in the Annuals of Nutrition Metabolism 8/2011, and is a contributing writer for newspapers and health magazines and has also published two vegetarian cookbooks. Her professional experience includes vegetarian nutrition consultant, and author, public health speaker, and program planner for international and state-wide public health nutrition initiatives, conducting nutrition research at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Joycelyn Peterson(Research Area)
Her professional experience includes vegetarian nutrition consultant, and author, public health speaker, and program planner for international and state-wide public health nutrition initiatives, conducting nutrition research at the undergraduate and graduate levels

H Hesham A-Kader
Professor, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology,
Hepatology and Nutrition Department of Pediatrics The University of Arizona
USA
H Hesham A-Kader(Biography)
“Dr. A-Kader is currently working as Professor at the University Arizona. A-Kader received his MD degree from the University of Cairo Dr A-Kader t completed his Masters in Pediatrics from the University of Cairo He then worked at the University of New York served as Associate Professor and Professor at the University of Arizona Dr. A-Kader has published several research papers and original articles and chapters in prestigious journal and major textbooks. His publications reflect his research interests in Hepatology and fatty liver. Dr. A-Kader is certified by the Boards of Pediatrics, Pediatric Gastroenterology and the Board of Nutrition. Dr. A-Kader is also an editorial member and reviewer of several journals.
H Hesham A-Kader(Research Area)
Dr. A-Kader is interested in the field of pediatric Hepatology specifically in neonatal cholestasis and fatty liver disease..