Officers of the British Thyroid Association

Professor Kristien Boelaert

President -  Professor Kristien Boelaert PhD, MRCP (Birmingham)

Kristien Boelaert is a Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Birmingham with a research interest in thyroid diseases. She qualified in medicine at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, and completed her postgraduate education in the West Midlands and the University of Birmingham as a Clinical Lecturer and an MRC Clinician Scientist. Kristien was appointed to Senior Lecturer in 2011 and became Professor in 2020.

Kristien’s clinical research interests include the management of thyroid dysfunction, nodules and cancer, as well as endocrine disorders in pregnancy. Her laboratory research programme focuses on the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer, and she is involved in a number of clinical trials in the field of thyroid diseases. She has published more than 150 papers over the last 20 years spanning discovery science, clinical research and trials and practice guidelines.

Kristien is the Chair of the Clinical Committee of the Society for Endocrinology and sits on various committees of the American Endocrine Society and the American Thyroid Association. She is Associate Editor of the Journal of the Endocrine Society and Advisory Board member of Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. The main themes of her current research programme are thermal ablation techniques for thyroid nodules and cardiometabolic consequences of hyperthyroidism.

  • Dr Nadia Schoenmakers

Secretary - Dr Nadia Schoenmakers  (Birmingham)

 

Dr. Schoenmakers completed her undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate education at the University of Cambridge. After receiving her MD, she completed her specialty clinical training in endocrinology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, and she earned her PhD investigating the molecular and clinical characteristics of genetically mediated thyroid hormone resistance.

 

Her research uses candidate gene, gene panel, and whole exome sequencing technologies to identify known and novel genetic causes of congenital hypothyroidism.

 

Dr. Schoenmakers’ work has led to the characterisation of three congenital thyroid conditions, collaborations with paediatric endocrinologists and investigators worldwide, and several publications and presentations. As a Consultant Endocrinologist and as a Visiting Specialist, Dr. Schoenmakers contributes to adult and paediatric thyroid practice and to diagnostic services for unusual and rare thyroid disorders.