Endocrinological Laboratory Diagnostics

The Endocrinological Laboratory Diagnostics Division offers a forum for discussion, advanced training and scientific cooperation within the DGKL to laboratory physicians, clinical chemists, clinical endocrinologists, research scientists and other colleagues interested in hormone diagnostics. In addition, the division aims to promote, coordinate and develop specific initiatives to improve the quality of routine endocrinological diagnostics.

The quantification of hormones in various biological samples is not only an indispensable part of diagnostics, but also of therapeutic monitoring of endocrinological diseases. In addition, the endocrinological laboratory in particular has traditionally been a research-active engine of methodological innovations and further developments. The requirements range from the development of exotic assays for research projects to the optimization of high-throughput methods for routine clinical analysis. The chemical peculiarities of the very differently structured analytes, and the special dependence of hormone concentrations on pre-analytical conditions and influencing variables, give rise to a multitude of specific questions, requiring a special interdisciplinary cooperation between research science, laboratory and clinical practice to provide answers.

Special tasks:

• Establishment of a network of colleagues working in clinical endocrinology in other professional societies as well as clinicians and laboratory diagnostic experts.
• Organising events and training courses together with the relevant divisions and workinggroups of other endocrinological societies.
• Support of measures to improve the quality of endocrinological laboratory methods, support of the establishment of new reference ranges for hormone parameters, solution of technical problems, discussion of questions of laboratory organisation as well as economic aspects

Activities:

• Annual workshop on current hormone analysis, interpretation of measurements and practical problems in the endocrinology laboratory
• Organisation of an international workshop on endocrinological laboratory diagnostics for the Analytics Conference
• Organisation of symposia on endocrinological diagnostics within the DGKL annual conference

Joint workshops with the German Society for Endocrinology and the German Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology