Congratulations to our very own Professor Raj Thakker on being awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List for services to ‘Medical Science and to People with Hereditary and Rare Disorders’.
Professor Thakker said: ‘I am delighted to receive this honour on behalf of the endocrine community and the Nuffield and Radcliffe Departments of Medicine. I would like to thank my wonderful team of clinical and scientific researchers and global collaborators, whose dedicated work has elucidated molecular mechanisms for endocrine and metabolic diseases, that has also facilitated translation of scientific advances into benefits for patients.
‘Patients are central to all our work and their courage and determination to triumph over many adversities has been a constant inspiration. I am indebted to all of them and the medical research funding organisations for their support.’
Professor Thakker OBE was President of the Society for Endocrinology 2019-2022, May Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford, a Consultant Physician at Oxford Hospitals Trust and leader of the Thakker research team at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM). He is now Professor of Medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and the William Harvey Research Institute.
Despite all this, to his patients Raj was always just Dr Thakker, a kind and well loved doctor whose humble approach endeared him to so many of our members and their children. His groundbreaking work on rare, genetic parathyroid disorders, calcium receptors and the molecular disorders of calcium homeostasis changed many lives for the better.
As a member of our Medical Advisory team since the outset he is always generous with his time on any projects, responding instantly to any questions and helping us to raise awareness about our unmet needs. Congratulations Raj!