Edy KorneliusDr. Taiwan

Edy KorneliusDr.
Dr. Edy Kornelius is an endocrinologist and Associate Professor at Chung Shan Medical University, Taiwan, and currently serves as Director of the Division of Endocrinology and metabolism at Chung Shan Medical University Hospital. He completed his training in internal medicine and endocrinology in Taiwan and has developed broad clinical and academic expertise in thyroid disease and diabetes. Dr. Kornelius is an active clinician-scientist with a strong interest in patient-centred endocrine care and real-world outcomes research. His research spans thyroid disorders, diabetes therapeutics, cardiometabolic risk, and the neuropsychiatric aspects of endocrine disease. He has published extensively in leading international journals, including The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), Thyroid, Neurology, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, and other high-impact peer-reviewed journals. In recent years, his work has increasingly focused on the interface between endocrine disease and mental health, particularly anxiety, psychological distress, and patient-reported outcomes in chronic endocrine conditions. His research has highlighted the importance of recognizing psychological burden in routine endocrine practice, including in patients with thyroid nodules, where diagnostic uncertainty and malignancy concern may substantially affect quality of life. Beyond research, Dr. Kornelius is actively involved in medical education, guideline implementation, and professional society activities. He regularly contributes to regional and international scientific meetings and is committed to promoting holistic, evidence-based endocrine care that integrates physical and psychological dimensions of disease.

20 MARCH

Time Session
13:10
13:40
Meet the Professor 2
Obesity
Edy KorneliusTaiwan Moderator Anxiety in Patients with Thyroid Nodules: What Clinicians Need to KnowThyroid nodules are commonly encountered in endocrine practice, and while the majority are benign, the diagnostic and surveillance process often imposes a substantial psychological burden on patients. Anxiety related to fear of malignancy, uncertainty surrounding ultrasonographic findings, fine-needle aspiration results, and long-term follow-up is frequently underestimated and insufficiently addressed in routine clinical care. Emerging evidence suggests that anxiety in patients with thyroid nodules may persist even after reassurance of benign disease and can significantly affect quality of life, healthcare utilization, and decision-making preferences. Cancer-related worry is often disproportionate to the actual risk of malignancy and may be exacerbated by repeated imaging, indeterminate cytology, ambiguous terminology, and lack of clear follow-up strategies. Heightened anxiety has been associated with increased demand for diagnostic interventions and preference for aggressive management, potentially leading to overtreatment. This presentation reviews current evidence on the prevalence, determinants, and clinical consequences of anxiety among patients with thyroid nodules, integrating published literature with real-world clinical experience. Practical approaches for identifying psychological distress in outpatient settings and strategies for improving communication and expectation management will be discussed. Recognizing and addressing anxiety as an integral component of thyroid nodule care is essential for delivering holistic, patient-centred, and value-based endocrinology.
  • Obesity: What Clinicians Should Know
    Alice KongHong Kong, China Speaker Obesity: What Clinicians Should KnowRapid changes in technology, human behavior and lifestyle over the past few decades have resulted in a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity worldwide. Besides social stigmata and psychological consequences, obesity is associated with escalated risks of type 2 diabetes, coined the term "Diabesity", hypertension, dyslipidemia, sleep apnoea, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), polycystic ovarian syndrome, cancers, cardiovascular diseases and increased mortality. Body mass index (BMI) is a commonly adopted tool to identify people with obesity. Clinicians should note that the cutoff points of BMI for clinical actions are different between people with obesity from the East and the West, as well as the limitations of BMI in diagnosing obesity. Recently, the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology Commission proposed a new definition of obesity which differentiates excess adiposity with obesity-related illness (clinical obesity) from those without obesity-related diseases (pre-clinical obesity). Also, people with clinical obesity have many unmet needs requiring personalized treatment regimens, intensive counselling and emotional support. The 5 A's framework including Ask, Assess, Advise, Agree and Assist, provide a patient-centred approach to promote lasting behavioral change in obesity management. In addition to lifestyle modifications and behavioral changes, pharmacological agents for weight reduction, bariatric and metabolic surgeries are therapeutic options requiring careful selections for the appropriate patients with adequate counselling of the risks and benefits. Through case sharing approach, the use of weight reducing drugs and surgical strategies for people with preclinical and clinical obesity will be discussed in this session. Acknowledgement: The work described in this lecture was partially supported by funding from Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF), Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong SAR, China (Reference number:21223391), Matching Grant from Research Grants Council (reference number: 8601556), and Area of Excellence Scheme, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong SAR, China (Reference number: AoE/M-401/24-R). Obesity Management: What's New?Obesity is a global health hazard with rising prevalence in most parts of the world. Weight reduction by lifestyle modification remains the cornerstone in the prevention and treatment of obesity. However, weight management by lifestyle therapy alone is difficult to sustain in many obese individuals with rebound of body weight being observed as a common phenomenon. Given the invasiveness of bariatric and metabolic surgeries which are not accepted by many people with obesity, the use of pharmacological agents in weight management is increasingly popular. In 2025, the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology Commission proposed a new definition of obesity which differentiates excess adiposity with obesity-related illness (clinical obesity) from those without obesity-related diseases (pre-clinical obesity). Among the various obesity complications, diabetes is well recognized to be closely related to obesity, with the term 'Diabesity' coined to show the strong link between these two important modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular disease and premature death. In recent decades, many new generation anti-diabetic drugs are developed and found to have weight reducing properties. Looking ahead, more new drugs are in the pipeline of clinical trials, and the results may eventually change the landscape of obesity management. Acknowledgement: The work described in this lecture was partially supported by funding from Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF), Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong SAR, China (Reference number:21223391), Matching Grant from Research Grants Council (reference number: 8601556), and Area of Excellence Scheme, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong SAR, China (Reference number: AoE/M-401/24-R).
201BC

22 MARCH

Time Session
11:00
12:30
ESROC-KES Joint Symposium
Updates in Endocrinology: Emerging Insights into Adrenal Disorders, Muscle Health, and Endocrine Diseases
Eun-Gyoung HongSouth Korea Moderator
Feng-Hsuan LiuTaiwan Moderator
  • Pheochromocytoma: Current Concepts and Emerging Evidence
    Min Jeong ParkSouth Korea Speaker Pheochromocytoma: Current Concepts and Emerging EvidencePheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: Current Concepts and Emerging Evidence Min Jeong Park1 1Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea Pheochromocytoma and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors. Over the past decade, rapid progress in molecular genetics, diagnostic and follow-up strategies, and systemic therapy has reshaped the landscape of these tumors. In this lecture, I will summarize current concepts and emerging evidence with particular attention to evolving clinical phenotype and long-term management challenges. Recent evidence suggests that a subset of PPGL patients exhibit autonomous hypercortisolemia in addition to catecholamine excess. In such cases, our group discovered higher rates of metabolic comorbidities – including diabetes mellitus and hypertension – compared with PPGL without cortisol excess. It infers the need for evaluation of pre and postoperative adrenal cortical function and metabolic comorbidities in patients with PPGL. PPGL are now recognized as among the most heritable human tumors, with 30-40% harboring germline mutation across more than 20 susceptibility genes. Molecular profiling had led to classification into three major clusters: Pseudohypoxia, kinase signaling, and Wnt-pathway – which informs biochemical phenotype, imaging patterns, and metastatic behavior. Multi-omics analyses identify ATRX/TERT alterations, copy-number burden, and immune microenvironmental features as potential prognostic biomarkers. Surgery remains curative for localized disease with alpha-blockade based perioperative optimization. For metastatic or unresectable disease, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, radionuclide therapies, and immune checkpoint inhibitors form an evolving systemic therapy for PPGL. Prediction of recurrence is also a major unmet domain. Current guideline recommend more than 10 years of surveillance for all resected PPGL and lifelong follow-up for high-risk patients; however, criteria for discontinuing surveillance in low-risk patients after 10 years remain undefined. Our group investigated features of the very-low risk group, which may discontinue follow-up after free of recurrence for 10 years of follow-up. This lecture will integrate recent advances in PPGL biology and management with practical consideration for metabolic assessment and long-term surveillance, including new data that may guide personalized decision-making for folllow-up cessation in selected low-risk patients.
  • Translational Research for Developing Blood-Based Biomarkers of Sarcopenia
    Beom-Jun KimSouth Korea Speaker Translational Research for Developing Blood-Based Biomarkers of SarcopeniaSarcopenia, characterized by the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, is a major determinant of frailty and adverse health outcomes in aging populations. Consequently, the identification of reliable blood-based biomarkers is critical for early diagnosis, risk stratification, and the development of therapeutic interventions. This lecture provides an overview of our translational research efforts aimed at discovering and validating novel biomarkers using multi-omics approaches in both preclinical and clinical models of sarcopenia. In animal models, we have integrated proteomics and metabolomics to identify candidate biomarkers reflecting key pathophysiological mechanisms of muscle degeneration. Concurrently, in human cohorts, we employed multi-omics profiling of circulating biomarkers to detect signatures associated with muscle mass, strength, and physical performance. A central focus of our research is the cross-validation of these biomarkers between animal and human models to ensure translational relevance. By leveraging comparative bioinformatics analyses, we aim to establish robust biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity for detecting sarcopenia and monitoring disease progression. Furthermore, this lecture will discuss the potential clinical utility of these biomarkers in personalized risk assessment. By bridging preclinical discoveries with human validation studies, our work contributes to the advancement of precision medicine for sarcopenia. Ultimately, establishing reliable blood-based biomarkers will facilitate the early identification of high-risk individuals, improve patient stratification in clinical trials, and enable targeted therapeutic strategies.
  • Anxiety in Patients with Thyroid Nodules: What Clinicians Need to Know
    Edy KorneliusTaiwan Speaker Anxiety in Patients with Thyroid Nodules: What Clinicians Need to KnowThyroid nodules are commonly encountered in endocrine practice, and while the majority are benign, the diagnostic and surveillance process often imposes a substantial psychological burden on patients. Anxiety related to fear of malignancy, uncertainty surrounding ultrasonographic findings, fine-needle aspiration results, and long-term follow-up is frequently underestimated and insufficiently addressed in routine clinical care. Emerging evidence suggests that anxiety in patients with thyroid nodules may persist even after reassurance of benign disease and can significantly affect quality of life, healthcare utilization, and decision-making preferences. Cancer-related worry is often disproportionate to the actual risk of malignancy and may be exacerbated by repeated imaging, indeterminate cytology, ambiguous terminology, and lack of clear follow-up strategies. Heightened anxiety has been associated with increased demand for diagnostic interventions and preference for aggressive management, potentially leading to overtreatment. This presentation reviews current evidence on the prevalence, determinants, and clinical consequences of anxiety among patients with thyroid nodules, integrating published literature with real-world clinical experience. Practical approaches for identifying psychological distress in outpatient settings and strategies for improving communication and expectation management will be discussed. Recognizing and addressing anxiety as an integral component of thyroid nodule care is essential for delivering holistic, patient-centred, and value-based endocrinology.
  • Impaired Fasting Glucose and Musculoskeletal Disorders
    Yi-Sun YangTaiwan Speaker Impaired Fasting Glucose and Musculoskeletal DisordersThe Continuum of Glycemic Dysregulation and Musculoskeletal Health: From Impaired Fasting Glucose to Established Diabetes. As the global medical community transitions into the "Next ERA" of endocrinology, there is an urgent need to broaden our focus beyond traditional microvascular and macrovascular complications toward the pervasive, yet often neglected, musculoskeletal (MS) burden associated with dysglycemia. While the debilitating effects of established Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) on physical function are well-documented, emerging clinical evidence suggests that the musculoskeletal system is an early "silent" target of metabolic injury, with pathological changes manifesting as early as the Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) stage. This presentation explores the MS burden across the full glycemic spectrum, highlighting how the transition from normoglycemia to IFG, and ultimately to T2DM, correlates with a progressive increase in chronic pain, structural tissue damage, and functional disability.
  • Discussion
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