Eun-Gyoung HongProf. South Korea

Eun-Gyoung Hong, MD, PhD is a Korean physician and respected endocrinologist and professor at Hallym University Medical Center, serving as the Director of the Diabetes, Thyroid, and Endocrinology Center. She graduated from Ewha Womans University College of Medicine and received her master's and doctoral degrees from Ajou University College of Medicine, Korea. She also completed her post-doctoral course at Yale University and Penn State University in the United States from 2004 to 2006 and has been a professor at Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital since 2012. She has published extensively on diabetes, insulin resistance, and metabolic disorders. Her contributions to clinical guidelines and her active role in academic societies underline her stature as a leader in endocrinology and diabetes research. She has been serving as the President, Board of Directors of the Korean Endocrine Society since January 2025 and is currently the Chief Professor of the Department of Endocrinology at Hallym University College of Medicine.

21 MARCH

Time	Session

15:50 16:30	Plenary 6 Eun-Gyoung HongSouth Korea Moderator Incretin-Based Therapeutics: Bridging Theory and Practice, and Exploring New Horizons Daisuke YabeJapan Speaker Advancing toward a Cure for Diabetes: Insights from iPSC-Derived Islet Cell Transplantation TrialType 1 diabetes is characterized by absolute insulin deficiency and marked glycemic variability, creating a constant challenge for individuals who must maintain strict glycemic control to prevent complications and severe hypoglycemia. To address these persistent unmet medical needs, transplantation of pancreatic islet–like cells derived from embryonic stem (ES) or induced pluripotent stem (iPSC) cells has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. Encouraging advances have recently been reported from the United States and China. Notably, a world-first autologous transplantation of patient-specific iPSC-derived islet-like cells in China achieved insulin independence with near-normal glycemic control. Despite its promise, concerns remain regarding long-term safety, durability, and broad applicability, underscoring the need for further rigorous clinical evaluation. This lecture will provide an overview of current progress and ongoing challenges in β-cell replacement therapy aimed at curing type 1 diabetes. In addition, I will introduce the study design of our clinical trial at Kyoto University Hospital evaluating allogeneic transplantation of iPSC-derived islet cell sheets (OZTx-410). Through these insights, we aim to highlight both the steady steps already taken and the horizon of possibilities ahead in the pursuit of a functional cure for diabetes.Incretin-Based Therapeutics: Bridging Theory and Practice, and Exploring New HorizonsThe landscape of type 2 diabetes management has been transformed by the advent of incretin-based therapies, including dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. In Japan—where more than 70% of individuals with diabetes are aged 65 years or older and commonly present with a non-obese phenotype and reduced insulin secretory capacity—DPP-4 inhibitors continue to serve as a fundamental treatment option, offering effective glycemic control with minimal risk of hypoglycemia. In contrast, among younger adults with obesity, GLP-1 receptor agonists have emerged as essential agents that not only improve glycemic control but also promote weight reduction and confer cardiovascular and renal benefits. A major advance in 2023 was the approval of tirzepatide, a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 receptor agonist that engages both receptors. Tirzepatide has demonstrated robust glucose-lowering and weight-reducing effects in both clinical trials and real-world practice in Japan, further expanding therapeutic opportunities across the region. However, incretin-based therapies are not without challenges: gastrointestinal adverse events remain common, and potential associations with pancreatic and biliary diseases continue to require caution. In older adults, concerns regarding their impact on frailty and sarcopenia demand careful clinical judgment. Furthermore, inappropriate discontinuation of insulin therapy after initiating incretin treatment has occasionally resulted in severe clinical consequences, highlighting the critical need for decision-making that extends beyond the evidence from controlled trials. In response to these issues, the Japan Diabetes Society (JDS) Committee for the Safe Use of Medications released the Recommendations for the Safe Use of Incretin-Related Agents, Second Edition in 2024. Disseminating these recommendations across East Asia and the broader Asia–Oceania region will be essential to ensure the safe and effective application of incretin-based therapies in diverse clinical settings. In this plenary lecture, I will explore strategies to optimize type 2 diabetes management in Asia by harnessing the therapeutic potential of incretin-based agents while proactively mitigating associated risks. Together, we aim to build a future in which innovation, safety, and patient-centered care advance hand in hand. 101

Time

Session

15:50

16:30

Plenary 6

Eun-Gyoung HongSouth Korea Moderator

Incretin-Based Therapeutics: Bridging Theory and Practice, and Exploring New Horizons

Daisuke YabeJapan Speaker Advancing toward a Cure for Diabetes: Insights from iPSC-Derived Islet Cell Transplantation TrialType 1 diabetes is characterized by absolute insulin deficiency and marked glycemic variability, creating a constant challenge for individuals who must maintain strict glycemic control to prevent complications and severe hypoglycemia. To address these persistent unmet medical needs, transplantation of pancreatic islet–like cells derived from embryonic stem (ES) or induced pluripotent stem (iPSC) cells has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. Encouraging advances have recently been reported from the United States and China. Notably, a world-first autologous transplantation of patient-specific iPSC-derived islet-like cells in China achieved insulin independence with near-normal glycemic control. Despite its promise, concerns remain regarding long-term safety, durability, and broad applicability, underscoring the need for further rigorous clinical evaluation. This lecture will provide an overview of current progress and ongoing challenges in β-cell replacement therapy aimed at curing type 1 diabetes. In addition, I will introduce the study design of our clinical trial at Kyoto University Hospital evaluating allogeneic transplantation of iPSC-derived islet cell sheets (OZTx-410). Through these insights, we aim to highlight both the steady steps already taken and the horizon of possibilities ahead in the pursuit of a functional cure for diabetes.Incretin-Based Therapeutics: Bridging Theory and Practice, and Exploring New HorizonsThe landscape of type 2 diabetes management has been transformed by the advent of incretin-based therapies, including dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. In Japan—where more than 70% of individuals with diabetes are aged 65 years or older and commonly present with a non-obese phenotype and reduced insulin secretory capacity—DPP-4 inhibitors continue to serve as a fundamental treatment option, offering effective glycemic control with minimal risk of hypoglycemia. In contrast, among younger adults with obesity, GLP-1 receptor agonists have emerged as essential agents that not only improve glycemic control but also promote weight reduction and confer cardiovascular and renal benefits. A major advance in 2023 was the approval of tirzepatide, a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 receptor agonist that engages both receptors. Tirzepatide has demonstrated robust glucose-lowering and weight-reducing effects in both clinical trials and real-world practice in Japan, further expanding therapeutic opportunities across the region. However, incretin-based therapies are not without challenges: gastrointestinal adverse events remain common, and potential associations with pancreatic and biliary diseases continue to require caution. In older adults, concerns regarding their impact on frailty and sarcopenia demand careful clinical judgment. Furthermore, inappropriate discontinuation of insulin therapy after initiating incretin treatment has occasionally resulted in severe clinical consequences, highlighting the critical need for decision-making that extends beyond the evidence from controlled trials. In response to these issues, the Japan Diabetes Society (JDS) Committee for the Safe Use of Medications released the Recommendations for the Safe Use of Incretin-Related Agents, Second Edition in 2024. Disseminating these recommendations across East Asia and the broader Asia–Oceania region will be essential to ensure the safe and effective application of incretin-based therapies in diverse clinical settings. In this plenary lecture, I will explore strategies to optimize type 2 diabetes management in Asia by harnessing the therapeutic potential of incretin-based agents while proactively mitigating associated risks. Together, we aim to build a future in which innovation, safety, and patient-centered care advance hand in hand.

101

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 103

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

103