The European Society for Endocrinology (ESE) in collaboration with the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) has unveiled the EndoCompass Research Roadmap, a groundbreaking initiative released on October 17, 2025, that aims to redefine the future landscape of endocrine science research across Europe. This comprehensive supplement, now accessible through the European Journal of Endocrinology, delineates an ambitious and coordinated strategy designed to elevate endocrine research visibility, enhance funding frameworks, and ultimately improve outcomes related to a spectrum of hormone-driven diseases. As a scientific compass for the next decade, EndoCompass promises to guide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers toward high-priority areas in endocrinology while fostering collaborative synergies across disciplines.
Endocrine disorders represent a vast and heterogeneous category of conditions including diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunctions, endocrine-related cancers, obesity, infertility, and numerous rare diseases. Despite their extensive burden, these conditions often remain underfunded and insufficiently studied. Current data reveal that endocrine research has been allocated less than four percent of Horizon 2020’s biomedical and health funding—statistics that underscore a critical disparity given the prevalence and societal impact of hormonal diseases. EndoCompass emerges as a strategic solution to bridge this funding gap by identifying urgent priorities and advocating for the equitable distribution of research resources throughout Europe, promoting scientific innovation and clinical translation.
This visionary roadmap is the product of an extraordinary two-year collaborative effort involving 228 leading academics, clinicians, and scientists from diverse European countries. Complementing this scientific breadth, nine prominent patient advocacy groups and ten esteemed partner societies have contributed to ensuring the roadmap not only reflects cutting-edge research needs but also incorporates patient-centered perspectives and the social dimensions of endocrine health. The collective engagement underscores a unified recognition within the endocrine community of the necessity to jointly shape a forward-looking research agenda aligned with public health imperatives.
EndoCompass delineates priority research axes across eight specialized endocrine domains, encompassing adrenal and cardiovascular endocrinology, calcium and bone metabolism, endocrine oncogenesis, metabolic disorders including diabetes and obesity, growth regulation, neuroendocrine tumor biology, reproductive and developmental endocrinology, and thyroid pathophysiology. Beyond domain-specific challenges, the roadmap addresses five overarching thematic areas critical for advancing endocrine science: integration of data and emerging technologies, environmental influences on endocrine health, addressing health inequalities, life-course endocrinology, and the role of endocrine laboratory medicine. This multifaceted approach ensures that both biological complexity and societal determinants are adequately considered.
The integration of data science and artificial intelligence within the EndoCompass framework exemplifies the roadmap’s commitment to leveraging transformative technological advances. By promoting the development of new analytical tools and standardized big data infrastructures, the initiative aims to accelerate biomarker discovery, improve diagnostic accuracy, and enable precision medicine approaches tailored to individual hormonal profiles. Additionally, environmental endocrinology receives particular attention given the increasing evidence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals adversely impacting human health. Research recommendations include mechanistic studies of environmental exposures and mitigation strategies to protect vulnerable populations.
Health disparities linked to socioeconomic status, geographic location, and access to healthcare are also highlighted as critical areas requiring urgent research investment. Understanding how these inequities influence endocrine disease prevalence, progression, and treatment efficacy is essential to designing inclusive healthcare policies and outreach programs. The emphasis on life-course endocrinology further reflects an understanding that hormonal influences span from early developmental stages through aging, necessitating longitudinal studies to unravel complex temporal dynamics affecting health outcomes.
Rare endocrine diseases, representing a constellation of often debilitating but understudied conditions, form a vital component of the research roadmap. Given their low prevalence, these disorders frequently suffer from limited clinical expertise and scarce therapeutic options. EndoCompass advocates for increased collaborative networks to harmonize diagnostic criteria, foster translational research, and expedite clinical trials, thereby enhancing patient care for these neglected populations. The roadmap further stresses the importance of endocrine laboratory medicine to underpin diagnostic precision and support the validation of innovative biomarkers.
The development of EndoCompass as a living, practical resource aims to empower the endocrine community to collectively advocate for policy-driven funding commitments while facilitating cross-national research partnerships. By outlining clear strategic priorities and fostering an ecosystem of collaboration and innovation, the initiative hopes to catalyze a paradigm shift in how hormone health challenges are approached scientifically and clinically. This paradigm shift is particularly vital in addressing pervasive conditions like obesity and infertility, which have historically been underrepresented in public health discourse despite their substantial societal impact.
Leading figures in the endocrine field emphasize the roadmap’s potential to unify disparate research efforts and foster a coherent European strategy. Professor Martine Cools, ESPE Co-Chair of the EndoCompass Steering Group, articulates the underlying vision: elevating the field by inspiring researchers to tackle the most pressing questions whilst increasing endocrinology’s profile with policymakers and the broader public. Professor Martin Fassnacht, ESE Co-Chair, concurs, underscoring the collaborative nature of the project and its objective to transform endocrine science into a more visible, better funded, and patient-centered discipline.
The comprehensive supplement contains 14 dedicated chapters addressing diverse aspects of endocrinology—from funding analyses, specialized subfield roadmaps, environmental effects, to the integration of cutting-edge artificial intelligence applications. Each chapter, authored by domain experts, provides detailed insights into prevailing knowledge gaps and research opportunities. The availability of these chapters as open-access materials furthers the initiative’s commitment to transparency and broad dissemination within the scientific community and beyond.
In conclusion, the release of the EndoCompass Research Roadmap represents a pivotal moment for European endocrine science. By articulating a shared vision and strategic framework for the next decade, it sets the stage for impactful research, innovative clinical practices, and informed policy decisions aimed at alleviating the burden of endocrine diseases. Through coordinated investment and multidisciplinary collaboration, the endocrine field is poised to make transformative advances that will improve hormone-related health outcomes for millions, marking a new era of discovery and patient care.
For the full EndoCompass Research Roadmap and detailed chapters, readers can access the supplement in the European Journal of Endocrinology online.
Subject of Research: Not applicable
News Publication Date: October 17, 2025
Web References: https://academic.oup.com/ejendo/issue/193/Supplement_2, http://www.ese-hormones.org/endocompass
References: See individual chapter DOIs provided within the supplement
Image Credits: European Society of Endocrinology
Keywords: Endocrine research, hormone health, endocrinology roadmap, European Society for Endocrinology, endocrine funding, diabetes, thyroid disorders, endocrine oncology, obesity, reproductive endocrinology, artificial intelligence in endocrinology, health disparities, environmental endocrinology
