Dr Laura de Graaff

Laura de Graaff an adult endocrinologist and associate professor Genetic and Developmental Endocrinology at both Erasmus and Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands. As the founder of the Center for adults with Rare Genetic Syndromes (RGS), she leads both clinical research and fundamental research lines investigating biomolecular pathways and cellular mechanisms involved in RGS.

She obtained her medical degree from the University of Leiden in 2001. She finished her PhD in 2008, based on genetic studies in patients with congenital hypothalamic and pituitary disorders. In 2015 she finished her medical training in Internal Medicine-Endocrinology and launched the Center for RGS. This Center aims to improve quality of healthcare for adults with RGS, combining unique specialized multidisciplinary care with innovative fundamental and clinical research.

The multidisciplinary team of the Center for RGS takes care of over 1250 adults with RGS from 19 national reference centers, including 200 adults with PWS.

Dr. de Graaff has initiated the INfoRMEd-PWS network (International Network for Research, Management & Education on adults with PWS (see about-informed-pws.pdf (ese-hormones.org). This large international network of adult endocrinologists has been very active in the last 5 years; the collaboration has resulted in the publication of eight articles with practical recommendations (about adrenal insufficiency, kidney disorders, hyponatremia, transition, hyperprolactinemia, bone problems among others), which have improved clinical care for adults with PWS worldwide.