For the first time, an endocrinologist from Latin America received the International Award, offered by the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE). The holder of this honor was Berenice Bilharinho de Mendonça, Professor of the Discipline of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) and Head of the Hormones and Molecular Genetics Laboratory (LIM/42) at the Hospital das Clínicas of FMUSP.

This award is given once a year, during the annual congress of the specialty, and recognizes outstanding scientific contributions in the field of pediatric endocrinology by a professional who works outside Europe and the Mediterranean basin. The 2021 edition of the congress took place online, between the 22nd and 26th of September.

Prof. Berenice Bilharinho has published over 500 works in national and international journals. She works as a clinical researcher in the field of developmental endocrinology, covering the clinical and molecular study of differences in sexual development, growth and puberty, in addition to the areas of adrenal hypofunction and hyperfunction.