Introduction to Guest Editors

In this issue of Seminars in Reproductive Medicine, we address an extremely important and interesting topic of disorders of sex development. I was extremely fortunate to recruit Dr. Berenice B. Mendonca to serve as guest editor.

Prof. Mendonca received her MD in 1973 from Faculdade de Medicina do Triangulo Mineiro, Brazil. In 1984, Prof. Mendonca completed her research fellowship in Endocrinology at the University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, where she developed the whole of her scientific achievements. During the course of her career, Prof. Mendonca has made major contributions to the understanding of the pathophysiology of endocrine tumors, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, hyper- and hypofunction of the adrenals, endocrine hypertension, growth hormone excess and deficiency, disorders of puberty, metabolic bone disease, and mainly disorders of sex development. She has published a total of 265 publications in Brazilian (n = 81) and international (n = 195) journals, which resulted in 5152 citations (average citation of 15.6 and h-index of 38).

Prof. Mendonca has brought a new insight to the diagnosis and treatment of endocrine diseases by merging the clinical aspects observed in the course of her practice with genetics and molecular biology techniques. Prof. Mendonca also has a commendable ability to teach and form new researchers. During her academic career she was the mentor of 20 PhD and 3 Master's Degree students. In addition, she has passionately dedicated to provide high-quality medical care to the patients seen at the Service of Endocrinology of Hospital das Clinicas of the University of Sao Paulo.

She is currently the Full Professor of the Discipline of Endocrinology at University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Head of the Laboratory of Hormones and Molecular Genetics.

Dr. Mendonca has recruited a large number of internationally recognized experts in this area and I am sure the issue will serve as a classic reference on this topic.