Adults and children with diabetes, thyroid disease or other hormone disorders now have a new physician to turn to for help at City of Hope.
Endocrinologist Raynald Albert Samoa, M.D., recently joined City of Hope as assistant clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism.
 Raynald Samoa (Photo by p.cunningham) |
Samoa moved to City of Hope from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, where was a fellow in pediatric endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. He also trained at the University of Southern California + Los Angeles County (USC+LAC) Medical Center, where he completed an adult endocrinology fellowship.
“Dr. Samoa is uniquely trained both as an adult and pediatric endocrinologist, and will fulfill a significant need in both of these programs at City of Hope,” said Fouad R. Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Clinical Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism.
He treats patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as thyroid conditions such as thyroid cancer, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and goiters. He also sees patients with pituitary conditions, adrenal insufficiency, growth hormone disorders, obesity and osteoporosis.
Samoa pursues a variety of clinical research topics in endocrinology, from improving thyroid cancer treatment to studying the effects of hormones on obesity. He is particularly interested in appetite and what stimulates it; or as he puts it, “why these appetite signals are preserved so fiercely — regardless of whether you need them or not.”
He is working on several obesity-intervention projects in Pacific Islander communities locally and abroad.
Samoa did much of his training at USC+LAC, completing a fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism as well as an internship and residency in combined internal medicine and pediatrics. He served as chief resident at the USC’s Women’s & Children’s Hospital.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and anthropology from Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Wash., and his medical degree from the University of Washington.
Samoa is a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the Endocrine Society and the Endocrine Fellows Foundation.
