Basic & Translational
Science – Bench to Bedside

Bone metabolism – how our bones respond and adapt to metabolic and physical stimuli. We will focus on cell signaling, bone remodeling (how old bone is broken down & replaced with new bone), functional adaptation (how bones adapt to mechanical loads), its impact on the quality and quantity of our bones and how it is influenced by lifestyle factors, genetics and disease.

How bones interact with muscles, fat, joints, and nerves, and how these connections affect bone health in both common & rare bone conditions, from childhood through older age.

Finding better treatments, including new treatment targets and new ways to use and manage drugs that already exist.

To find new ways to keep bones healthy, scientists study how bones are built, broken down, and repaired. This process is controlled by genes, signals between cells, and how those cells work together. Researchers look for specific parts of this process—like certain molecules or signals—that they can change or target with drugs. The goal is to help the body build more bone, slow down bone loss, or make bones stronger.

We will focus on the use of new approaches (including novel animal and computer-based models) to test ideas about how bone diseases work & how treatments might help, before moving to human studies.

Exploring non-drug approaches—like nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes—as they show great promise for improving bone health. Exercise, especially, helps build muscle strength and protect bones. More research is needed to tailor exercise to different bone conditions, make it safer and more effective, and prevent injuries—all to help reduce pain and lower fracture risk.

Provide training in advanced technologies, such as medical imaging, to improve bone health diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. This includes using imaging to assess bone quality, internal structure, and fracture risk, and applying research findings to better understand and identify the causes of bone diseases.