Located within the Indiana University School of Medicine on the campus of Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolois (IUPUI) in downtown Indianapolis
Novel approaches to altering bone mechanical properties
Novel approaches for treating osteogenesis imperfecta
IUPUI BBRC-funded project
Combination treatment to enhance bone strength
Treating skeletal complications of chronic kidney disease
NIH/NIAMS-funded project 2010-2015
Pharmaceutical agents used to treat osteoporosis significantly reduce fracture risk via different mechanisms that ultimately enhance either structural or material biomechanical properties. This proposal will determine if FDA approved anti- osteoporotic drugs can be used in combination to enhance bone mechanical properties more than treatment with either drug alone.
One in ten Americans suffers from chronic kidney disease (CKD). Individuals with end-stage CKD have a 17-fold higher risk of skeletal fracture than the normal population and of CKD patients that sustain a hip fracture over 60% die within a year (compared to 20% in the normal population). Our work in this field is focused on gaining a greater understanding of the underlying skeletal schanges associated with CKD and finding a viable treatment for these changes. This work is done in collaboration with Dr. Sharon Moe, a clinical nephrologist.
In conjuction with Dr. David Burr our laboratory has shown that raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, can alter bone mechanical properties through non-cellular mechanisms. Current work is aimed at undersanding the mechanisms underlying these benefical modifications.
In conjuction with Dr. Joey Wallace we are examining the ability of raloxifene to improve the compromised bone mechanical properties associated with osteogenesis imperfecta.
