SUMMARY
The research of Roman Thaler, Ph.D., M.S., focuses on musculoskeletal diseases with a particular interest in how different risk factors and exposome factors, such as aging, nutrition, and lifestyle, affect the integrity and pathophysiology of bones, joints, and adipose tissues. Dr. Thaler investigates how these extrinsic and intrinsic influences impact the epigenetic programs and differentiation potentials of musculoskeletal cell lineages, including osteoblasts, joint fibroblasts, and adipocytes, and how aberrant epigenetic programs lead to musculoskeletal pathologies over time.
Dr. Thaler's multidisciplinary and translational research approach spans from conducting basic, molecular research on primary patient samples to building models based on artificial intelligence (AI) for disease prediction. This investigative pipeline allows him to link exposome factors with molecular mechanisms that contribute to age- and sex-related bone and joint pathologies, assess disease risk, and find novel entry points for new therapeutic strategies.
Focus areas
- Epigenetic mechanisms driving musculoskeletal cell differentiation and tissue homeostasis. Epigenetic mechanisms are central to cell differentiation and tissue integrity. These mechanisms are malleable by external influences. Dr. Thaler studies how exposome factors such as micronutrients epigenetically control mesenchymal stem cell differentiation and how those factors may be leveraged to ameliorate musculoskeletal diseases, including bone loss and osteoporosis.
- Sex-dimorphic mechanisms that contribute to bone loss with age. Age-related bone loss such as osteoporosis is more severe in women and is mechanistically linked to postmenopausal loss of estrogen production. However, despite available treatments, the prevalence of bone loss in older adults has not improved in over a decade in the U.S. Dr. Thaler investigates new epigenetic mechanisms that contribute to sex-dimorphic bone loss during aging to find new treatment options to preserve bone quality with advancing age.
- Predicting and targeting musculoskeletal diseases through a multimodal approach. A large portion of musculoskeletal diseases are multifactorial and develop over time, with certain demographic groups exhibiting a higher risk of disease development. Induction of disease-relevant pathways in patient-derived musculoskeletal cells ex vivo allows for AI-based data evaluation of functional cell parameters and the generation of predictive models to assess the risk of disease development.
Significance to patient care
Musculoskeletal diseases develop over a long period of time. Diverse factors inside and outside of the body drive these diseases, with great variation in how often they occur and how serious they are across patient populations.
Rational targeting of musculoskeletal diseases to improve therapies requires identifying how, when, and which factors affect cellular and epigenetic mechanisms to drive disease onset and worsening. Studying individual patient risk also is needed. Integrating these insights with predictive AI tools opens the possibility to finding new entry points for treatment and allowing for personalized therapies.
Dr. Thaler's research seeks to unravel disease-driving mechanisms and design treatments to prevent, correct, and ease musculoskeletal conditions. This research ultimately will enhance quality of life and promote healthy aging.
Professional highlights
- American Society for Bone and Mineral Research:
- Member, Publications Committee, 2023-2026.
- Member, Engagement and Education Committee, 2019-2022.
- John Haddad Young Investigator Award, 2019.
- Challenge Award on Musculoskeletal Aging: Beyond Senescence, Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, 2024.
- Foderaro-Quattrone Grant for Innovation in Orthopedic Surgery Award, Mayo Clinic, 2024.
- Wendel Orthopedic Translational Research Award, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 2024.
- KL2 Center for Clinical and Translational Science Career Development Award, National Institutes of Health, 2023.
- MODE Career Development Program, Columbia University, 2023.
- Precision Medicine Award, Center of Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 2022.
- Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Award, Orthopaedic Research Society, 2016.