Pathogenesis of Age-Related Bone Loss

In this project, our research team is conducting human and mouse mechanistic studies to unravel the underlying causes of age-related bone loss.

Specific studies within this project on the pathogenesis of age-related bone loss are examining the role of cell senescence, increased sympathetic outflow, age-related cell autonomous changes in bone cells, and impaired osteoclast-osteoblast coupling in mediating bone loss with aging.

Our research team has developed novel approaches to rapidly isolate osteoclast precursors, osteoblast precursors, osteoblasts and osteocytes from human needle bone biopsies and from mouse bones, allowing our lab to interrogate specific genes and pathways in these cells without the need for in vitro culture.