Genetic Factors for Osteoporosis

Funded Activity Summary

Osteoporosis is a common condition in which bone strength is reduced due to reduced amount and quality of bone. Reduced bone strength means an increased risk of fracture. Osteoporotic fractures occur in 1 in 2 women and 1 in 3 men in their lifetime, and the likelihood of suffering osteoporotic fracture increases with age. Most of the risk of developing osteoporosis is genetic, but few of the genes involved have been identified. Our goal is to identify those genes. We will complete recruitment and assessment of a cohort of 1500 postmenopausal women with either low or high bone mineral density from pre-existing population cohorts in Australia. A genomewide association study will then be performed on these cases. Associated genes in different datasets will then be investigated further in our cohort, and high-density SNP mapping performed to identify true associated variants. These studies should identify most genetic variants associated with BMD variation and low trauma fracture in the general community, allowing development of diagnostic-disease predictive genetic tests, and informing development of novel therapeutic agents for osteoporosis.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2009

End Date: 01-01-2012

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Strategic Awards

Funding Amount: $810,661.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Geriatrics And Gerontology

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Bone | Fracture | Genetics | Genetics of the skeleton | Osteoporosis

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