Boosting bone regeneration by targeting Zfp384 to prevent fractures
Official title: BCCMA: Foundational Research to Act Upon and Resist Conditions Unfavorable to Bone (FRACTURE CURB): Zfp384-mediated enhancement of anabolic action in the skeleton
Funded at Rlr VA Medical Center · NIH-11131010 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work explores whether increasing a protein called Zfp384 can help older Veterans and adults build stronger bone and heal fractures faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rlr VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005861-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11131010 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People most likely to qualify for follow-up trials would be older adults or Veterans with low bone density, osteoporosis, or recent fragility fractures.
✕Less likely to help
Young healthy people without bone-weakening conditions are unlikely to benefit from these specific approaches.
What this research studies
Researchers at the VA are combining lab and pre-clinical (animal) models that mimic conditions which weaken bone or slow repair to find ways to make bone-healing hormones work better. The team focuses on enhancing the bone-building effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) by manipulating a gene regulator called Zfp384. Multiple projects use shared methods to measure how disease and treatments change bone strength and repair over time. The goal is to identify strategies that could translate into safer, more effective therapies to prevent fractures and speed recovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that help older adults and Veterans prevent fractures, build bone more effectively, and recover faster with fewer side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Parathyroid hormone therapies are already used to stimulate bone growth, but using Zfp384 to boost PTH action is a newer, largely preclinical strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
Rlr VA Medical Center
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Robling, Alexander G — Rlr VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Robling, Alexander G
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.