NIH-funded research P01 program project

Developmental mechanisms behind adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Official title: Developmental Mechanisms of Human Idiopathic Scoliosis

Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11350943 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A program of researchers is studying why scoliosis appears in some children and aims to uncover genetic and developmental clues that could lead to better understanding and future treatments.

More Scoliosis research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUt Southwestern Medical Center
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Dallas, United States)
Project startSeptember 1, 2016
Project endMay 31, 2027
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$321,459
NIH project number5P01HD084387-10
Project IDNIH-11350943 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Children and adolescents with AIS or a family history of the condition could benefit from future discoveries and applications stemming from this program.

Less likely to help

This core administrative and discovery program does not directly enroll patients in this phase.

What this research studies

This program combines human gene discovery, zebrafish models, and genome analysis to uncover causes of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. It brings together three research groups and an Administrative Core to coordinate data, compliance, and productivity. The effort may ultimately pave the way for better diagnosis and someday new interventions for AIS in affected youth. Participants are not specified here, but the work centers on understanding a condition that affects children and could influence future patient care.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to better understanding of AIS causes and inform future diagnostics or therapies for affected children.

How similar studies have gone: Related AIS genetic and developmental research has progressed in model systems and human studies, suggesting potential for meaningful insights.

Where this research is happening

  • Ut Southwestern Medical Center
    Dallas, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Wise, Carol a — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
  • Study coordinator: Wise, Carol a

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

  • The RESILIENT Brace for teens with scoliosis

    A new flexible, adjustable scoliosis brace for adolescents to improve comfort, mobility, and real-time feedback to help keep curves from getting worse.

    NIH research Thinks Works, Pbc D/b/a Thinksworks · Austin, United States · NIH-11402856

  • Understanding why adolescent scoliosis develops and how to prevent it

    A research collaboration is studying why adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) happens and how it progresses, with the goal of finding ways to prevent and better treat it for affected children.

    NIH research Ut Southwestern Medical Center · Dallas, United States · NIH-11350942

  • Understanding the Causes of Adolescent Scoliosis

    This program aims to uncover the genetic and developmental reasons behind adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, a common spine condition in children.

    NIH research Ut Southwestern Medical Center · Dallas, United States · NIH-11121810

  • Understanding How Idiopathic Scoliosis Develops

    This research aims to uncover the root causes of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, a spinal twisting condition affecting many children.

    NIH research Ut Southwestern Medical Center · Dallas, United States · NIH-11121809

  • Evaluating physiotherapy for treating scoliosis in adolescents

    This study is looking at how a special type of exercise called the Schroth method can help teenagers with scoliosis by slowing down or preventing their spinal curve from getting worse, and it's designed just for young people dealing with this condition.

    NIH research University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, United States · NIH-11013433

  • Low oxygen and mitochondria's role in spine development and congenital scoliosis

    This research looks at how low oxygen and mitochondrial changes during pregnancy can disrupt early spine formation and lead to congenital scoliosis.

    NIH research University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, United States · NIH-11320814

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.